Beneficial Management Practices for Saskatchewan Species at Risk: Sprague’s Pipit Threatened

Olive-tan upperparts streaked with black & buff Whitish or buff under- parts with dark streaks White outer tail feathers Dark eyes and thin, pale- colored bill, legs & feet Call of descending notes Kim Dohms

Prefer native prairie with vegetation of intermediate height and sparse to intermediate density Can be found in tame grasslands Avoid areas with extensive tree or shrub cover Ground-feeder; eats a variety of insects (i.e. grasshoppers and beetles)

Located in the southern portion of the province Status: Threatened Declined due habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation, pesticides and drought Estimated at 300,000 birds but exact number is unknown

Beneficial Management Practices Habitat Size Retain fragments of native prairie in patches of 160 acres (65 ha) or more

Grazing Moderate grazing is most beneficial in the Aspen Parkland ecoregion Low to moderate grazing is most beneficial in the Moist Mixedgrassland ecoregion Low grazing is most beneficial in the Dry or Semi-Arid Mixedgrassland ecoregion

Woody Vegetation Do not plant trees or shrubs on or within 100m of native or tame grassland Reduce or remove woody vegetation in native or tame grassland

Converting Cropland to Perennial Cover Convert cultivated land to perennial cover Seed a grass mix that includes a prostrate form of legume (i.e. cicer milk vetch, trefoil or purple prairie clover) Seed finer grasses in forage mixes such as native grasses, Kentucky bluegrass or meadow brome

Converting Cropland (cont’d) Seed herbaceous species that grow well in a stand with other species

Invasive Alien Plant Species Manage invasion of exotic species in native grasslands that do not harm native herbaceous vegetation

Forage Harvesting Delay harvesting of tame hay until after July 15 th Mowed tame hayfields are better habitat than fields left idle for more than one to two years

Roads Avoid constructing built-up roads Re-vegetate linear developments with native or fine, mid-height tame vegetation