Date of Award
8-14-2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Biology, MS
First Advisor
Than Boves
Committee Members
Lorin Neuman-Lee; Travis Marsico
Call Number
LD 251 .A566t 2019 W48
Abstract
For many declining migratory birds, gaps in information on their ecology can impede conservation efforts. Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea; hereinafter ceruleans) are one such rapidly declining species and have regional ecological variation, so more comprehensive information may benefit their effective conservation. We studied ceruleans in the Ozark region of Arkansas to increase the scientific knowledge of this species in an understudied region that likely supports a ‘natural population’ of ceruleans. We assessed habitat selection, breeding biology, survival, and space use of ceruleans. Consistent with other regions, ceruleans at our study sites selected areas with large trees across spatial scales. Males appeared to avoid white oaks at the territory scale. Relative to studies in other regions, we found intermediate nest survival, low apparent within-season survival and return rate of males, and large territories on average. Our results are relevant to regional habitat management and modeling populations of ceruleans.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Wessels, Jacob Louis, "Cerulean Warbler habitat selection, breeding biology, survival, and space use in the Ozark region" (2020). Student Theses and Dissertations. 379.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/379
