Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Arkansas
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Wild hogs are a widespread and destructive species worldwide. While many of the economic and ecological impacts of wild hogs have been quantified, we know relatively little about their effects on birds through direct predation or through habitat alteration. Given that hogs can reach high densities in bottomland hardwood forests where a number of sensitive bird species occur, understanding the interactions between hogs and the avian community is of high interest to land managers. Working with partners at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as USGS Headquarters in Reston, VA - we are evaluating how the presence and relative abundance of hogs influences the occupancy and distribution of birds in bottomland hardwood forests across several National Wildlife Refuges. Understanding how hogs interact with birds will help managers to understand which bird species are vulnerable and allow them to target hog removal and population reduction in areas where these vulnerable species occur.