We investigated territoriality, prospecting, and dispersal behavior in cooperatively breeding Pohnpei Micronesian Kingfishers (Todiramphus cinnamominus reichenbachii) throughout the annual cycle using radiotelemetry and color-band resights. Mean home-range size was 6.3 ha and territories were 8.1 ha. Within territories, Micronesian Kingfishers shared 63% of their home-range space with coterritorial occupants, and 3% was shared with extraterritorial conspecifics. Birds on cooperative territories had larger home ranges that overlapped more with coterritory occupants' home ranges than birds in pair-held territories. Despite evidence suggesting that resources necessary for survival and reproduction occurred on each territory, Micronesian Kingfishers of all age and sex classes made extraterritorial prospecting movements. Prospecting was rare; it comprised only 4.3% of our observations. When birds departed on forays, they were gone for ∼1.9 h and returned to home territories before sunset. Prospecting by dominant birds was temporally correlated with courtship and nest initiation, and birds were observed at neighboring nest sites with opposite-sex conspecifics during the period when females were available for fertilization. Juveniles and helpers prospected throughout the year and made repeated homesteading movements to dispersal destinations before dispersing. Mean dispersal distance for radiomarked individuals was 849 m. Results suggest that prospecting in Micronesian Kingfishers is a complex behavior that provides information for dispersal decisions and familiarity with dispersal destinations. Additionally, extraterritorial movements may provide covert opportunities for reproduction, which have potential to profoundly influence the distribution of fitness among helper and dominant Micronesian Kingfishers.

Territorialité, prospection et dispersion chez des Todiramphus cinnamominus reichenbachii présentant une reproduction coopérative

When land managers incorporate the habitat needs of grassland birds into their planning, they typically rely on management recommendations based on habitat use by adults during nesting. Habitat requirements for other critical life stages are seldom known and may differ from those of nesting adults. Using radio-telemetry, we examined survival and habitat use by juvenile Dickcissels (Spiza americana) during the postfledging period. In 2003 and 2004, we monitored 60 fledgling Dickcissels for ≤30 days after they left the nest. Mortality rates were highest during the first week after leaving the nest, and only 33% of the fledglings survived the first four weeks after leaving the nest. Estimated mean survival times were 16.9 ± 1.6 days after birds left the nest. In both years, fledgling survival was positively associated with dense vertical and horizontal structure of forbs at nests. Survival tended to be positively associated with vertical grass density on adult territories and negatively associated with patchily distributed forbs on adult territories. Fledgling habitat use was restricted to areas where Dickcissels nested and adjacent fields. Habitats used included corn and soybean fields, grasslands, and wetlands. Our results suggest that the fledgling period is a critical stage for Dickcissels and that fledglings require habitat similar to habitat used for nesting.

Supervivencia Durante el Período Posterior al Emplumamiento en Spiza americana: Implicancias para el Manejo de Hábitat y Conservación

During the past century, numerous theoretical articles explored the evolution of seasonal migration in birds; many of these focused on environmental or social conditions that may have led to the origin of migration. More recent work has focused not on the origin of migration, but on changes in migratory behavior that have occurred in modern species and their immediate ancestors. We used a novel approach, a multistate ancestral state reconstruction of migration, to examine patterns of migratory evolution in the New World orioles (Icterus spp.). Both the multistate and binary reconstructions indicated repeated gains in migration. However, the multistate method revealed details of how migration may be gained that the standard binary-state reconstructions would not have shown. Our maximum-likelihood reconstruction, using branch lengths based on a molecular phylogeny, suggested multiple instances of rapid gain of migration. Furthermore, we found that every migratory species' migration type differed from that of its closest relatives. Surprisingly, no partially migratory species was closely related to a fully migratory species. These novel patterns involving gain of migration demonstrate the utility of multistate ancestral reconstruction for examining changes in migratory behavior in closely related birds.

Reconstrucción de Estados Ancestrales de la Migración: Análisis con Múltiples Estados de Carácter Revelan Cambios Rápidos en los Orioles del Nuevo Mundo (Icterus spp.)

