Ornithology Commons^™

Dynamic Environments Generate Geographic Fluctuations In Population Structure Of An Inland Shorebird, Andrea Contina, Scott W. Yanco, Allison K. Pierce, Hannah B. Vander Zanden, Craig A. Stricker, Gabriel J. Bowen, Michael B. Wunder

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Species distributions depend on fine-scale ecological processes and population growth trajectories and are influenced by climate and weather changes. However, the characterization of inter-population dynamics underlying the geographic distributions of migratory organisms remains challenging. We adopted a stable isotope approach to investigate the dynamic population geography of a terrestrial migratory bird across multiple generations. We found that the age-specific geographic source of Mountain Plovers sampled during winter shifted over four years across a latitudinal gradient. Moreover, our results show that differential effects of climate on the probability of occurrence at the wintering ground could be a driver of population turnover …

Migration-Associated Variation In Blood Parasitism, Body Condition, And Stress In Gambel’S White-Crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia Leucophrys Gambelii), Julianna Deibel

Scripps Senior Theses

Migration is a widespread behavior in animals which both causes and is motivated by fluctuations in nutrient availability. Migration is ecologically important, as it connects areas of differing primary productivities and carries pathogens over distance. The relationship between migration and disease is complex, sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance, and influenced by ecological cycles as well as host, vector and parasite life cycles. Four central migration-infection mechanisms have been proposed: migratory susceptibility, migratory exposure, migratory escape, and migratory culling. These mechanisms may yield increased or decreased infection post-migration, based on migration’s physiological tax and the concentration of pathogens along migratory pathways.

To …

The Strength Of Migratory Connectivity In Painted Buntings Is Spatial Scale Dependent And Shaped By Molting Behavior, Andrew J. Sharp, Andrea Contina, Viviana Ruiz-Gutiérrez,, T. Scott Sillett, Eli S. Bridge, Elizabeth M. Besozzi, John A. Muller, Jeffrey Kelly, Aaron M. Given, Clark S. Rushing

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

As migratory species move through the stages of their annual cycle, individuals often display variation in the degree to which they remain in proximity to one another, a phenomenon called migratory connectivity. We show scale dependence in the strength of migratory connectivity in Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris), a North American passerine with disjunct eastern and interior breeding populations. Based on light-level geolocator data from 112 individuals at 11 breeding sites, migratory connectivity between breeding and wintering grounds was strong at the range-wide scale, with interior and eastern Painted Buntings remaining separated throughout the annual cycle. Conversely, migratory connectivity …

Potential Effect Of The Proposed R-Project Transmission Line On The Aransas-Wood Buffalo Whooping Crane Population, Jeb A. Barzen, J. Michael Engels, Lisa H. Elliott, Douglas H. Johnson

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping cranes (Grus americana) frequently encounter electrical transmission or distribution lines located throughout most of their range. We estimated the probability of at least 1 whooping crane being killed by colliding with a proposed transmission line (the R-project) planned to cross the primary whooping crane migration corridor in Nebraska. We also estimated the number of individuals that might be killed by the line. We used telemetry data provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners, collected from 2009 to 2018, as well as published data, to estimate: 1) the probability that a migrating whooping crane would stop within the …

Correlates Of Sandhill Crane Off-Channel Roosting Behavior In The Platte Valley, Bethany L. Pstrom, Andrew J. Caven

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

During spring migration, more than 1 million sandhill cranes stage along the Platte River in central Nebraska. Appropriate river flows can support ideal depths for roosting and provide protection from terrestrial predators. Cranes and other waterbirds occasionally roost outside of the river channel or reduce diurnal activity therein but conditions under which this occurs remain poorly defined. Despite the ability to influence flows in this highly managed river system, many hydrological factors remain outside of managers’ control. We examine the proportion of sandhill cranes detected in nonriverine habitat during weekly aerial surveys from mid-February to mid-April from 2016 to 2023. …

Over-Summering Of Migratory Whooping Cranes On Their Wintering Grounds, Paityn C. Macko, Stephanie M. Schmidt, Carter G. Crouch, Arianna N. Barajas, Alicia M. Ward, Hillary L. Thompson, Matti R. Bradshaw, Elizabeth H. Smith

