Breeding habitat use by sympatric and allopatric populations of Wilson’s Warblers and Yellow Warblers

Abstract We compared habitat use by forest migrant songbirds during the breeding and post-breeding periods in four Missouri Ozark habitats: mature upland forest, mature riparian forest, 9- to 10-year-old upland forest, and 3- to 4-year-old upland forest created by clearcutting. Adult forest-ground species showed a decrease in abundance in all habitats during the post-breeding period, but hatching-year birds of one of the two forest-ground species were most abundant in early-successional forest during this time. Adults of the two forest-canopy species tended to increase in abundance in 3- to 4-year-old forest from breeding season to post-breeding season. During the breeding season, some forest species were detected with mist-nets in the two early-successional habitats, but infrequently or not at all with point counts in those habitats. Forest birds captured in early-successional habitats during the breeding season may have been nonbreeding floaters, or may have been foraging there from nearby territories in mature forest. Dense shrubs or young trees in early-successional forest may provide habitat for nonbreeding and post-breeding forest migrant songbirds in the Missouri Ozarks.

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Aggression to dummy cuckoos by potential European cuckoo hosts

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/15685390260136735 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 139 (5) ◽

pp. 613-628 ◽

Cited By ~ 92

Author(s):

Bård Stokke ◽

Csaba Moskát ◽

Arne Moksnes ◽

Vítezslav Bicík ◽

Eivin Røskaft

Keyword(s):

Habitat Structure ◽

Strong Support ◽

Host Population ◽

Breeding Habitat ◽

Adaptive Behaviour ◽

Cuculus Canorus ◽

Common Cuckoo ◽

Allopatric Populations ◽

Vantage Points ◽

Spatial Habitat

AbstractAggression directed by 53 potential host species towards a dummy of the parasitic common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, was tested in relation to their breeding habitat, their suitability as a host and whether they were breeding in sympatry or not with the cuckoo. Host habitats were divided into three categories: (1) always breeding near trees, (2) some populations breeding near trees, others in open areas, and (3) always breeding in open areas. Each species was also placed in one of five categories according to their suitability as a cuckoo host. Strong support was found for predictions derived from the 'spatial habitat structure hypothesis', which argues that common cuckoos only breed in areas where they have access to vantage points in trees. Thus, species which have some populations breeding near trees and others breeding further from trees have a different cuckoo-host population dynamics than species that always breed near trees, or always breed in open areas. Aggression levels were highest among species regarded as being always suitable as hosts, and species which always breed near trees. However, populations breeding in sympatry with the cuckoo were more aggressive than allopatric populations, indicating the plasticity of aggressive behaviour. Adaptive behaviour in cuckoo hosts can be predicted from the 'spatial habitat structure hypothesis'.

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Breeding-habitat use by five Amazonian frogs at forest edge

Biodiversity and Conservation ◽

10.1007/bf00114045 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 438-444 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Glaude Gascon

Keyword(s):

Habitat Use ◽

Forest Edge ◽

Breeding Habitat

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The best of a harsh lot in a specialized species: breeding habitat use by the yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) on rocky riverbanks

Amphibia-Reptilia ◽

10.1163/156853811x614461 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 32 (4) ◽

pp. 533-539 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Pierre Joly ◽

Hugo Cayuela ◽

Marc Cheylan

Keyword(s):

Habitat Use ◽

Larval Mortality ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Breeding Habitat ◽

Rock Pools ◽

Bombina Variegata ◽

Drying Up ◽

Important Challenge ◽

High Larval Mortality ◽

Faster Development

AbstractBecause of the narrowness of their niches, specialised species are often vulnerable because their populations suffer from fragmentation or low densities. Whatever the causes of their specialization, one might expect micro-habitat selection to be strong within the boundaries of the chosen niche to compensate for the costs linked to habitat constraints (variability of reproductive success due to high larval mortality, habitat fragmentation). We tested this hypothesis by investigating breeding site selection in the yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) in the context of rock pools at riverbanks, which are supposed to be one of the pristine habitats of the species. In this species, breeding habitat use differs markedly from that of other European anurans since spawning takes place in small pools located in the close vicinity of rivers. Such pools experience high risks of drying up and flooding. By measuring 8 habitat variables at 187 rock pools along a 250 m river segment, we show a breeding habitat use based on a preference for pools with large volumes of water provided that they are devoid of alluvia, with a good exposition to sun. By ensuring longer water periods and faster development rates, large volumes and warm water probably reduce the mortality risks due to drying up (within suitable temperature range). This result contributes to understanding the process of niche conservatism (persistence of narrow range on certain dimensions of the niche), which is an important challenge in ecology and conservation biology.

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Do songbirds attend to song categories when selecting breeding habitat? A case study with a wood warbler

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/1568539x-00003461 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 154 (11) ◽

pp. 1123-1144 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Janice K. Kelly ◽

Michael P. Ward

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Social Cues ◽

Breeding Habitat ◽

Yellow Warbler ◽

Individual Fitness ◽

First Category ◽

Different Types ◽

Yellow Warblers ◽

Second Category

Breeding habitat selection strongly affects reproduction and individual fitness. Among birds, using social cues from conspecifics to select habitat is widespread, but how different types of conspecific social cues influence breeding habitat selection remains less understood. We conducted a playback experiment evaluating if the yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia), a species with two song categories linked to pairing status, uses categories differently when selecting breeding habitat. We hypothesized that yellow warblers use second-category singing mode, which is mostly sung by paired males, over first-category singing mode for habitat selection, as successfully paired males should indicate higher-quality habitat. We broadcast yellow warbler first-category singing mode, second-category singing mode, and silent controls at sites in Illinois. Yellow warblers were more abundant at sites treated with second-category singing mode compared other sites. Our results demonstrate that yellow warblers use social cues informing successful pairing over other types of social cues to select breeding habitat.

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