Ornithology Commons^™

2023 Limpkin At Crystal Cove Park, Dakota County, Ne, Bill Huser

Nebraska Bird Review

On the morning of October 7, 2023, I observed Nebraska’s second Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) at Crystal Cove Park in South Sioux City, and the bird was subsequently seen by several other observers throughout that afternoon. Photo and video records were obtained (https://ebird.org/checklist/S151656716). The summer and fall of 2023 brought fourteen sightings to Iowa, though it is impossible to determine how many birds were involved (eBird, 2023). One of those sightings occurred in the northwestern part of the state at Bacon Creek Park in Sioux City when a single Limpkin was independently reported by two observers on …

Effects Of Fire Seasonality On Bachman’S Sparrows In The Longleaf Pine Forests Of Southern Mississippi, Michael D. Warren

Theses and Dissertations

The Bachman’s sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) is a ground-dwelling, pine-obligate species experiencing range-wide population declines due to land development and fire exclusion. We explored the effects of fire seasonality on wintering Bachman’s sparrow abundance in Southern Mississippi from 2021-2022. We used generalized linear mixed models to investigate differences in sparrow abundance and vegetation characteristics following dormant and growing season fire. We explored the effects of growing season fire on breeding territory vegetation characteristics. Our results indicate that burn type (dormant vs. growing season), native grass groundcover, and shrubs over 1m were the most significant predictors for wintering Bachman’s sparrow …

Song Structure Of Male Northern House Wrens And Patterns Of Song Production And Delivery Across The Nesting Cycle, Rachael A. Disciullo, Scott K. Sakaluk, Charles Thompson

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Studies of the role of bird song in avian communication have revealed numerous functions across many species, including its critical importance in female mate choice (intersexual selection) and male-male competition (intrasexual selection). A first step in understanding the role of song in different contexts is to describe the note, syllable, and song-types that occur, as well as their patterns of production within a population. Here, we do so for a north-central Illinois, USA, population of Northern House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon). As has been described in other populations, most songs (≈ 1–3 s in duration) contain an introductory section of soft, …

Consistency Is Key: Investigating Vocal Consistency In Field Sparrows, Stephanie Stanton

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Exploring Biotic And Abiotic Constraints On Competition For Signal Space Within Birdsong Communities, Joanna M. Sblendorio

Dissertations

With the acceleration of climate change and the conversion of natural ecosystems to human-dominated landscapes, there is concern for the persistence of biodiversity amid novel biotic and abiotic factors. An important outcome of shifting species distributions and environmental disturbance is the formation of novel assemblages. For animals that vocalize for mate attraction and resource defense, the introduction of new species into communities may alter availability of acoustic space for signaling and affect detection of signals by conspecifics. Thus, to minimize signal overlap, species should partition signal space and thereby inhabit well-defined acoustic niches. Yet mixed evidence exists regarding signal space …

Irvine Prairie Ornithology Guide, Tallgrass Prairie Center, University Of Northern Iowa

Open Educational Resources

A guide to the birds found in the Irvine Prairie, a prairie-in-progress in Benton County, Iowa.

2023 Coordinated Spring Survey Of Mid-Continent Sandhill Cranes, Terry Liddick

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

The aerial transect portion of the coordinated spring survey of mid-continent Sandhill cranes was conducted on March 22, 2023 in Nebraska’s Central Platte and North Platte River valleys (United States). The 2023 photo-corrected aerial estimate is 1,259,000 birds. Outside the traditional aerial transect portion, observers conducted ground surveys during the period March 20–22. From these regions, observers in the Official Survey Area (OSA) of Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming reported an additional 25,363 cranes. The 2023 total estimate (1,284,500) increased 43.1% from 2022. The current three-year average (2021–2023 with no photo correction in 2021), based on photo corrected estimates …

Wpa News 121 (2023), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Summer 2023), number 121

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Characterization Of Antimicrobial Properties Of Excrement And Functional Microbiome Of Black Vultures (Coragyps Atratus), Bridgette Gray

Theses

Black vultures, Coragyps atratus, are obligate scavenging birds that consume and dispose of decaying carcasses and carrion. They fulfill a key ecological niche in the environments in which they live. It has been observed that these vultures sometimes excrete bodily waste onto their legs. This adaptive behavior could help aid them in controlling bacteria and other microbes they encounter while stepping into a carcass to eat. This study directly examined the antimicrobial properties of the excrement of black vultures across various bacterial species utilizing a zone of inhibition test and a nematode species utilizing a survival assay. The black vulture …

Nest Success By A Female Black-Chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus Alexandri) With Male-Like Plumage, Cooper M. Farr, John Middleton

Western North American Naturalist

Female-limited polymorphism, a phenomenon in which female animals can exhibit male-like coloration, is known to occur in approximately 25% of hummingbird species, but it has not previously been recognized in Black-chinned Hummingbirds (Archilochus alexandri). Between May and July 2021, we documented a Black-chinned Humming­bird with male plumage features that built a nest, incubated eggs, and successfully fledged 2 chicks in Salt Lake City, Utah. The bird’s gorget feathers, including the chin and upper throat, were predominantly dark with a small number of white feathers interspersed. Because the bird participated in nest building, presumed egg production, and incubation—behaviors not …

Preliminary Evidence Of Anticoagulant Rodenticide Exposure In American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius) In The Western United States, Evan R. Buechley, Dave Oleyar, Jesse L. Watson, Jennifer Bridgeman, Steven Volker, David A. Goldade, Catherine E. Swift, Barnett A. Rattner