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Over-summering of migratory bird populations on wintering grounds may occur when individuals forgo migration and remain in non-breeding or wintering habitats. We summarized all reported instances of migratory whooping cranes (Grus americana) over-summering on the wintering grounds during 1891–2024. We report 9 individuals over-summering from the Eastern Migratory Population (EMP), 4 reports from Texas during 1891–1941, and between 1–4 individuals over-summering across 23 summers from the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population (AWBP) post-1941. Although there were many instances of over-summering without clear proximate causes, some documented causes or contributing factors across both populations include injury, disease, death or injury of a mate, …

Comparisons Of Migration Patterns Between Parent-Reared And Costume-Reared Whooping Cranes In The Eastern Migratory Population, 2012–2023, Mary Anderson, Glenn H. Olsen, Susie Dunham, Hillary L. Thompson, Marianne M. Wellington

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping cranes (Grus americana) have been raised and released into the Eastern Migratory Population (EMP) since 2001. Cranes either were costume-reared and learned their migration route by following an ultralight aircraft, were costume-reared and released in fall near adult cranes (known as direct autumn release), or were parent-reared by captive adult whooping crane pairs and released in the fall near adult whooping cranes. Compared to costume-rearing, parent-rearing encourages conspecific learning prior to release, but needs further research to understand how it may influence post-release behaviors including migration. This study compared the migratory timing and length of parent-reared whooping cranes and …

Effects Of Release Techniques On Parent-Reared Whooping Cranes In The Eastern Migratory Population, Hillary L. Thompson, M. Susanna Glass, Marianne M. Wellington, Kim H. Boardman, Glenn H. Olsen

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Reintroduction of an Eastern Migratory Population (EMP) of whooping cranes (Grus americana) in the United States by release of captive-reared individuals began in 2001. As of 2020, the EMP has approximately 21 breeding pairs and has had limited recruitment of wild-hatched individuals, thus captive-reared juveniles continue to be released into breeding areas in Wisconsin to maintain the population. We investigated the effects of release techniques on survival, behavior, site fidelity, and conspecific associations of 42 captive-parent-reared whooping cranes released during 2013-2019 into the EMP. Individuals were monitored intensively post-release, then as a part of a long-term monitoring program, …

Whooping Crane Stay Length In Relation To Stopover Site Characteristics, Andrew J. Caven, Aaron T. Pearse, David A. Brandt, Mary J. Harner, Greg D. Wright, David M. Baasch, Emma M. Brinley Buckley, Kristine L. Metzger, Matthew R. Rabbe, Anne E. Lacy

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping crane (Grus americana) migratory stopovers can vary in length from hours to more than a month. Stopover sites provide food resources and safety essential for the completion of migration. Factors such as weather, climate, demographics of migrating groups, and physiological condition of migrants influence migratory movements of cranes (Gruidae) to varying degrees. However, little research has examined the relationship between habitat characteristics and stopover stay length in cranes. Site quality may relate to stay length with longer stays that allow individuals to improve body condition, or with shorter stays because of increased foraging efficiency. We examined this …

Population And Migratory Ecology Of Canada Warblers (Cardellina Canadensis) In The Central Appalachian Mountains, West Virginia, Usa, Stephanie H. Augustine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nearctic-Neotropical migrant birds experience a wide range of environmental conditions throughout their annual cycle; thus, it is particularly challenging to evaluate the spatial factors that may influence population growth. The Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) faces substantial range-wide population declines, but little study has been conducted regarding elements occurring across the entire year that drive demographic rates. The aims of this research are (1) determine the relationship between Canada Warbler population demographic rates and environmental conditions along an elevation gradient in the central Appalachian Mountains and (2) ascertain the nonbreeding season location and migratory routes used by the central …

Response Of Forest Birds To Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila Suzukii Matsumura), A Novel Invasive Fruit Pest, At Allegheny National Forest, Daniel P. Roche

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Non-native invasive insect pests can have dramatic impacts on native ecosystems, feeding on plant foliage, wood, or sap. Little is known, however, about how fruit-targeting NNIIPs may affect native ecosystems. Spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, SWD) is a recently introduced invasive vinegar fly that parasitizes the fruits of many plant species in the United States. While its activity in agricultural systems is well-documented, little is known about its activity in forest ecosystems, despite growing evidence of its presence and parasitism of fruits there. Parasitism could reduce fruit attractiveness for vertebrate fruit consumers, including migratory birds. As such, this …

