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Contrasting Non-Breeding Ecology Of Swainson’S Thrush (Catharus Ustulatus) In Andean Forest And Shade-Grown Coffee Plantations, Sean Mcelaney

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Shade-grown coffee plantations provide Neotropical migratory birds an alternative to primary growth forest which is disappearing throughout their non-breeding range. However, it remains unclear whether plantations can provide enough structure to maintain viable non-breeding populations of many species. I studied Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) in the Colombian Andes in a mixture of montane forest and shade-grown coffee plantation. In comparing the two habitats I looked at factors indicative of habitat quality, such as age/sex hierarchies, area of concentrated use, density, diet, and migration timing. My research aimed to determine whether Neotropical migrants benefit from this agroecosystem, and to …