UMBEL Update: Breeding Birds in Woody Draws

UMBEL Update: Breeding Birds in Woody Draws

October 5, 2018

Anna Nosen and Tricia Rodriguez from the UM Bird Ecology Lab share an update on research monitoring breeding bird response to restoration in woody draw habitats.

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In August, we completed our sixth year of monitoring breeding bird response to restoration in woody draw habitats, logging 996 locations for five focal species: Dusky Flycatcher, Gray Catbird, Lazuli Bunting, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Spotted Towhee

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We searched for nests of two focal species: the Spotted Towhee and the Gray Catbird.

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We found most (72%) of Spotted Towhees nesting in two draws at the other side of MPG Ranch, Sapphire and North Sheep Camp

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Although several pairs abandoned their nests early in the season, the majority of nest failures we observed were due to predation

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Using the camera system we developed in 2017, we monitored 18 nests to identify nest predators, while also minimizing our disturbance in the draws and around nests

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We recorded ten nest predation events on three nesting bird species. All observed predators of Spotted Towhee nests were mammals, and chipmunks were the most often recorded

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We documented one Lazuli Bunting predation event.

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As a ground nesting species, we expected Spotted Towhees would be especially vulnerable to predators.

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We are not only improving our understanding of the sources of nest failure in this system through camera monitoring, we are also gaining insight into nesting behavior and breeding strategies, both critical components of reproductive success

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We are just beginning to glimpse the hidden challenges of nesting in woody draw habitats of the Bitterroot Valley.

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2018 Lewis’s Woodpeckers Research Update

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Fall 2018 Acoustic Monitoring Research Update

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UMBEL Update: Breeding Birds in Woody Draws

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UMBEL Update: Breeding Birds in Woody Draws

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