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Habitat Selection, Reproductive Success, And Impaling Patterns Of A Migratory Population Of Loggerhead Shrikes, Jeffrey D. Esely Jr.
Habitat Selection, Reproductive Success, And Impaling Patterns Of A Migratory Population Of Loggerhead Shrikes, Jeffrey D. Esely Jr.
Masters Theses
I studied habitat selection and reproductive success of a migratory population of Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus migrans) as well as the temporal and spatial patterns of impaling exhibited by this population during the nesting season. The selection of breeding habitat was investigated at different spatial scales. Thirty-eight (67%) of 57 nests were located in osage orange (Maclura pomifera) trees. Shrike territories (area ≤ 200 m from nest site) contained significantly more pasture, fenceline, and perch sites, but less com, alfalfa, and forest than random sites. At larger spatial scales, more grassland was detected within 300 m …
A Comparison Of Predation Rates On Real And Artificial Nests Of Grassland Birds, William B. Davison
A Comparison Of Predation Rates On Real And Artificial Nests Of Grassland Birds, William B. Davison
Masters Theses
I compared rates of predation between real and artificial nests of grassland birds in order to test the impact of nest type, nest position, and egg size on predation rates. I distributed wicker avicultural baskets and realistic grass nests baited with a clay egg and either northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) or house sparrow (Passer domesticus) eggs in four Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands in east-central Illinois. Nest success averaged 86.5% for 12 days of exposure for artificial nests. For real nests, nest success was markedly lower; averaging 39% over the entire nesting cycle and 59% during approximately 12 days of …