Ornithology Commons^™

Seasonal Changes In Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile Atricapillus) Social Structure And Gargle Vocalizations, James Vanorman

All NMU Master's Theses

Many organisms form social groups for many different reasons. Individuals within a group gain benefits from having a way of effectively communicating with their group, especially in organisms that maintain their social affiliations for long periods of time. In birds, vocalizations are the main means of communicating among individuals. When there are multiple groups of birds in an area, each group could share vocalizations. This sharing can then create local dialects. Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) are small songbirds of temperate habitats of North America that group together in larger flocks every winter. Dialects of the gargle vocalization have …

Social Influences On Vocal Development In A Wild Parrot, Caleb Michael Mand Arellano

Theses and Dissertations

The Social Intelligence Hypothesis (SIH) proposes that navigating complex societies requires increased neural processing to monitor shifting relationships. SIH evolutionary focus of brain size variation in adults originally ignored the developmental frameworks leading to increased sociality. I studied the ontogeny of early sibling interactions in wild Green‐rumped Parrotlets (Forpus passerinus) in a Venezuelan population that exhibited large variation in brood size and engaged in elaborate social interactions and complex social learning during nestling development. To test if nests of varying brood sizes exhibit differences in social complexity, I quantified the number and strength of sibling play partnerships, as a proxy …

Minnesota’S Third Tufted Duck, Philip C. Chu

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Stress And Methylmercury Exposure On Song Sparrows (Melospiza Melodia) Energy Balance., Claire Bottini

Western Research Forum

Mercury is an endocrine disruptor well known for its deleterious impacts on wildlife and humans but its effects on songbirds’ populations still require more investigation. In their natural habitat, birds face multiple stressors (e.g. predation, food unpredictability, inclement weather) in addition to pollutants. However the accumulated effects of both stress and pollutants are rarely studied. Such co-occurring pressures may synergistically increase risk for birds as both stress and mercury exposure may disrupt energy acquisition and/or allocation. My project aims to determine the interactive effects of stress and mercury exposure on songbird energy balance. Adults’ song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) …

Evaluation Of Reproductive Phenology And Ecology Of Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris Gallopavo Silvestris) Across The Southeastern United States, Nicholas W. Bakner

LSU Master's Theses

Avian reproduction is known to be a driver of population dynamics across species and systems. Behavioral decisions during incubation such as habitat selection and nest attentiveness are thought to affect nest success. The incubation process is a costly period during which individuals are sedentary and must balance survival with reproductive success and overall fitness. Current understanding of Eastern wild turkey incubation behavior provides a limited view of the incubation period. Using GPS data collected from Eastern wild turkeys (n = 220), I evaluated nest fate as it relates to recess frequency, distance travelled during recess, and habitat selection during …

Breeding Record Of The Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes Monachus (Timminek, 1823) At Emi Abumo Woro, Kogi State, Nigeria, K. L. Adang, D. Tanko, K. L. Saliu, Umarfarooq Abdulwahab

Watershed Sciences Student Research

The hooded vulture Necrosyrtes monachus is a critically endangered species and recently published evidence suggests that its population is experiencing an extremely rapid decline, owing to indiscriminate poisoning, trade for traditional medicine, hunting, persecution, electrocution, habitat loss and degradation. As a result of these threats, the species is gradually disappearing from its range and thus, the sighting of vultures or their nests is becoming very rare. This paper thus, presents a report on the sighting of the Hooded Vulture and its nest at Emi Abumo Woro Village, Kogi State, Nigeria. This is an evident and equally an indication that Emi …

Tiger Sharks Eat Songbirds: Reply, J. Marcus Drymon, K. Feldheim, A. M.V. Fournier, A. E. Jefferson, A. M. Kroetz, Sean P. Powers, E. A. Seubert

University Faculty and Staff Publications

In response to our recent paper (Drymon et al. 2019), Yosef (2019) questions the mechanism proposed to explain interactions between tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) and migratory songbirds, while offering an alternative mechanism based on a single observation. We appreciate the comments from Yosef and the opportunity to respond.

Tiger Sharks Eat Songbirds: Scavenging A Windfall Of Nutrients From The Sky, J. Marcus Drymon, K. Feldheim, A. M.V. Fournier, E. A. Seubert, A. E. Jefferson, A. M. Kroetz, Sean P. Powers

University Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Bird Window Strikes On A College Campus: Mortality Estimates And Possible Mitigation, Antarius D. Mclain

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Understanding the impact that human development has on wildlife populations is essential to preserving biodiversity. Bird populations are a good indicator of anthropogenic threats because they are sensitive to environmental change. Window strikes are a major source of mortality for bird populations. Studies have begun to monitor factors that cause window strikes and estimate the amount of birds killed annually by strikes. However, these estimates can be greatly affected by site dependent variables and scavenging of carcasses. My study addresses this issue by answering four questions: First, how many birds are killed annually on campus? Second, what factors complicate making …

