Seasonal dynamics of body mass of insectivorous passerines breeding on the forested dune ridge, Delta Marsh, Manitoba

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
pp. 1675-1682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria C. Biermann ◽  
Spencer G. Sealy
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Yellow Warbler ◽  
American Robin ◽  
Tyrannus Tyrannus ◽  
Yellow Warblers ◽  
Eastern Kingbird ◽  
Empidonax Minimus ◽  
Pattern Of Variation ◽  
Dune Ridge

A total of 4669 body mass estimates was obtained between 1976 and 1983 from nine insectivorous passerine species that nest in a riparian habitat in southern Manitoba. The mass of individuals of the following species were obtained: eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), least flycatcher (Empidonax minimus), house wren (Troglodytes aedon), gray catbird (Dumatella carolinensis), American robin (Turdus migratorius), veery (Catharus fuscescens), warbling vireo (Vireo gilvus), yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia), and northern oriole (Icterus galbula). The mass of most of these species varied during the summer and changes were correlated with breeding activity. Yearly differences in mass were significant for some species, but males and females of the same species did not always show the same pattern of variation from year to year. In species where the sexes could be identified, males were usually heavier than females. Yearling yellow warblers were significantly lighter than older individuals, but this trend was not found in the northern oriole.

scholarly journals Difficulties Storing and Preserving Tyrant Flycatcher Blood Samples used for Genetic Analyses

The Condor ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 102 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelvin F. Conrad ◽  
R. J. Robertson ◽  
P. T. Boag
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Test Methods ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Tyrannus Tyrannus ◽  
Eastern Kingbird ◽  
Empidonax Minimus ◽  
Large Scale Project ◽  
Stored Blood ◽  
Preserve Blood

Abstract We stored blood samples of Eastern Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe) in a lysis buffer (“QLB”) that has been used successfully to preserve blood samples of many other species. We found that although samples from adults were not affected greatly, samples of nestling blood stored for more than a few days did not reliably produce the quantity and quality of DNA useful for multi-locus DNA fingerprinting. We also were unable to extract usable DNA from blood samples collected from Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) nestlings, but obtained usable DNA from blood of Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) nestlings stored for more than a year. We recommend that anyone planning DNA research with tyrant flycatchers should conduct their DNA extractions as soon as possible after collection. A pilot study to test methods of storage, preservation, and extraction may be necessary before beginning a large-scale project.

How small is too small? Incubation of large eggs by a small host

2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (10) ◽  
pp. 968-975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L.M. Stewart ◽  
Mélanie F. Guigueno ◽  
Spencer G. Sealy
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Host Size ◽  
Nest Size ◽  
Brood Parasite ◽  
Turdus Migratorius ◽  
Yellow Warbler ◽  
American Robin ◽  
Yellow Warblers

The Yellow Warbler ( Setophaga petechia (L., 1766)) is among the putative hosts of the Black-billed Cuckoo ( Coccyzus erythropthalmus (Wilson, 1811)), which is hypothesized to have once been an obligate brood parasite. Most parasites lay a small egg relative to their body size, possibly to prevent hosts from discriminating against the larger egg and to facilitate incubation. We tested whether warblers, which lay eggs ~17% of the volume of cuckoo eggs, could have potentially been suitable hosts of Coccyzus cuckoos by determining whether they accept and successfully incubate cuckoo-sized eggs. Warblers accepted 63% (n = 54) of cuckoo-sized eggs added into their nests and successfully incubated eggs as large as cuckoo eggs (surrogate American Robin ( Turdus migratorius L., 1766) eggs). This suggests that the lower limit to host size is not just related to egg size. Warblers are not ideal hosts because they rejected a high frequency of experimental eggs (37%). Nests from which eggs were rejected tended to have smaller volumes than nests at which eggs were accepted. The nest cups of warblers are oval, which may promote egg crowding more than round cups. Factors such as nest size, not host size, influence acceptance or rejection of large eggs by Yellow Warblers.

scholarly journals Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia) rear second broods in some years at Delta Marsh, Manitoba

2014 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Spencer G. Sealy
Keyword(s):  
Molothrus Ater ◽  
Breeding Ecology ◽  
Yellow Warbler ◽  
Delta Marsh ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Double Brooding ◽  
Yellow Warblers ◽  
Dune Ridge ◽  
Setophaga Petechia

Twenty cases of double brooding by colour-marked Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia) were recorded in 5 of 11 years (1975–1986, no data collected in 1977) during studies of breeding ecology in the dune-ridge forest at Delta Marsh, Manitoba (1 pair in 1975, 3 pairs in 1976, 3 pairs in 1984, 9 pairs in 1985, and 4 pairs in 1986). At least one member of each of the 20 pairs was marked. Eleven pairs re-used their first nest for the second attempt, whereas 9 females built a new nest, in 5 cases because the original nests had disintegrated. Four of the second nests (3 in 1985 and 1 in 1986) were parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater). All 20 first nests produced at least one young, a condition for double brooding, and 13 second nests, including 3 that were parasitized, were successful. Failure of about 60% of annual nesting attempts at Delta Marsh may contribute to the low number of pairs with double broods recorded in some years and the absence of double brooding in years of comparable phenology. This is the first published evidence of double brooding in the Yellow Warbler.