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Although there is extensive evidence of declines in the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) population across North America, the cause of such declines remains a mystery. One hypothesized driver of decline is anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) exposure, which could potentially cause mortality or reduced fitness. We investigated AR exposure in wild American Kestrels in Utah, USA. We collected and tested for AR residues in liver samples (n = 8) from kestrels opportunistically encountered dead and in blood samples (n = 71) from live wild kestrels, both nestlings and adults. We found high detection rates in both tissues. Adult …

Nou Spring Field Days And Annual Meeting. Valentine, May 5-7, 2023

Nebraska Bird Review

The NOU Annual Meeting and Spring Field Days was held in Valentine on May 5-7, 2023, with 50 in attendance. Our meetings and meals took place in the Niobrara Lodge. Field trips were led by Robin Harding, William Flack, T. J. Walker, Dave Heidt, Mark Brogie and Don and Janis Paseka. Destinations included Thomas Creek WMA, Cub Creek Recreation Area, the Niobrara Valley Preserve (TNC Property), the river road from Meadville (SW of Springview) to Norden, the Valentine City Park, Valentine Fish Hatchery, Ft. Niobrara NWR, Anderson Bridge WMA, the Minnechaduza Creek crossing north of Kilgore, Steer Creek, Merritt Reservoir, …

Rethinking The Status And Temporal Occurrence Of The American Woodcock In Nebraska Because Of Its Unusual Life History, Joel G. Jorgensen, Stephen J. Brenner

Nebraska Bird Review

Historical distribution and range expansion -- We reviewed existing information to evaluate conclusions by previous authors (e.g., Sharpe et al. 2001, Silcock and Jorgensen 2023) that woodcock have expanded their range west since settlement of Nebraska by Euro-Americans. We also provide additional context about the species’ distribution over time using regional resources.

Temporal occurrence and abundance -- We used data from woodcock outfitted with satellite transmitters 2021-2022 and compared it with occurrence data from two sources, eBird (eBird.org 2023) from all years through 2022 and the SFRs in the Nebraska Bird Review 1994–2019. We chose not to use SFR data …

Spring Field Report, March - May 2023, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

First off, I want to reiterate that reports compiled for this Spring Seasonal Report are evaluated against current knowledge as presented in Birds of Nebraska-Online (“BONO”; https://birds.outdoornebraska.gov/). Species whose reports do not add new information on distribution, early or late dates, etc., are listed as having “Routine reports”. Please let me know at [email protected] if you have information that is not in BONO, or if you have additions and/or corrections of information in BONO. Another reminder: if evidence of breeding is observed, please enter the appropriate descriptor in your eBird checklist under “Breeding and Behavior Code”. These descriptors can be …

The Nebraska Bird Review: A Magazine Of Ornithology Of The Nebraska Region. Volume 91 June 2023 Number 2

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March - May 2023 by W. Ross Silcock …46

Correction to 2022-2023 Christmas Bird Count tally ….70

Rethinking the Status and Temporal Occurrence of the American Woodcock in Nebraska because of its Unusual Life History by Joel G. Jorgensen and Stephen J. Brenner …71

NOU Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting in Valentine, May 5-7, 2023 …..84

Subscription and Organization Information …91

Statistical And Biological Analyses Of Acoustic Signals In Estrildid Finches, Moises Rivera

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Acoustic communication is a process that involves auditory perception and signal processing. Discrimination and recognition further require cognitive processes and supporting mechanisms in order to successfully identify and appropriately respond to signal senders. Although acoustic communication is common across birds, classical research has largely disregarded the perceptual abilities of perinatal altricial taxa. Chapter 1 reviews the literature of perinatal acoustic stimulation in birds, highlighting the disproportionate focus on precocial birds (e.g., chickens, ducks, quails). The long-held belief that altricial birds were incapable of acoustic perception in ovo was only recently overturned, as researchers began to find behavioral and physiological evidence …

Habitat Use And Winter Site Fidelity Of Lincoln’S Sparrow (Melospiza Lincolnii) In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Timothy Brush, Hugh E. Conway, Catherine C. Brush

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

No abstract provided.

Spatial Conservation Planning In The Southeastern United States: Alignments And Opportunities, Bradly Stewart Thornton

Theses and Dissertations

Conservation managers and planners need the ‘best available science’ to support robust and defensible decisions, ensuring that public resources are appropriately allocated. Spatial planning products and decision-support tools developed for this purpose should enable partner organizations to achieve focus, coordination, and increased effectiveness in their investments and actions. Whereas conservation partnerships have historically created distinct planning tools, there is increasing interest for improved coordination, communication, and unifying biological datasets to improve the cohesiveness of regional management activities. We sought to inform spatial conservation planning efforts in the southeastern United States through the development of species distribution models for focal avian …

Kentucky Warbler (Vol. 99, No. 2), Department Of Library Special Collections

The Kentucky Warbler

No abstract provided.

Nesting Success Of American Robins (Turdus Migratorius) In Suburban Areas Of The Arkansas River Valley, Brandon Maiersperger

ATU Scholars Symposium

The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is an abundant North American songbird species that thrives in suburban areas. Estimates of robin nesting success in suburban areas range from 31% to 90%. Robin nest site selection and success have not received much attention in the past few decades. Most passerines have a balanced sex ratio at fledging, but little is known about the fledgling sex ratio of robins. We located 44 robin nests in six public parks around Russellville, AR and on the Arkansas Tech University campus. Nest success was low; 27% (12/44) of nests fledged at least one young. Robins nested …