Environmental correlates and geographic spacing of leks were compared for six species of manakins (Pipridae) on two 100-ha study plots in eastern Ecuador. The “hotspot” hypothesis of lek evolution suggests that males should aggregate where females are most likely to be encountered. For ecologically similar species that co-occur at a site, leks are predicted to be clustered in space and, thus, to overlap in macroscale environmental characteristics. The geographic spacing and environmental characteristics of lek sites we observed were inconsistent with the hotspot hypothesis for lek evolution. In general, little geographic overlap occurred among leks, and geographic spacing of leks among heterospecifics more closely fit a regular than a clumped pattern. Further, environmental conditions of leks varied among species with respect to elevation and topography. Leks of some species were more likely to occur on hilltops or ridge tops (e.g., Machaeropterus regulus, Pipra erythrocephala), whereas others appeared to prefer highly dissected drainages (e.g., P. pipra), relatively flat terrain near streams (e.g., Chiroxiphia pareola), or seasonally inundated forests (e.g., P. filicauda). Using randomly placed leks, we found evidence that certain lek environments may be limited, which is consistent with observed levels of population abundances on the two plots. Such environmental limits may constrain lek placement and size. Further study is needed to determine the reproductive implications of placing leks in apparently suboptimal environments, though such compromises may reflect males making the best of a bad situation.

Segregación Ambiental y Espacial de las Asambleas de Cortejo Entre Seis Especies Simpátricas de Saltarines (Pipridae) en el Oriente de Ecuador

Nest predation and nest parasitism receive the most attention as causes of nest failure for North American songbirds. Yet for many populations, interspecific competition, adverse weather, abandonment, nestling starvation, and egg failure may also be significant causes of nest failure. Despite the long interest in differential failure, serious challenges remain in the estimation of separate probabilities of nest failure from different causes. Apparent rates of failure suffer from at least two sources of bias: heterogeneous ages at discovery and classification error. We developed maximum-likelihood estimators for cause-specific daily probabilities of nest failure. We further show how the estimators can be extended to include classification error, if known. Finally, we demonstrate a simple application to Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus), Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), Violet-green Swallows (T. thalassina), and Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana). Daily probabilities of survival were lower for the Loggherhead Shrike (0.978 ± 0.004) than for any of the three cavity-nesting species (range: 0.989 ± 0.002 − 0.993 ± 0.001). Weather was an important cause of nest failure for Loggerhead Shrikes (0.15 ± 0.05 overall). Conversely, competition among secondary cavity-nesters was not an important contributor to nest failure (range: 2–5% of nest failures) for bluebirds or swallows. Our estimator differs from others by allowing multiple fates to be modeled as separately estimated parameters rather than as covariates to a single estimated failure probability. Thus, our estimator should be viewed as an important complement to existing methods.

División del Riesgo Entre Diferentes Causas de Fracaso Durante la Nidificación

We examined population genetic structure in Gadwalls (Anas strepera) to test the prediction that female philopatry and fidelity to migratory flyways have contributed to the partitioning of mitochondrial variation across North America. Sequencing a 658–659 base-pair fragment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region from 348 Gadwalls, we found two distinct clades that were broadly intermixed across both breeding and nonbreeding populations. Clade A was abundant in North America as well as among published sequences from Eurasia. Clade B was sequenced from 5.5% of North American Gadwalls and was more similar to Asian Falcated Duck (A. falcata) haplotypes than to clade A haplotypes. Maximum likelihood indicated that Gadwall clade B haplotypes were a monophyletic group nested within Falcated Duck haplotypes, which suggests mtDNA introgression of clade B into Gadwalls. However, that topology was weakly supported, and we could not reject topologies that were consistent with incomplete lineage-sorting as the cause of mitochondrial polyphyly. Migratory flyways did not contribute significantly to population structure and, in general, we found a lack of genetic structure among most populations. However, Gadwalls sampled in Alaska and Washington were well differentiated from other populations. Coalescent analyses supported a historical population expansion for clade A, and this expansion could have contributed to the high genetic similarity among some populations but the strong differentiation of others. Female-mediated gene flow, along with both historical and contemporary population and range expansions, has likely contributed to the overall weak mtDNA structure in North American Gadwalls.

