Preserve Selection and Design Considerations: Maintain a diverse complex of wetlands (Ryan et al. 1984, Colwell and Oring 1988). Wetlands of widely varying types and salinities are used, but may need to utilize larger, more permanent wetlands during droughts or late in summer (Ryan et al. 1984). Provide native grassland habitat for upland nesting and foraging (Ryan et al. 1984, Kantrud and Higgins 1992, Eldridge in prep).
Territories are large, and include both feeding and nesting areas. Protected areas must be large enough to provide both upland habitat and a diverse range of wetland types (Stewart 1975, Colwell and Oring 1988, Kantrud and Higgins 1992). May be area sensitive, rarely occurring on blocks of contiguous grassland less than 100 ha in the northern Great Plains (D.H. Johnson, unpubl. data). Mean territory size was 90 ha in North Dakota (Ryan et al. 1984).
Management Requirements: Grazing, mowing, and prescribed burning can be used to provide areas of shorter, sparser vegetation (Ryan et al. 1984, Berkey et al. 1993, Eldridge in prep).
BURNING: Fall burning or mowing of upland sites and wetland edges can produce suitable cover for the following spring (Ryan et al. 1984). Moderate to dense regrowth in burned areas may be too dense for nesting, but can provide the denser, taller cover used by broods (Ryan et al. 1984).
HAYING: Haylands are readily used by breeding birds (Ryan et al. 1984, Kantrud and Higgins 1992). Ryan et al. (1984) suggested that fall haying or burning could provide nesting habitat the following spring, and the denser, taller regrowth could provide suitable habitat for broods. Densities were highest during the first 2 years after a burn in North Dakota grasslands (Johnson 1997).
GRAZING: Can be used in both upland and wetland habitats to maintain the short, moderately dense vegetation preferred (Ryan et al. 1984). Grazed or recently grazed uplands are often more attractive to breeding birds than are other land-use types (Ryan et al. 1984, Kantrud and Higgins 1992, Sedivec 1994). Godwits prefer previously grazed areas that are idle during the current breeding season (Kantrud and Higgins 1992). If grazing used, choose rotational over season-long grazing (Sedivec 1994). When implementing a rotational grazing system, avoid grazing until late May or early June; when using season-long grazing, delay grazing until mid-June (Sedivec 1994). Berkey et al. (1993) suggest that short-term grazing (2-4 weeks in May) may be beneficial in North Dakota.