Foraging Preferences Of Barnacle Geese On Endophytic Tall And Red Fescues, Tuuli-Marjaana Koski, Kari Saikkonen, Tero Klemola, Marjo Helander

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Many grasses (Poaceae) have symbiotic fungal endophytes, which affect livestock by producing unpalatable or harmful secondary compounds. Less is known about the repelling effects of fungal endophytes on avian grazers despite potential wildlife management implications. Herbivorous goose (Branta spp.) species may become a nuisance in recreational use areas via fecal littering. Planting these areas with grasses that avian grazers avoid may help mitigate this damage. In 2016, we studied the foraging preference of the barnacle geese (B. leucopsis) with endophytic (E+) or endophyte-free (E-) red fescue (Festuca rubra) and/or tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix) in …

Capsaicin As A Tool For Repelling Southern Flying Squirrels From Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Cavities, Robert T. Meyer, James A. Cox

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) is an important kleptoparasite of cavities excavated by the imperiled red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis). Flying squirrel usurpation of cavities may affect woodpecker productivity, but current efforts to manage flying squirrels are costly and time consuming. We assessed whether capsaicin could deter flying squirrel use of woodpecker cavities on a site in southwest Georgia, USA. Twenty-nine cavity tree clusters received 4 treatments: capsaicin, water, air, and a control (no treatment). Only capsaicin both removed more flying squirrels from the cavity immediately after its application and decreased the probability of a flying …

Examining Patterns In Nest Predation Using Artificial Nests, Victoria L. Simonsen

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The use of artificial nests to study the predation of avian nests has faced disregard by ecologists due to inconsistencies found between the survival rates of real and artificial nests across studies and reviews. The negative perception of artificial nests providing an inconsistent assessment of survival has thus fostered the perception that artificial nests are a secondary option to be used to overcome logistical hurdles associated with achieving sufficient sample sizes in systems where study species are rare or elusive, or as merely a preliminary method to study predation across gradients. We argue that the greatest mistake ecologists have made …

Follow The Rain? Environmental Drivers Of Tyrannus Migration Across The New World, Maggie P. Macpherson, Alex E. Jahn, Michael T. Murphy, Daniel H. Kim, Victor R. Cueto, Diego T. Tuero, Elliot D. Hill

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Predictable seasonal changes in resources are thought to drive the timing of annual animal migrations; however, we currently understand little about which environmental cues or resources are tracked by different migratory bird species across the planet. Understanding which environmental cues or resources birds track in multiple migratory systems is a prerequisite to developing generalizable conservation plans for migratory birds in a changing global environment. Within the New World, climatic differences experienced by Nearctic–Neotropical migratory (NNM; i.e. breed in North America and spend the nonbreeding period in the Neotropics) and Neotropical austral migratory (NAM; i.e. breed and spend the nonbreeding period …

Song Recognition And Heterospecific Associations Between 2 Fairy-Wren Species (Maluridae), Allison E. Johnson, Christina Masco, Stephen Pruett-Jones

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Although heterospecific associations beneficial to one or both species involved (e.g. commensalisms or mutualisms) are common, it is generally assumed that interactions between species are transient and not particular to individuals. However, long-term interactions between individuals of different species do occur. In such heterospecific social groups, discrimination between heterospecific individuals may be beneficial, allowing individuals to direct beneficial or aggressive behaviors towards appropriate targets. Here, we describe heterospecific groups composed of splendid and variegated fairy-wrens (Malurus splendens and M. lamberti) and provide the first experimental evidence that recognition of heterospecific group members occurs across species. In these species, …

Effects Of Eggshell Coloration On Egg Cannibalism Among Glaucous-Winged Gulls, Isabelle Hwang

Honors Theses

A common source of reproductive loss in gulls is egg cannibalism. At a large Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) colony on Protection Island, Washington, cannibalism accounts for 55% of egg loss. Because cannibalism is a form of predation and birds have a highly developed sense of vision, I hypothesized that visible light coloration of Glaucous-winged Gull eggs plays a role in determining whether they are cannibalized. I used logistic regression to test whether egg fate was related to egg brightness, specific coloration, specific spot coverage, coloration relative to the most common coloration, and spot coverage relative to the most common spot …

A Note On The Onset Of Synchronous Egg Laying In A Seabird Behavior Model, Dorothea Gallos, Christiane Gallos