Estructura Poblacional y Polifilia Mitocondrial en Anas strepera

Analysis of the structure and stability of a hybrid zone can serve as a starting point for examining mechanisms that influence spatial and evolutionary relationships between species. Recent studies of the hybrid zone between Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina Chickadee (P. carolinensis) have suggested that genetic introgression is limited to a narrow zone, while also reinforcing the conclusion that the line of contact between these parapatrically distributed species is now shifting northward. We investigated the structure, position, and recent movement of the chickadee hybrid zone in southeastern Pennsylvania. Using selectively neutral microsatellite DNA markers, along with mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, we documented large differences in genetic composition among three populations ≤65 km apart where we sampled large numbers of breeding residents during 1998–2003. Genetic results indicate that the three sites support a population of Carolina Chickadees (Great Marsh), a population in which most individuals exhibit evidence of hybridization (Nolde Forest), and a population comprising mostly Black-capped Chickadees but with evidence of hybridization now taking place (Hawk Mountain). The patterns within the Nolde Forest population suggest that selection against hybrids may not be as strong as has been concluded from studies in other parts of the chickadee hybrid zone. Comparison of mitochondrial and nuclear genotypes between samples collected ≈15 years apart suggest that the northern edge of the hybrid zone shifted by ≈20 km over this interval, with hybridization now occurring as far north as the Kittatinny Ridge and beyond, where only Black-capped Chickadee genotypes were previously detectable. Our data and historical accounts suggest that the hybrid zone, now ≈50 km wide, may have become wider while also shifting northward. These results support the hypothesis that Carolina Chickadees enjoy a selective advantage during hybridization with Black-capped Chickadees, but both the proximate mechanisms and ultimate causes remain to be investigated.

Structure et dynamique de la zone d'hybridation entre Poecile atricapillus et P. carolinensis dans le sud-est de la Pennsylvanie

The Solomon Archipelago is the largest and most biologically complex archipelago in northern Melanesia. We collected tissues and voucher specimens from codistributed bird species found on five island groups that provided the first opportunity to apply molecular methods to this avifauna. Using the mitochondrial marker ND2, we constructed a series of intraspecific phylogenies for 23 ecologically and taxonomically diverse species (13 families from 5 orders). Intraspecific comparisons across islands revealed a broad range of genetic differentiation, from 0% in widespread dispersive species such as Eurystomus orientalis and Nectarinia jugularis, to as high as 4–8% in species such as Ceyx lepidus and Dicaeum aeneum. Fifteen of the 23 species had well-supported phylogeographic structure, and for many of these, endemic and otherwise, molecular phylogenetic relationships closely matched those delineated by morphology. However, degrees of genetic differentiation appeared to be inconsistent across taxonomic designations, and the monophyly of some endemic taxa was not well supported. The data reveal the limits of morphology in tracking complex evolutionary histories and suggest that taxonomic revision of some Solomon Islands birds is warranted. As the first molecular analyses of this avifauna, results presented here create a platform for further biogeographic and evolutionary studies of bird diversity in this influential region.

Patrons de variation moléculaire et morphologique chez quelques oiseaux terrestres des îles Salomon

Recent studies have demonstrated that many birds of mature forests heavily use early-successional habitat during the postbreeding period. Two frequently invoked hypotheses to explain these shifts are that postbreeding birds select (1) dense cover to reduce risk of predation and (2) abundant fruit resources to facilitate foraging. Using mist nets between 15 June and 16 August in 2002 and 2003, we captured mature-forest birds during the postbreeding period in 12 regenerating hardwood clearcuts (three to seven years old) in southeast Ohio. Vegetation structure and fruit resources were measured at nine net locations within each clearcut. We applied an information-theoretic approach, where we used vegetative and fruit variables as predictors in seven a priori models to evaluate how habitat factors might explain capture rates. In two seasons, we captured 1,089 hatch-year (HY) and 445 after-hatch-year (AHY) postbreeding birds of 32 mature-forest species. In general, models reflecting habitat structure (density of low vegetation, canopy height) best explained variation in capture rates, which were negatively related to the density of low vegetation (<1.5 m) and positively related to canopy height. Extremely dense low vegetation may be disadvantageous if it inhibits movements and provides cryptic locations for ground predators. Instead, habitats with greater vertical structure (e.g., taller vegetation) and relatively less dense low vegetation below may provide better protection from aerial and ground predators. Overall, results suggest that vegetation structure may explain high use of early-successional forests by many birds during the postbreeding period, though fruit may be the most important factor for seasonal frugivores.