Light-Level Geolocation Reveals The Migration Route And Non-Breeding Location Of An Antillean Nighthawk (Chordeiles Gundlachii), Noah G. Perlut, Anthony Levesque

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

The Antillean Nighthawk’s (Chordeiles gundlachii) migration routes and non-breeding location were previously unknown. We deployed a geolocator on a female Antillean Nighthawk found breeding on the Lesser Antilles island of Guadeloupe and tracked her annual movements between 2013 and 2014. Her journey included a 2-month stopover on Isla La Tortuga, Venezuela, during southward migration, and a non-breeding season in the remote forestlands of the state of Amazonas, Brazil, approximately 2,100 km south of her breeding grounds. Her migration route was geographically similar in both the fall and spring, following a north-south trajectory, but lacked a prolonged stopover in …

The Whelming Sea, Sean Hanley

Theses and Dissertations

The Whelming Sea is a thirty-minute experimental documentary that reveals the moments of entanglement between three animals living along the Mid-Atlantic shoreline; curious humans, spawning horseshoe crabs, and migratory shorebirds. Working from the realm of multispecies ethnography, the film shifts the subjective positioning of the viewer between the human and nonhuman to suggest the complexity of our enmeshed experience. In the face of this current era of mass extinction, the film explores the limitations and poetic possibilities of scientific encounters with the lives of others.

Nesting Success Of Dickcissel (Spiza Americana) And Non-Breeding Grassland Bird Use Of Northwest Arkansas’ Remnant And Restored Tallgrass Prairies, Alyssa L. Derubeis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dwindling populations of North American grassland birds are linked to habitat loss. Tallgrass prairie only covers 3% of its pre-settlement-era range. Small-scale restoration projects attempt to increase acreage for prairie avifauna, and while some breeding grassland species are present at these sites, nesting success and non-breeding use are still largely unknown. Both life history aspects are required for effective grassland bird conservation. My first objective was to access nest success of the Dickcissel (Spiza americana) at two remnant and two restored tallgrass prairies in Northwest Arkansas. From May-August 2017 and 2018, I found 114 nests that I monitored to determine …

Genetic Structure Of The Painted Bunting And Its Implications For Conservation Of Migratory Populations, Andrea Contina, Jose L. Alcantara, Eli S. Bridge, Jeremy D. Ross, William F. Oakley, Jeffrey F. Kelly, Kristen Ruegg

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

The Painted Bunting Passerina ciris is a Neotropical songbird which breeds primarily in the USA during the summer and migrates to Mexico, Central America, southern Florida and the Caribbean over the winter. Male Painted Buntings are brightly coloured, which makes them highly sought after as pets, particularly in Mexico, Central America and Europe. We used short sequence repeats (microsatellite DNA) to investigate the population genetic structure of the Painted Bunting and its implications in conservation management of migratory populations. We found a detectable level of population differentiation as revealed by pairwise FST and RST comparisons and Bayesian clustering …

Fall Migration And Winter Habitat Use Of Northern Saw-Whet Owls (Aegolius Acadicus) In The Ozark Highlands, Mitchell L. Pruitt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Studying movement ecology is important not only in understanding the distribution of a species, but in understanding the magnitude of migration through certain regions, as well as explaining regional differences in demographics. The Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a small, migratory forest owl found throughout much of North America. Despite being captured widely during fall migration, the species’ movement ecology is poorly understood. Exploratory studies outside the saw-whet owl’s normal range have successfully captured the species during fall migration. In the Ozark Highlands ecoregion of the central United States, their status has been considered vagrant during fall and winter. …

Persistent Annual Migration Patterns Of A Specialist Seabird, Rachael Orben, Nobuo Kokubun, Abram Fleishman, Alexis Will, Takashi Yamamoto, Scott Shaffer, Rosana Paredes, Akinori Takahashi, Alexander Kitaysky

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Specialization can make animals vulnerable to rapid environmental changes. For long-lived seabirds, foraging specialization may make individuals especially sensitive, as climatic changes are currently occurring over the course of one lifetime. The Bering Sea is a dynamic subarctic and arctic ecosystem where windblown sea ice mediates annual productivity and subsequent pathways to upper trophic levels. Red-legged kittiwakes Rissa brevirostris are endemic surface foraging seabirds specializing on myctophid fishes during reproduction. Their degree of specialization outside the breeding season is less understood. We examined their non-breeding ecology (migration, distribution, isotopic niche) during 4 winters with varying sea ice extent. Although we …

