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Responses Of Nesting Bobolinks (Dolichonyx Oryzivorus) To Habitat Edges, Eric K. Bollinger, Thomas A. Gavin

Eric K. Bollinger

T.-Avoidance of habitat edges may be contributing to reduced densities of grass- land birds in small habitat patches. Nest densities for grassland-nesting Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) were much lower than expected within 25 m of forest edges at three sites in New York, and that pattern ("edge avoidance") extended to 100 m at one site. Nests located within 50 m of forest or wooded hedgerow edges had lower daily survival rates, compared with nests >100 m from any habitat edge. Bobolinks tended to move away from forest edges when renest- ing after nest failure; that pattern was especially evident in females …