Recursos Vegetativos y de Frutos como Determinantes del Uso de Hábitat por Aves de Bosque Maduro Durante el Período Posterior a la Reproducción

By examining specimens of ptarmigan (Phasianidae: Lagopus spp.), I quantified three discrete periods of molt and three plumages for each sex, confirming the presence of a definitive presupplemental molt. A spring contour molt was significantly later and more extensive in females than in males, a summer contour molt was significantly earlier and more extensive in males than in females, and complete summer-fall wing and contour molts were statistically similar in timing between the sexes. Completeness of feather replacement, similarities between the sexes, and comparison of molts with those of related taxa indicate that the white winter plumage of ptarmigan should be considered the basic plumage, with shifts in hormonal and endocrinological cycles explaining differences in plumage coloration compared with those of other phasianids. Assignment of prealternate and presupplemental molts in ptarmigan necessitates the examination of molt evolution in Galloanseres. Using comparisons with Anserinae and Anatinae, I considered a novel interpretation: that molts in ptarmigan have evolved separately within each sex, and that the presupplemental and prealternate molts show sex-specific sequences within the definitive molt cycle.

Revisión de la Terminología de la Muda y el Plumaje en Lagopus spp. (Phasianidae) con Base en Consideraciones Evolutivas

Among socially monogamous birds, standard metrics suggest that males are only ∼5% larger than females. An untested assumption is that, with the exception of reproductive systems, males and females are scaled mirror images of one another. I used external morphological and skeletal data, and information on muscle mass and organ size, to test this assumption in a population of breeding Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus). Male and female Eastern Kingbirds exhibited no differences in body mass or standard measures of size, except in a longer (∼6%) wing chord and tail in males. However, keel length, a character rarely measured in the field, was 9.7% larger in males. In principal component analysis, overall body size (PC1) failed to differ between the sexes unless keel length was included. Analysis of 16 skeletal characters also showed that only the bones associated with flight were larger in males. However, the most significant differences between the sexes was that lean dry pectoral muscle mass (LDPMM) was nearly 30% greater in males, whereas the alimentary tract was 27.5% heavier in females. Females also carried more fat. In both sexes, LDPMM scaled in a positive allometric manner with body mass (i.e., slope > 1.0), but the significantly higher slope of males suggested especially strong selection for large muscle mass and, presumably, greater power generation during flight. Eastern Kingbirds thus exhibit pronounced cryptic sexual size dimorphism, but it is not clear whether natural or sexual selection is responsible. These data call for a broader perspective for measuring and a re-evaluation of sexual size dimorphism in other socially monogamous species.

Un Llamado de Atención: Dimorfismo Críptico en el Tamaño en un Paserino Socialmente Monógamo

As brood parasites, nestling Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) may exhibit characters that improve their fledging success when reared alongside host young. The coloration of mouthparts of nestlings can influence adult care and, thus, the polymorphism of yellow or white rictal flanges among nestling Brown-headed Cowbirds may reflect differential success with different hosts on the basis of flange color. Moreover, because Brown-headed Cowbirds in the southern United States co-occur with Bronzed Cowbirds (M. aeneus), whose young have white flanges, cowbird nestlings' flange colors may reflect a means for reducing interspecific competition through partitioning of host species on the basis of nestling flange color. To determine whether flange color influences cowbird fledging success with hosts of either color, we recorded the flange colors of cowbirds and their hosts at a site in Texas. We also tested whether flange color was influenced by nestling sex. Most hosts of Brown-headed Cowbirds had young with yellow flanges (81%, n = 16 spp.), yet Brown-headed Cowbirds with white flanges were more common (61%, n = 107). Bronzed Cowbirds parasitized primarily species whose young had white flanges (86%, n = 348 eggs). Despite the differential use of hosts with regard to flange color, the frequencies of each were similar among nestling and juvenile Brown-headed Cowbirds. Likewise, the frequencies of each color did not differ significantly between the sexes. Therefore, we suggest that a flange color matching that of nestmates is not strongly selected for by hosts.

