OUTDOOR CORNER: SOME ANIMALS DEPEND ON CANE

What value is a canebrake?

My last visit with you detailed the former magnitude and decline of the native bamboo, known as cane. Conservation efforts could help restore it, but should we go through the effort? Here in the United States we no longer use cane as a tool or major food source. Today cane is little more than an ornamental oddity and something that borders creeks and bottomland fields. The main use of cane today is reserved by wildlife species of many different types. Some animals depended on cane so much that the removal of canebrakes led to their decline. Let's examine the importance of cane. . . you might decide it is worth conserving!

Insects, birds, and mammals all make use of cane. These animals depend on cane to varying degrees. Some just like it while others absolutely need it to survive! A good example of animals that "just like it" are black bears, deer, bison and elk. They were all drawn to canebrakes to graze on nutritious shoots. None of these animals desperately needed cane because they could eat many other plants. However, it met their dietary needs so well that they were often sighted in or near Southeast Missouri canebrakes.

As wildlife cover goes, cane thickets were superior. Song birds such as indigo buntings, cardinals, grosbeaks and water thrushes could gain much needed protection from predators in cane. Birds are not the only benefactors -- small mammals use cane stands, too.

Golden mice and southeastern shrews are associated with these dense spreads of bamboo. The shear thickness provides a jungle gym for these small climbers as they go about a day's work of looking for food. Another mammal, the swamp rabbit, takes refuge in canebrakes. Experienced hunters know that jumping "swampers" in a cane patch is not uncommon. Cane shoots may be an important food item for swamp rabbits. This would explain why cane is so important to swamp rabbits. They use them for cover and food.

The connection to cane for food and cover gets even stronger for other animals. At least five species of butterflies need cane for their caterpillar stage. Feeding on cane leaves provides them with the fuel required to metamorphose into butterflies such as the yehl skipper, creole pearly-eye, southern pearly-eye, lace winged roadside skipper and Carolina roadside skipper.

Without cane, in large enough quantities, this butterfly cannot be found! Scientists are just now beginning to examine canebrakes and may very likely find more insects that specialize in this nutritious grass.

Insects are not the only animals that are dependant on cane. Swainson's warblers and Bachman's warblers not only like cane, but they need it to survive. Swainson's warblers migrate to Southeast Missouri every spring to nest in our cane stands. They breed and raise their young in cane and even make their nests from cane leaves. These warblers are now state endangered. Part of this has to do with the lack of canebrakes to nest and feed in.

The Bachman's warbler was even more dependant on cane. Swainson's warblers are known to nest outside of cane, but the Bachman's warbler would be found nowhere else. It is for this reason that they indicate the decline of canebrakes most vividly. Bachman's warblers were once a very common bird but very difficult to find. Thick canebrakes were difficult to search by bird watchers. It is thought that this bird was specialized for feeding in cane and may have even had dietary requirements available only through cane dwelling insects such as the cane dependant caterpillars.

Today Bachman's warbler are considered extinct by many biologists who study birds. This tiny jewel of a bird required cane stands so much that as thickets were cut, the bird declined as well. Cutting the cane thickets directly reduced the Bachman's warbler population, perhaps forever. Cane is also linked to Carolina parakeets.

Even though cane may not flower and go to fruit for 20-50 years when it did, the parakeet would flock in to devour the tasty and nutritious seeds. Settlers would have to beat the birds just to collect these seeds! Not all cane plants bloomed in the same year so parakeets would migrate to fruiting patches. Although declining cane did not directly cause the extinction of the Carolina parakeet, it did not help that this food source was diminished.

The interesting part about cane ecology is that we are just beginning to understand how important cane is to wildlife. New relationships are found as we begin to understand how interconnected plants and animals can be. Cane is a superior plant for wildlife cover and is highly nutritious. Therefore, you would expect some special and tight canebrake animal relationships.

If you have cane on your property, consider allowing it to survive or encourage its spread.

Protection and conservation of cane is very important for wildlife. Cane roots and rhizomes can be transplanted with relative success. Keep in mind that digging plants from roadsides is illegal.

Always seek permission from landowners when digging on private property. You may consider planting cane in desired locations near a creek or bottom land field or plant it for ornamental purposes. If you plant cane as an ornamental screen or clump you need to be aware of cane's ability to spread underground. Sinking landscape timbers around yard plantings can help solve that issue by providing an underground barrier. Cane is important to wildlife, a part of our heritage, and something you should consider conserving.

A.J. Hendershott is an education consultant with the Missouri Department of Conservation.