Honors Theses

Protection Island, Washington hosts a large colony of Glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens). These birds are known to exhibit every-other-day egg-laying synchrony in dense areas of the colony in response to egg cannibalism, which is the main source of egg loss. Here we present an equilibrium analysis of a discrete-time animal behavior model for egg laying. We use Jury Conditions to find the stability criteria for the equilibrium as a function of the colony density and show that a 2-cycle bifurcation occurs when the equilibrium loses stability. The 2-cycle pattern in egg laying becomes increasingly synchronous as the colony density increases. …

P-46 A Periodic Matrix Model Of Seabird Behavior And Population Dynamics, Mykhaylo M. Malakhov, Benjamin Macdonald, Shandelle M. Henson, J. M. Cushing

Honors Scholars & Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium Programs

Rising sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the Pacific Northwest lead to food resource reductions for surface-feeding seabirds, and have been correlated with several marked behavioral changes. Namely, higher SSTs are associated with increased egg cannibalism and egg-laying synchrony in the colony. We study the long-term effects of climate change on population dynamics and survival by considering a simplified, cross-season model that incorporates both of these behaviors in addition to density-dependent and environmental effects. We show that cannibalism can lead to backward bifurcations and strong Allee effects, allowing the population to survive at lower resource levels than would be possible otherwise.

Bulletin No. 43: Birds Of The Connecticut College Arboretum: Eighty Years Of Change, Robert Askins

Bulletins

No abstract provided.

Winter Site Fidelity Of Orange-Crowned Warblers (Oreothlypis Celata) In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Mark H. Conway, Timothy Brush

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Abstract—We documented between-winter site fidelity of orange-crowned warblers (Oreothlypis celata) in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, between 2004 and 2017. Overall, we recaptured 13.9% of the 201 banded birds in ‡1 subsequent winter season: 20.8% of the 101 birds banded in urban natural areas, and 7.0% of the 100 banded in rural areas. We recaptured 8 birds ‡3 winters after their initial capture, indicating extended winter site fidelity.

Resumen—Documentamos la fidelidad al sitio invernal de los chipes olivaceos (Oreothlypis celata) en el Valle del R´ıo Grande Baja de Texas entre 2004 y 2017. En general, se …

Role Of Nest Site Microclimate And Food Availability In Chick Development And Reproductive Success In Black-Legged Kittiwakes (Rissa Tridactyla), Lindsay Mae Lacey

Honors Theses

Seabirds are marine top predators, and as such are often studied as bioindicators of climate shifts (Oswald and Arnold 2012). Though many studies have analyzed the effect of macroclimatic variation on marine prey species availability and thus seabirds, few have analyzed effects of microclimate - fine spatial patterns of climate (Mantua and Hare 2002; Hatch 2013; Kim and Monaghan 2005a). I tested the hypothesis that localized temperature and humidity at nest sites interact with food availability to alter black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) nest site quality, chick body condition during growth and development, and reproductive parameters including Julian lay …

Reproductive Promiscuity In The Variegated Fairy-Wren: An Alternative Reproductive Strategy In The Absence Of Helpers?, Allison E. Johnson, Stephen Pruett-Jones

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Cooperative breeding, in which auxiliary group members help rear related, but nondescendent young, is often explained by kin selection. Reproductive monogamy is predicted in cooperatively breeding systems, as monogamy increases intragroup relatedness and maximizes auxiliary inclusive fitness. While monogamy is observed across many systems, including eusocial insects and cooperatively breeding mammals, some cooperatively breeding birds exhibit high rates of extrapair paternity. Here we quantify paternity and examine the role of auxiliaries on extrapair paternity in the highly cooperative variegated fairy-wren, Malurus lamberti, a species with both male and female auxiliaries. Extrapair paternity occurred in 55.4% of nests, and 39.8% …

Migratory Patterns And Population Genetic Structure In A Declining Wetland-Dependent Songbird, Matthew G. Desaix

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding migratory connectivity is essential for assessing the drivers behind population dynamics and for implementing effective management in migratory species. Genetic markers provide a means to describe migratory connectivity, as well as incorporate population genetic analyses, however genetic markers can be uninformative for species with weak genetic structure. In this study, we evaluate range-wide population genetic structure and migratory connectivity in the prothonotary warbler, Protonotaria citrea, a wetland-dependent neotropical migratory songbird, using high-resolution genetic markers. We reveal regional genetic structure between sampling sites in the Mississippi River Valley and the Atlantic Seaboard with overall weak genetic differentiation among populations …

Vocalizations Influence Roost-Site Selection In Overwintering Cavity-Nesting Birds In Eastern Washington, Shelby M. Hunter

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Primary cavity-nesting birds are keystone species because the annual tree cavities they excavate become critical habitat for other species. In eastern Washington, most primary cavity-nesting birds are year-round residents. They increase overwinter survival by night roosting in cavities and forming flocks. The timing of roost site selection can impact the quality of a roost site, thus selecting a roost site too late reduces the odds of selecting the most favorable microclimate available. Birds in flocks use alarm calls to warn of threats and contact calls to promote group cohesion. My study asks if timing of roost site selection and vocalizations …

