The Daniel Boone / Little Lost Creek Conservation Areas IBA, composed entirely of the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Daniel Boone Conservation Area (CA) (3,614 acres, 1463 ha) and Little Lost Creek CA (2,905 acres, 1176 ha), is a hilly region of historically woodland ridges and oak and mixed-hardwood forested valleys with interspersed glades (Nigh and Schroeder 2002). Today, these CAs are embedded in the largest blocks of forest in mid-Missouri. Some small grasslands occur.

The Daniel Boone / Little Lost Creek Conservation Areas IBA provides much forest habitat for migrating and breeding forest birds, such as Wood Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Kentucky Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, and Ovenbird. The IBA is also one of several focal areas for Ruffed Grouse management, and has one of the better populations in the state. However, grouse populations, although never high, have plummeted in recent years despite intensive habitat management (small scale regeneration cuts, etc.). Cold/wet weather and lack of major snowstorms (grouse use snowbanks for winter cover) might also be contributing factors. However, these treatments that are intended for grouse also provide habitat for declining shrub-nesting species such as Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue-winged Warbler, and White-eyed Vireo.

Prescribed burning and selective timber harvest and thining are done by MDC on these CAs. Forest fragmentation should be minimized to maintain optimal forest bird habitat (Robinson et al. 1995).