Temporal Migration Patterns Between Natal Locations Of Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus Colubris) And Their Gulf Coast Stopover Site, Theodore J. Zenzal Jr., Andrea Contina, Jeffrey F. Kelly, Frank R. Moore

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Autumn latitudinal migrations generally exhibit one of two different temporal migration patterns: type 1 where southern populations migrate south before northern populations, or type 2 where northern populations overtake southern populations en route. The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is a species with an expansive breeding range, which allows opportunities to examine variation in the timing of migration. Our objective was to determine a relationship between natal origin of ruby-throated hummingbirds and arrival at a Gulf coast stopover site; and if so, what factors, such as differences in body size across the range as well as the …

Where In The World Are Pallas's Fish Eagles? Migration And Ecology Of Haliaeetus Leucoryphus In Asia, Marla Lynn Steele

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pallas’s Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus) is the Northern Hemisphere’s least understood eagle species. Virtually nothing is known concerning the species’ ecology. Historically, Pallas’s Fish Eagles were expected to breed in three separate populations in Mongolia, China, and India and was considered one of the most common raptors in Asia prior to the 1900’s. However, by 1960’s major declines were observed. The species is currently listed as “globally vulnerable” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The current study examined over a century of Pallas’s Fish Eagle observation data to determine occupancy and detection rates throughout …

Northern Saw-Whet Owls: Influence Of Environmental Factors On Autumn Migration Dynamics, Hannah K. Murphy

Senior Honors Theses

A portion of the population of the Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) leaves its breeding range in Canada and the northern United States each fall to winter where lesser snow cover allows easier access to prey. Study of its migratory dynamics is difficult, however, both because of its nocturnal habits and because it does not vocalize readily off of its breeding territory. Since 2002 banding studies in the Lynchburg area have investigated the migration dynamics of this species in central Virginia. However, few studies have examined the influence of environmental factors on capture rates of saw-whets during migration. …

Stopover Ecology Of Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus Colubris) During Autumn Migration, Theodore Joseph Zenzal Jr

Dissertations

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is one of the smallest Nearctic-Neotropical migrants and the only species of hummingbird that breeds in Eastern North America, yet few studies have investigated the biology of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds when they stopover during migration. Given their small size, high metabolism, aggression, and specialized diet, hummingbirds may represent a migrant that operates on the physiological edge. Therefore it is important to understand the factors that influence their stopover as well as the decision to resume migration. Towards this end, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were captured during autumn migration along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico to …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns In Irruptive Fringillid Movements, Paul J. Dougherty

Honors Theses

Historic Christmas Bird Count and eBird data indicate that during winter invasions, North American irruptive fringillid species occur in relatively even numbers across latitudes east of the Rocky Mountains. Most boreal breeding species show large southward invasions every other winter, with this pattern typically being strongest across the northern and mid United States. eBird data confirms that many northern fringillids irrupt synchronously, and both datasets also show positive correlations between the winter movements of southern breeding species in many areas. Winter abundance records show negative correlations between northern breeding species and southern breeding species in nearly all monitored areas of …

Winter And Migratory Habitat Use Of Six Eastern Greater Sandhill Cranes, Hillary L. Thompson, Anne E. Lacy

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

To better understand non-breeding ecology of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida), we harnessed 6 satellite GPS transmitters to adult cranes from 1 central Wisconsin breeding area. Using location data from these transmitters, we investigated non-breeding movements, including the routes and timing of migration. By combining satellite GPS data with a national land cover dataset, we also described habitat use on stopovers and wintering areas. Sandhill cranes tended to use larger home ranges on long stopovers (>3 days) than on short stopovers (3 days or less). The durations of northward migrations were longer and had more stopovers than …

A Review Of Fall Sandhill Crane Migration Through Indiana, Allisyn-Marie T. Y. Gillet

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife conducts surveys from October to December to collect long-term data on greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida). Results from these censuses contribute to a fall index of the Eastern Population, which informs wildlife management decisions and research priorities. Recent findings from the annual U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fall Sandhill Crane Migration Survey demonstrate a decline in the number of cranes observed at fall staging areas throughout Indiana since 1979. However, nationwide data exhibit a trend of population increase. I provide evidence to show that the apparent decline in the …

