Abstract
During the 1996, 1997, and 199X breeding seasons, WC located and monitored Hooded Warbler (
Wilsonia citrina) nests in a bottomland forest and examined the effects of edge proximity, edge type, and nest-site vegetation on nesting success. SW- cessful Hooded Warbler nests were more concealed from below and were located in nest patches with a greater abundance of >0.5-m-tall switchcane (
Arundinaria gigantea) stems than unsuccessful nests. Daily nest survival rates, clutch size, and number of tledglings per successful nest did not differ between nests near edges of selcction-harvest openings within the bottomland and nests near edges of clearcuts adjacent to the bottomland. Daily survival rate, clutch ske, and number of fledglings per successful nest did not differ among nests 0-50 m, 51-100 m, and > 100 m from the nearest edge, and probability of nest survival was not related to proximity to either edge type. However, probability of parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds (
Molothrus ater) was higher near clearcut edges, and parasitism reduced clutch size and numbers of fledglings per successful nest. The combined effects of edge, especially edge created by the relatively small (
<0.5 ha) group-selection openings, on Hooded Warbler nesting success were minimal. However, our study was conducted in a primarily forested landscape, so cowbird abundance or negative edge effects may have been low relative to agricultural landscapes in the South.
Keywords
bottomland,
brood parasitism,
clearcut,
edge effects,
group selection,
hooded warbler,
nest success,
Wilsonia citrina
Citation
Moorman, Christopher E.; Guynn, David C., Jr.; Kilgo, John C. 2002. Hooded Warbler Nesting Success Adjacent to Group-selection and Clearcut Edges in a Southeastern Bottomland Forest. The Condor 104:366-377
