I was asked by Erik Kiviat (
kiviat@bard.edu) to post the following
message to the Maine bird listserv. As you will see below, Erik is
looking for data on birds which nested this past year (or any year) in
knotweed for a paper. If you can help, please reply directly to Erik, he
is not on the listserv.
--------
Knotweed (Japanese knotweed, giant knotweed, Bohemian knotweed) is a
non-native, shrub- like, pest plant that is widely distributed across
the U.S. and southern Canada, and growing in large patches in some areas.
I have documented 50 bird nests in knotweed in the northeastern states,
and other observers have documented knotweed nests in those states and
several other states and provinces. The map at the following website
shows states where knotweed occurs:
https://www.eddmaps.org/distribution/viewmap.cfm?sub=19655 and there are
many occurrences that have not been mapped.
Nests have been found in knotweed stands of all sizes, down to only a
square meter. Nests are commonly about 1.5 meters above the ground in
knotweed 2-3 m tall; however, nests can be higher or lower, even on the
ground. Nests are usually easy to see in winter. In the Hudson Valley of
New York I can survey half a dozen knotweed stands and find a nest.
If you find a nest in knotweed, please take photographs of the stand
showing the nest, and closeups of the nest from various angles. I hope
to receive your observations by the end of January. If you're interested
in collecting more data about a nest let me know and I'll send the data
sheet I use. My main concern is to obtain nest records from additional
states and provinces, as I believe the phenomenon is very widespread. My
two aims are to better understand the wildlife using non-native plants,
and to alert managers to bird nesting in knotweed so they can either
treat (cut, spray, etc.) outside the bird breeding season, or check
carefully for nests prior to treatment. I'm coauthoring a paper about
bird nests in knotweed.
Thank you for considering my request for assistance!
Erik Kiviat
kiviat@bard.edu
Hudsonia
845-758-7273
--
Stan DeOrsey
jsmd@att.net
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