Loss of grassland habitat due to agricultural expansion is one of the leading challenges for the conservation of grassland-dependent species and remaining grasslands are often fragmented, further threatening ecological integrity. Although, bioenergy crop production represents an important pathway to reducing society’s reliance on fossil fuels and mitigating global climate change. Corn (Zea mays) is the predominant feedstock used for bioenergy production in the United States. However, corn, being an intensively managed annual crop, can have severe negative impacts on ecological health. Less intensively managed perennial bioenergy crops, such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), offer a promising alternative to meet renewable fuel goal while supporting ecological function. 

A key concern for the conservation community is how perennial bioenergy grasslands, deployed at multiple spatial scales, impact declining grassland bird species. To address this, we studied bird communities in perennial grasslands suitable for bioenergy production in southwestern Nebraska. We also compared avian species richness and the presence of grassland obligate species between conventional row-crop fields and perennial grasslands across a subset of sites. Our findings highlight the need for strategic landscape planning. When bioenergy grasslands are located adjacent to existing native grasslands with high plant diversity, they can enhance habitat connectivity and expand overall grassland area, which can benefit grassland bird populations. It is important to recognize that bioenergy grasslands generally lack the vegetative diversity found in conservation lands, such as those enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Therefore, they should not be considered replacements for these high-quality habitats. Implemented in a targeted and ecologically informed manner, perennial bioenergy grasslands can contribute to climate mitigation goals and expand habitat for declining bird species in agricultural landscapes.