Flushing Responses Of Golden Eagles (Aquila Chrysaetos) In Response To Recreation, Robert J. Spaul, Julie A. Heath

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Disturbance because of human activity, including recreation on wildlands, can affect bird behavior which in turn can reduce breeding success, an important consideration for species of management concern. We observed Golden Eagles (Aquila chysaetos) during the breeding season to determine whether the probability of flushing was affected by the type of recreationist, distance to encounter, eagle nest attendance, or date. We monitored eagles in 23 nesting territories from distant (600-1,200 m) observation points and recorded recreation activity within 1,200 m of eagles in the Owyhee Front of southwestern Idaho. In most (86%, n = 270) encounters, eagles did …

Genomic Data Reveal A Loss Of Diversity In Two Species Of Tuco-Tucos (Genus Ctenomys) Following A Volcanic Eruption, Jeremy L. Hsu, Jeremy Chase Crawford, Mauro N. Tammone, Uma Ramakrishnan, Eileen A. Lacey, Elizabeth A. Hadly

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Marked reductions in population size can trigger corresponding declines in genetic variation. Understanding the precise genetic consequences of such reductions, however, is often challenging due to the absence of robust pre- and post-reduction datasets. Here, we use heterochronous genomic data from samples obtained before and immediately after the 2011 eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex in Patagonia to explore the genetic impacts of this event on two parapatric species of rodents, the colonial tuco-tuco (Ctenomys sociabilis) and the Patagonian tuco-tuco (C. haigi). Previous analyses using microsatellites revealed no post-eruption changes in genetic variation in C. …

The North American Quails, Partridges, And Pheasants, Paul A. Johnsgard

Zea E-Books Collection

This book documents the biology of six species of New World quails that are native to North America north of Mexico (mountain, scaled, Gambel’s, California, and Montezuma quails, and the northern bobwhite), three introduced Old World partridges (chukar, Himalayan snowcock, and gray partridge), and the introduced common (ring-necked) pheasant. Collectively, quails, partridges, and pheasants range throughout all of the continental United States and the Canadian provinces. Two of the species, the northern bobwhite and ring-necked pheasant, are the most economically important of all North American upland game birds. All of the species are hunted extensively for sport and are highly …

Prothonotary Warbler Nest Selection, Nest Survival, Demographic Parameters, And Spatial Plumage Color Variation, Morgan Christopher Slevin

Student Theses and Dissertations

(I) To aid conservation efforts for the declining Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea), we studied warblers breeding in White River NWR to assess relationships between nest site microhabitat variables and both habitat selection patterns and nest survival; furthermore, we estimated demographic parameters of individuals breeding in natural cavities vs. nest boxes. Prothonotary Warblers preferred nesting in relatively high, shallow cavities in dead trees; however, canopy cover was negatively related to nest survival. Demographic parameters generally did not differ between nest type. (II) To explore how carotenoid-derived coloration and associated signaling vary spatially, we compared warblers breeding in Arkansas and Virginia, USA. …

Winter Diet Of Bobolink, A Long-Distance Migratory Grassland Bird, Inferred From Feather Isotopes, Rosalind B. Renfrew, Jason M. Hill, Daniel H. Kim, Christopher Romanek, Noah G. Perlut

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Effective conservation of migratory bird populations depends on advancements in our understanding of processes throughout the life cycle. Fundamental information about wintering ecology (e.g., habitat use and diet composition) remains limited, which limits assessment of threats to populations during winter. Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) is a year-round grassland obligate and Nearctic-Neotropical migrant that undergoes 2 complete molts each year, including a complete prealternate molt on the South American wintering grounds. This unusual winter molt provides a rare opportunity to examine, using stable isotope analysis, the timing and contribution of foraging resources in the Bobolink diet prior to northbound migration from disparate …

The Vocal Babbling Behavior And Its Sibling Effects In A Wild Parrot, Tatiana Dolgushina

Theses and Dissertations

Vocal learning is a rare trait in the animal kingdom, defined as the sensorimotor imitation of sounds, and is only found in select groups of birds and mammals. Parrots are a behaviorally complex group of birds, famous for their ability to mimic social companions, but how they develop this ability in the wild has received little attention. The vocal learning period consists of a complex vocal babbling stage, a crucial developmental precursor for imitation of adult vocalizations in humans and songbirds, but has not been described in any of the 360+ parrot species. This project quantifies potential individual variation in …

Time Lags Associated With Effects Of Oceanic Conditions On Seabird Breeding In The Salish Sea Region Of The Northern California Current System, Rashida S. Smith, Lynelle M. Weldon, James L. Hayward, Shandelle M. Henson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.