La Variación del Color entre Polluelos de Molothrus ater no Refleja Éxito Diferencial al Ser Criados por Especies Hospederas en Texas

Because they share several morphological and ecological characters, the North American sparrow (Emberizidae) genera Ammodramus, Passerculus, and Xenospiza have historically been considered members of a well-defined “grassland” sparrow assemblage. Relationships among the 11 members of this group have been the subject of much taxonomic debate, yet no comprehensive molecular assessment of relationships has been done. We investigated these relationships using mitochondrial DNA sequence data that included complete cytochrome-b and ND2 genes. Phylogenetic reconstructions derived via parsimony, likelihood, and Bayesian methods were congruent. The grassland sparrows, as presently configured, are polyphyletic. Pooecetes gramineus, Amphispiza belli (but not A. quinquestriata and A. bilineata), Oriturus superciliosus, and all three species of Melospiza are included in a reconfigured clade, whereas the traditional forms of Ammodramus savannarum, humeralis, and aurifons are placed well outside of these. Within the clade of interest, Ammodramus remains polyphyletic, with leconteii, maritimus, nelsoni, and caudacutus forming a well-resolved clade apart from henslowii and bairdii. The latter are in another strongly supported clade that also includes Passerculus and a Xenospiza-Melozpiza sister pairing. Pooecetes, Amphispiza (belli), and Oriturus represent early lineages in this clade that today have no close living relatives. The polyphyly of the genus Ammodramus is likely the result of morphological convergence attributable to similar adaptive responses to the occupation of similar habitats. In general, the morphological and ecological factors that have defined the grassland sparrows are poor indicators of relatedness. Taxonomic revisions are suggested.

Evaluación Molecular del Clado de Gorriones de Pastizales de Norte América

Breeding synchrony with the lunar cycle has been reported for many marine organisms but is essentially unknown for birds. Most organisms shown to breed synchronously with the lunar cycle provide no parental care to young, and such explosive breeding assemblages are usually promiscuous. Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows (Ammodramus caudacutus caudacutus) nest exclusively on salt marshes and are subjected to predictable, catastrophic flooding caused during flood tides every 28 days. Here, we show that Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow males were nonterritorial and promiscuous and provided no parental care to young. Breeding behaviors of both sexes were synchronized with the lunar cycle. By contrast, males of a sympatric sister species, Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (A. nelsoni subvirgatus), consistently mate-guarded females, and breeding was not synchronized with the lunar cycle, yielding 21% lower reproductive success compared with Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows. Saltmarsh and Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrows renested 2.9 ± 0.6 (SE) days and 10.3 ± 1.7 days after nest flooding, respectively. Patterns of vicariance between Nelson's and Saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrows may explain the differences in social behavior and nesting ecology. Ancestral sharp-tailed sparrows diverged from Seaside Sparrows (A. maritimus) in tidal wetlands, and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows then diverged from Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows in nontidal freshwater wetlands of interior North America. Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows' range recently expanded into coastal salt marshes, where Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows are better adapted to tidally influenced inundations. Adaptation to tidal flooding partially explains the evolution of the unique Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow mating system.

Las Inundaciones Mareales Afectan la Ecología Reproductiva de Dos Especies Simpátricas de Ammodramus

The genus Monticola consists of 13 putative species with distributions throughout Eurasia and the sub-Saharan region of Africa. As such, this genus provides an excellent model with which to explore historical intercontinental movements and forces driving speciation in southern Africa. To address these questions, we reconstructed a hypothesis of species relationships using the mitochondrial ND2 and cytochrome-b genes. Monticola forms a well-supported, monophyletic clade within the avian family Muscicapidae. Our results support previous studies suggesting that the Malagasy genus Pseudocossyphus be subsumed into Monticola, and suggest that several of the Malagasy species (notably M. bensoni and M. erythronotus) are not valid. Sequence data, along with morphological and distributional evidence, support the elevation of M. pretoriae to species status. Historical biogeographic analyses suggest an area of origin for Monticola in the arid region of northern Africa plus Saudi Peninsula or the African savanna, or both. Determination of speciation timing suggests that Monticola arose ≈5.5 mya, with subsequent lineage splits occurring throughout the Pliocene and Pleistocene. We propose that climate-driven ecological vicariance as well as dispersal were important in the biogeographic history of this group and are responsible for present-day species relationships and distributions.