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T. Murphy ◽  
Peter Pyle
Keyword(s):  
Tyrannus Tyrannus ◽  
Eastern Kingbird

Riparian habitat disturbed by reservoir management does not function as an ecological trap for the Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)

2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 320-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.P. Quinlan ◽  
D.J. Green
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Ecological Trap ◽  
Riparian Habitat ◽  
Yellow Warbler ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Selection Decisions ◽  
Yellow Warblers ◽  
Setophaga Petechia

Ecological traps arise when anthropogenic change creates habitat that appears suitable but when selected reduces the fitness of an individual. We evaluated whether riparian habitat within the drawdown zone of the Arrow Lakes Reservoir, British Columbia, creates an ecological trap for Yellow Warblers ( Setophaga petechia (L., 1766)) by investigating habitat preferences and the fitness consequences of habitat selection decisions. Preferences were inferred by examining how habitat variables influenced settlement order, and comparing habitat at nest sites and random locations. Males preferred to settle in territories with more riparian shrub and tree cover, higher shrub diversity, and less high canopy cover. Females built nests in taller shrubs surrounded by a greater density of shrub stems. Habitat preferences were positively associated with fitness: nest sites in taller shrubs surrounded by higher shrub-stem densities were more likely to avoid predation and fledge young, whereas territories with more riparian cover, higher shrub diversity, and less high canopy cover had higher annual productivity. We therefore found no evidence that riparian habitat affected by reservoir operations functions as an ecological trap. Current habitat selection decisions may be associated with fitness because Yellow Warblers are adapted to breeding in a heterogeneous environment subject to periodic flooding.

Maternal characteristics and the production and recruitment of sons in the eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

2009 ◽  
Vol 63 (10) ◽  
pp. 1527-1537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy C. Dolan ◽  
Michael T. Murphy ◽  
Lucas J. Redmond ◽  
Debbie Duffield
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Characteristics ◽  
Tyrannus Tyrannus ◽  
Eastern Kingbird

Using stable isotopes to track frugivory in migratory passerines

2009 ◽  
Vol 87 (11) ◽  
pp. 981-992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantal Gagnon ◽  
Keith A. Hobson
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotopes ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Constrained Systems ◽  
American Robin ◽  
Migratory Songbirds ◽  
Isotope Technique ◽  
Dumetella Carolinensis ◽  
Empidonax Minimus ◽  
Diet Shifts

Several species of North American migratory songbirds undergo seasonal diet shifts from insects to fruits, but this phenomenon is poorly quantified. Measurement of naturally occurring stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) are linked to sources of diets and trophic level, respectively. We used stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analyses of blood and claw tissues of 16 species of migratory songbirds to evaluate the timing and extent of frugivory over different periods. Species differed considerably in their tissue δ15N values, but we found poor isotopic segregation of species according to our a priori classifications as insectivores or omnivores. Season accounted for considerable variance in tissue δ15N values. However, only American Robin ( Turdus migratorius L., 1766), Northern Oriole ( Icterus galbula (L., 1758)), Gray Catbird ( Dumetella carolinensis (L., 1766)), Least Flycatcher ( Empidonax minimus (W.M. Baird and S.F. Baird, 1843)), and Warbling Vireo ( Vireo gilvus (Vieillot, 1808)) showed expected decrease in winter-grown tissue δ15N values compared with those grown in late summer. This indicates either that our a priori guild associations were incorrect and (or) that using stable isotopes to track frugivory at continental scales is problematic. We recommend that the isotope technique be used to track frugivory only in well-constrained systems where food-web δ15N follows reliable and understood trophic enrichment patterns.

scholarly journals Species-Specific Responses of Bird Song Output in the Presence of Drones

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Wilson ◽  
Kenneth S. Boyle ◽  
Jennifer L. Gilmore ◽  
Cody J. Kiefer ◽  
Matthew F. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Ground Level ◽  
Wald Test ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Yellow Warbler ◽  
American Robin ◽  
Northern Cardinal ◽  
Geothlypis Trichas ◽  
Field Sparrow ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Behavioral Impact

AbstractDrones are now widely used to study wildlife, but applications for studying bioacoustics have been limited. Drones can be used to collect data on bird vocalizations, but an ongoing concern is that noise from the drones could change bird vocalization behavior. To test this behavioral impact we conducted an experiment using 30 sound localization arrays to track the song output of seven songbird species before, during, and after a 3-minute flight of a small quadcopter drone hovering at 50 m above ground level. We analyzed 8,303 song bouts, of which 2,285 song bouts of 184 individual birds were within 50 meters of the array centers. We used linear mixed effect models to assess patterns in song output showed patterns that could be attributed to the drone’s presence. We found no evidence of any effect of the drone for five species: American Robin Turdus migratorius, Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas, Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla, Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia, and Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea. However, we found a substantial decrease in Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia song detections during the 3-minute drone hover, such that there was an 81% drop in detections in the 3rd minute (Wald-test, p<0.001), compared with before the drone’s introduction. In contrast, the number of singing Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis increased after the drone was introduced, and remained almost five-fold higher for 4-minutes after the drone departed (P<0.001). Further, we found an increase in cardinal contact/alarm calls when the drone was overhead, with the elevated calling-rate sustaining for 2 minutes after the drone had departed (P<0.001). Our study suggests that responses of songbirds to drones may be species-specific, an important consideration when proposing the use of drones in avian studies. We note that recent advances in drone technology have resulted in much quieter drones, which makes us hopeful that the impacts that we detected could be greatly reduced.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document