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1 January 2003 EFFECTS OF VEGETATION, INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION, AND BROOD PARASITISM ON GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER (VERMIVORA CHRYSOPTERA) NESTING SUCCESS
John L. Confer, Jeffery L. Larkin, Paul E. Allen
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Abstract

The recent decline of Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) correlates with the loss of suitable nesting habitat, range expansion by Blue-winged Warblers (V. pinus), and eastward expansion of Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater). Multivariate statistics were used to examine effects of those factors on Golden-winged Warbler reproduction in north central New York. Herb and shrub cover were positively correlated with clutch size. Blue-winged Warbler proximity was negatively correlated with Golden-winged Warbler clutch size. Tree cover and perhaps herb cover, after adjusting for brood size, correlated with a reduced number of Golden-winged Warbler fledglings. Herbaceous cover correlated with a greater number of cowbird eggs in Golden-winged Warbler nests. Cowbird parasitism correlated with a reduction in the number of Golden-winged Warbler eggs incubated and proportion of incubated eggs that hatched. However, cowbird parasitism, after adjusting for brood size, did not significantly affect nestling success rate. Cowbirds parasitized 30% of Golden-winged Warbler nests, which reduced the number of Golden-winged Warblers fledged by ∼17%. Average herb and tree cover values were 69 and 22 in Golden-winged Warbler territories and 60 and 23 in Blue-winged Warbler territories, respectively, with herb cover significantly greater for Golden-winged Warblers. Territories in the earliest stages of succession used by Golden-winged Warblers supported larger clutches and a reduction in the strong, negative effect of Blue-winged Warbler proximity and an increase in the negative effect correlated with cowbirds, if cowbirds were locally abundant.

John L. Confer, Jeffery L. Larkin, and Paul E. Allen "EFFECTS OF VEGETATION, INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION, AND BROOD PARASITISM ON GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER (VERMIVORA CHRYSOPTERA) NESTING SUCCESS," The Auk 120(1), 138-144, (1 January 2003). https://doi.org/10.1642/0004-8038(2003)120[0138:EOVICA]2.0.CO;2
Received: 10 January 2002; Accepted: 23 October 2002; Published: 1 January 2003
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