Systématique moléculaire et biogéographie historique des monticoles (Muscicapidae: Monticola)

Many North American prairie bird populations have recently declined, and the causes of these declines remain largely unknown. To determine whether population limitation occurs during breeding, we evaluated the stability of a population of prairie birds using population-specific values for fecundity and postfledging survival. During 2001-2003, we radiomarked 67 female Lark Buntings (Calamospiza melanocorys) to determine annual fecundity and evaluate contributing factors such as nest survival and breeding response (number of breeding attempts and dispersal). Collectively, 67 females built 112 nests (1.67 ± 0.07 nests female⁻¹ season⁻¹; range: 1–3); 34 were second nests and 11 were third nests. Daily nest survival estimates were similar for initial and later nests with overall nest survival (DSR¹⁹) of 30.7% and 31.7%, respectively. Nest predation was the most common cause of failure (92%). Capture and radiomarking of females did not affect nest survival. Lark Bunting dispersal probabilities increased among females that fledged young from initial nests and females that lost their original nests late in the season. Conservative and liberal estimates of mean annual fecundity were 0.96 ±0.11 and 1.24 ± 0.09 female offspring per female, respectively. Given the fecundity and juvenile-survival estimates for this population, annual adult survival values of 71–77% are necessary to achieve a stable population. Because adult survival of prairie passerines ranges between 55% and 65%, this study area may not be capable of sustaining a stable population in the absence of immigration. We contrast our population assessment with one that assumes indirect values of fecundity and juvenile survival. To elucidate limiting factors, estimation of population-specific demographic parameters is desirable. We present an approach for selecting species and areas for evaluation of population stability.

Las Estimaciones Demográficas Poblacionales Específicas Brindan Pistas sobre la Disminución de Calamospiza melanocorys

Migration and reproductive strategies in waterbirds are tightly linked, with timing of arrival and onset of nesting having important consequences for reproductive success. Whether migratory waterbirds are capital or income breeders is predicated by their spring migration schedule, how long they are on breeding areas before nesting, and how adapted they are to exploiting early spring foods at northern breeding areas. However, for most species, we know little about individual migration schedules, arrival times, and duration of residence on breeding areas before nesting. To document these relationships in a northern nesting goose, we radiotracked winter-marked Tule Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons elgasi; hereafter “Tule Geese”; n = 116) from the time of their arrival in Alaska through nesting. Tule Geese arrived on coastal feeding areas in mid-April and moved to nesting locations a week later. They initiated nests 15 days (range: 6–24 days) after arrival, a period roughly equivalent to the duration of rapid follicle growth. Tule Geese that arrived the earliest were more likely to nest than geese that arrived later; early arrivals also spent more time on the breeding grounds and nested earlier than geese that arrived later. The length of the prenesting period was comparable to that of other populations of this species, but longer than for goose species that initiate rapid follicle growth before arrival on the breeding grounds. We suggest that Tule Geese nesting in more temperate climates are more likely to delay breeding to exploit local food resources than Arctic-nesting species that may be constrained by short growing seasons.

Estrategias Reproductivas de los Gansos del Norte: ¿Por Qué Esperar?

Events during duckling growth can influence waterfowl population dynamics. To gain insight into King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) brood ecology, we monitored 111 and 46 individually marked ducklings from broods of 23 and 11 radiomarked King Eiders during 2000 and 2001, respectively. We used capture-mark-resight data to model apparent survival of King Eider ducklings and broods, and multistratum analysis to estimate probabilities of (1) movement among habitats and (2) apparent survival of ducklings that used various habitats. In addition, we recorded length of stay for 7 and 18 radiomarked females with failed nesting attempts during 2000 and 2001, respectively. Complete loss of individual broods accounted for 84% of all duckling mortality (106 of 126 mortalities), with most brood loss (74%; 17 of 23 broods lost) within the first two days after hatch. Estimated apparent survival of ducklings to 24 days of age was 0.10 (95% CI: 0.05 to 0.15). Apparent survival of broods was estimated to be 0.31 (95% CI: 0.13 to 0.50). Our data suggested an interaction between female size and hatch date, whereby larger females whose ducklings also hatched earlier raised more ducklings than either small females or those with ducklings that hatched later. Overland brood movements ≥1 km occurred in both years, and survival was greatest for ducklings on smaller ponds away from the central nesting area at Karrak Lake, Nunavut. Females that experienced nest failure and total brood loss left the study area earlier than females with surviving ducklings.