Birding Nebraska’S Central Platte Valley And Rainwater Basin, Paul A. Johnsgard

Zea E-Books Collection

Central Nebraska's Platte River and Rainwater Basin are primary stops in the migration patterns of numerous North American waterfowl, including sandhill and whooping cranes, sandpipers, geese, ducks, gulls, and shorebirds of many types. Upland species also abound there as well. The region's most eminent ornithologist provides birding and travel information for casual tourists and hard-core enthusiasts: locations, seasons, events, routes, accommodations, contacts, etc. A complete species list is also included. This birders' guide is as essential as your boots and binoculars.

The central Platte River Valley region, as defined by Brown & Johnsgard (2012) and adopted here, encompasses 12 south-central …

Gut Microbiota Of Migratory Passerines At Stopover, William Bagley Lewis

Master's Theses

Although the gut microbiota provides many beneficial functions to animal hosts, relatively little is known about the gut microbiota of passerines. It is likely that gut microbes are especially important during the migratory phase; however gut atrophy experienced during prolonged migratory flight may cause disruptions of the stable microbiota. Fecal samples were collected from several species of passerine after crossing the Gulf of Mexico during spring migration and before crossing during fall, and microbiota communities were analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Despite showing large inter-individual variation, a core microbiota composed largely of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria was identified in all birds. Microbiota …

Project Safe Flight: Making New York Safe For Migratory Birds, Kaitlyn L. Parkins, Susan B. Elbin Ph.D., Adriana Palmer, Darren Klein, Elle Barnes

Publications and Research

More than 100 species of migratory birds pass through New York City during spring and fall migrations. Located at the nexus of several migratory routes, New York City’s tall buildings and reflective glass pose a serious threat to over 100 species of migratory birds. Since 1997, NYC Audubon has led Project Safe Flight (PSF), a volunteer-based citizen-science project, with the goal of monitoring and mitigating bird collisions. We examined 16 years of PSF data, during which volunteers collected over 6,000 birds of 126 different species. The top two species, White-throated Sparrow and Common Yellowthroat, make up 23% of all collisions. …

Stopover Decisions Of Migratory Shorebirds: An Assessment Of Habitat Use, Food Availability, Behavior And Phenology, Ryan Stutzman

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

Habitat loss and alteration from land use change, species invasion, and more recently, climate change has reduced biodiversity and ecosystem function worldwide. Habitat decisions have important implications to individual fitness as well as population dynamics and community structure. Resource limitation, predation, competition, and unfavorable abiotic conditions all have the potential to influence survival and future reproductive potential. Understanding how changes to ecosystem structure and function impact species and populations of conservation concern is essential for conservation delivery to be effective. Similar to many migratory species, shorebird populations are declining worldwide and declines may be related to the loss of important …

Tick Infestations And Their Consequences For Migratory Songbirds During Spring Stopover, Johnny Michael Sellers Jr.

Master's Theses

Migratory birds face a number of challenges during their seasonal movement from tropical/sub-tropical Central and South America to more temperate North America. Maintaining health during migration is of particular concern. This study seeks to understand how haematophageous ectoparasites, such as ticks (Ixodida), impact host body condition as they feed on passerines during migration. We hypothesized that foraging location would impact tick acquisition by migrants and that tick burdens during migration would negatively impact body condition. We surveyed 2,064 birds during spring 2009 and 2010 and found that 2.4% of the surveyed birds were infested with one or more …

Conserving Migratory Land Birds In The New World: Do We Know Enough?, John Faaborg, Richard T. Holmes, Angela D. Anders, Keith L. Bildstein

Dartmouth Scholarship

Migratory bird needs must be met during four phases of the year: breeding season, fall migration, wintering, and spring migration; thus, management may be needed during all four phases. The bulk of research and management has focused on the breeding season, although several issues remain unsettled, including the spatial extent of habitat influences on fitness and the importance of habitat on the breeding grounds used after breeding. Although detailed investigations have shed light on the ecology and population dynamics of a few avian species, knowledge is sketchy for most species. Replication of comprehensive studies is needed for multiple species across …