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Movement Ecology and Stopover Duration of Northern Waterthrush and Yellow-rumped Warbler during Spring Migration along the Upper Mississippi River

Slager, David L.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1312987166

Abstract Details

2011, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
Stopover areas are critical for spring migrant songbirds because migratory pace and energetic carry-over effects can influence arrival timing and reproductive success in breeding areas. However, little is known about the factors that determine movement patterns and stopover duration in long-distance migrants. My objectives were to (1) describe the movement patterns of migrants during stopover, (2) determine their minimum stopover duration, (3) assess the influences of habitat, sex, energetic condition, and time of year on movements and stopover duration, and (4) examine relationships between weather conditions and the probability of migratory departure. During spring 2009-2010 in western Wisconsin, I captured and fixed radio-transmitters (<4% of bird mass) to migrant Northern Waterthrushes (Parkesia noveboracensis) and “Myrtle” Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronata coronata). I experimentally translocated the birds to unfamiliar forested locations and used radio-telemetry to track their fine-scale movement patterns and minimum stopover duration. I calculated daily movement rate by dividing the total distance moved by the total time radio-tracked, daily displacement by taking the straight-line distance between the first point of the day (or release point) and the bird’s location at 20:00, and daily linearity by dividing linear displacement by the total distance moved. I found that Northern Waterthrushes decreased their movement rates (89 m/hr to 61 m/hr, 43%), displacement (314 m to 90 m, 71%), and linearity (0.35 to 0.16, 55%) over the two days following release, suggesting a pattern of exploration followed by settling, but Yellow-rumped Warbler movement rates (157 m/hr), displacement (511 m), and linearity (0.31) did not change over the same period. Ordinal date, energetic condition, sex, release point, and year were not informative in explaining variation in daily movement metrics of Yellow-rumped Warblers. Waterthrushes released in less suitable upland forest explored more widely on the day of release than waterthrushes released in more suitable bottomland forest. Waterthrushes captured with higher fat stores showed increased movement rates on the day of release relative to lean birds, but waterthrush movements on the day after release were independent of energetic condition. Female waterthrushes showed higher movement rates and linearity than males on the day following release. Mean stopover duration was 4.0 d for both focal species. Yellow-rumped Warblers captured later in the spring with lower fat stores had longer stopover durations, whereas waterthrushes released earlier in the season, in bottomland forest habitat, and with lower fat stores stopped over longer. Weather conditions consistent with passing warm fronts predicted nightly departure in both species, suggesting favorable weather conditions fine-tune the precise date of departure. Overall, my results show that a diverse suite of factors including habitat, condition, sex, year, date, and weather mediated the movement patterns and stopover duration in these two species. In particular, habitat and energetic condition may strongly influence stopover duration. Understanding inter-specific differences in stopover biology is an essential part of any holistic conservation strategy for migrants. The fact that events during stopover can influence arrival timing and reproductive success on the breeding grounds highlights the importance of conserving high-quality stopover habitats for migratory birds.
Paul Rodewald (Advisor)
Robert Gates (Committee Member)
Amanda Rodewald (Committee Member)
122 p.
Ecology
ecology; birds; stopover; stopover duration; movement ecology; Northern Waterthrush; Yellow-rumped Warbler

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Citations

  • Slager, D. L. (2011). Movement Ecology and Stopover Duration of Northern Waterthrush and Yellow-rumped Warbler during Spring Migration along the Upper Mississippi River [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1312987166

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Slager, David. Movement Ecology and Stopover Duration of Northern Waterthrush and Yellow-rumped Warbler during Spring Migration along the Upper Mississippi River. 2011. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1312987166.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Slager, David. "Movement Ecology and Stopover Duration of Northern Waterthrush and Yellow-rumped Warbler during Spring Migration along the Upper Mississippi River." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1312987166

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.