Écologie d'élevage des couvées de Somateria spectabilis : Corrélations avec la survie des canetons

Brood parasitism represents a significant cost in reproduction; thus, natural selection should favor the evolution of host defenses, which in turn may favor evolution of more sophisticated techniques by the parasite to overcome host defenses. These host defenses include egg rejection, attacking parasites near the nest, and avoiding parasitism by concealing nest sites. In all these antiparasitism strategies, nest light environment may play an important role. In the present study, the risk of Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) parasitism for the Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) was modeled in relation to the in situ nest light environment, from far ultraviolet (UV) to infrared (IR) radiation (280–1,100 nm), and nest situation and structure. The percentage of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) plus IR radiation (400–1,100 nm) falling on the nest, maximum nest width, and distance between the nest and the nearest active conspecific neighbor were significantly related to the risk of parasitism. Photosynthetically active radiation alone explained 65% of variation in parasitism risk in the final model. Although solar radiation levels in nests were low (<4% for UV-B and UV-A radiation, 5% for PAR, and 22% for PAR plus IR radiation when cloudless), UV-B, UV-A, and visible-plus-IR radiation levels were significantly lower in nonparasitized nests. These findings provide the first evidence of a relationship between parasitism risk and nest concealment related to microhabitat light environment, with brighter nests suffering a higher risk of parasitism.

Ambiente Lumínico del Nido y el Riesgo Potencial de Parasitismo por Parte de Cuculus canorus

Group breeding is perplexing, because individuals incur density-dependent fitness costs to breed in groups, yet no universal benefit appears to explain its evolution. Coloniality in birds, defined as dense nesting within limited territories, is a striking example of group breeding. Adaptive explanations for coloniality are diverse, and several research approaches have emerged. Here, we test models for the evolution of coloniality with a population of Red-necked Grebes (Podiceps grisegena). We distinguish habitat models from conspecific models for explaining the adaptive evolution of coloniality. Habitat models propose that the fitness benefits of colonial breeding are gained through the characteristics or location of the colony site, whereas conspecific models posit that the benefits of colonial breeding are gained solely from nesting near conspecifics. Red-necked Grebes are waterbirds that typically nest in a dispersed fashion, only rarely nesting in colonies. Both dispersed and colonial nesting co-occurred in the study population, and aquatic nests were found in three distinct habitat types. We gathered detailed demographic data and used analyses of covariance to test whether variation in habitat type or conspecific aggregation best explained differences in breeding success across the population. We further used fitness, genetic, and spatial data to test whether kin selection, sexual selection, or conspecific reproductive-success cueing may drive colony formation. The data provided strong support for a habitat-based model and inconsistently supported conspecific models. Our results suggest that colonial individuals of this population gain selfish benefits from relatively rare, high-quality habitat rather than from proximity of conspecifics.

Evolución de la Colonialidad en las Aves: Una Evaluación de las Hipótesis en Podiceps grisegena

Females may maximize their lifetime reproductive output by adjusting their investment in each breeding event to the perceived likelihood of success. The Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) is a long-lived seabird with facultative siblicide. We examined whether there is differential resource allocation to eggs with laying order and whether greater egg mass increases hatching probability, chick survival, hatching interval, and mass and size at hatching. We found that the relative investment in first and second eggs decreased as the season advanced: second eggs were slightly (1.5%) heavier than first eggs in early clutches; by contrast, first eggs were 2% heavier than second eggs in late clutches. Accordingly, hatching probability increased with laying date for first eggs and decreased for second eggs. The mass of the egg increased hatching probability, and no effect on chick survival was detected. Laying interval increased after a heavier egg was laid, and heavier eggs produced heavier hatchlings. Hatching intervals were positively related to laying intervals, but egg mass was unrelated to the length of the incubation period and the hatching interval. Our results suggest that egg mass influences embryo survival and that Blue-footed Booby females may adaptively allocate resources to eggs of different laying order according to breeding conditions.

Variación del Peso de los Huevos y Secuencia de Postura en un Ave con Reducción Facultativa de la Nidada

Point-count surveys are often used to collect data on the abundance and distribution of birds, generally as an index of relative abundance. Valid comparison of these indices assumes that the detection process is comparable over space and time. These restrictive assumptions can be eliminated by estimating detection probabilities directly. We generalize a recently proposed removal model for estimating detection probabilities using a time-of-detection approach, which can account for more sources of variation in point-count data. This method is specifically designed to account for variation in detection probabilities associated with singing rates of birds. Our model accounts for both availability bias and detection bias by modeling the combined probability that a bird sings during the count, and the probability that it is detected given that it sings. The model requires dividing the count into several intervals and recording detections of individual birds in each interval. We develop maximum-likelihood estimators for this approach and provide a full suite of models based on capture-recapture models, including covariate models. We present two examples of this method: one for four species of songbirds surveyed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park using three unequal intervals, and one for the Pearly-eyed Thrasher (Margarops fuscatus) surveyed in Puerto Rico using four equal intervals. Models incorporating individual heterogeneity were selected for all data sets using information-theoretic model-selection techniques. Detection probabilities varied among count-time intervals, which suggests that birds may be responding to observers. We recommend applying this method to surveys with four or more equal intervals to reduce assumptions and to take full advantage of standard capture-recapture software. The time-of-detection approach provides a better understanding of the detection process, especially when singing rates of individual birds affect detection probabilities.

Estimación de la Abundancia en Puntos de Conteo Mediante el Método del Tiempo de Detección

We reviewed the taxonomic status of Thamnophilus doliatus capistratus Lesson, 1840, which is endemic to eastern Brazil. The analyses of skins focused on plumage coloration and measurements. Morphometric skin analyses included descriptive statistics, analyses of variance, and discriminant-function analysis. The results provided a consistent morphological and morphometric diagnosis, and consequently validated Thamnophilus capistratus.

Validação de Thamnophilus capistratus Lesson, 1840 (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae)

Shorebird roosts are often considered traditional, on the basis of predictable occupancy by large numbers of birds over long periods. However, fidelity of individuals to roosts at fine spatial and temporal scales, particularly at night, has rarely been described. We compared diurnal and nocturnal use of high-tide roosts by radiotagged Dunlin (Calidris alpina pacifica) wintering (November-March) at Humboldt Bay, California. Despite high fidelity to the study area, fidelity to particular roosts was relatively low and highly variable. At night, Dunlin used fewer roosts, were more faithful to primary roosts, and moved shorter distances between successive roosts than during the day. Day and night roosts differed in location, habitat, and distance from tidal flats. At night, Dunlin made greater use of pasture, and less use of islands and manmade structures. Day and night strategies of high-tide space use by Dunlin may be related to differences in food availability or predation danger. Our results illustrate that notions of tradition and site fidelity are scale-dependent and that knowledge of space use across the full range of environmental conditions is necessary for appropriate management of shorebird habitat.

Fidelidad a los Sitios de Descanso Diurnos y Nocturnos en Calidris alpina pacifica en la Bahía de Humboldt, California

Habitat connectivity and corridors are often assumed to be critical for the persistence of patchily distributed populations, but empirical evidence for this assumption is scarce. We assessed the importance of connectivity among habitat patches for dispersal by a mature-forest obligate, the Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus). Boreal Owls demonstrated a lack of genetic structure (θ = 0.004 ± 0.002 [SE]) among subpopulations, regardless of matrix type and extent, which indicates that unforested matrix does not act as a barrier to dispersal for this vagile species. We found only slightly higher genetic distances (Cavalli-Sforza chord distances ranged from 0.015 to 0.025) among patchily distributed Rocky Mountain subpopulations as compared with largely contiguous boreal-forest subpopulations (0.013 to 0.019) and no evidence of a genetic split across the expansive high plains of Wyoming. Even the most isolated subalpine patches are connected via gene flow. As northern boreal forests continue to experience intensive harvest of mature stands, geographic dispersion of Boreal Owl habitat may begin to more closely resemble that found in the Rocky Mountains. We suggest that decreased connectivity poses much less of a threat to continued abundance of this mature-forest obligate than overall loss of nesting and foraging habitat. Assessment of the importance of corridors and connectivity should be conducted on a species-by-species basis, given the variation in response of species to discontinuity of habitat, even among closely related taxa or guilds.

Alta Conectividad y Estructura Genética Mínima entre Poblaciones Norteamericanas de Aegolius funereus, Independientemente de la Matriz del Hábitat

The following critiques express the opinions of the individual evaluators regarding the strengths, weaknesses, and value of the books they review. As such, the appraisals are subjective assessments and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or any official policy of the American Ornithologists' Union.

The following critiques express the opinions of the individual evaluators regarding the strengths, weaknesses, and value of the books they review. As such, the appraisals are subjective assessments and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or any official policy of the American Ornithologists' Union.

The following critiques express the opinions of the individual evaluators regarding the strengths, weaknesses, and value of the books they review. As such, the appraisals are subjective assessments and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or any official policy of the American Ornithologists' Union.

The following critiques express the opinions of the individual evaluators regarding the strengths, weaknesses, and value of the books they review. As such, the appraisals are subjective assessments and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or any official policy of the American Ornithologists' Union.