Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens

As their name implies, breeding Eastern Wood-Pewees are rarely nests within 10 feet of the ground. Their nests are shallow normally associated with wooded habitats. While they are most cups placed within the forks of tree limbs. Lichen fragments numerous in mature deciduous woods with well developed cover the outsides of most nests to render them less conspicuous canopies and understories, pewees have proven to be fairly against the bark of the trees (Peck and James 1987). adaptable in their choice of nesting habitats. They regularly Within Ohio, pewee nest building activities may be observed occupy mixed woodlands, but usually avoid pure stands of during the second half of May in the southern counties but may conifers. Breeding pairs are as likely to be found along woodland not begin until the first week of June in the northern counties. edges as in the interiors of extensive forests, and the size of the Nests with eggs have been reported as early as May 14 (Williams woodlands does not influence their suitability for nesting pewees. 1950), but most clutches are laid during June. Most young This species will regularly occupy small isolated woodlots that pewees hatch by late June and fledge during the second half of are smaller than five acres as well as forests composed of July (Peterjohn 1989a), although Trautman (1940) reported hundreds of acres. Moisture regimes do not influence the adults accompanied by recently fledged young by June 20. distribution of pewees, and they will inhabit dry woodlots in Second broods or renesting attempts appear to be fairly frequent, western Ohio, protected mesic hillsides in the unglaciated since there are a number of reports of nests with eggs through counties, and wet floodplain woods throughout the state. August 15 and adults with dependent young through September While most nesting pewees occupy woodlands, a few pairs 16 (Peterjohn 1989a). may be found in other habitats such as orchards and wooded pastures. They will also occur within parks and cemeteries in urban areas, and have been reported from shaded residential areas with numerous large trees (Williams 1950). In addition to pine plantations, the only wooded habitats avoided by nesting pewees are narrow corridors along fencerows and bordering streams. This adaptability allows Eastern Wood-Pewees to rank among the most widely distributed breeding birds in Ohio. They were recorded within every priority block during the Atlas Project. Their relative abundance on Breeding Bird Survey routes reflects the availability of wooded habitats within the various physiographic regions. Breeding pewees are least numerous in the Lake Plain and Till Plain regions where intensive agricultural land use practices have eliminated most wooded habitats. They are more numerous in the other regions, with maximum numbers in the Illinoian Till Plain and Glaciated Plateau physiographic regions. The status and distribution of breeding pewees has not appreciably changed during this century. Jones Alvin E. Staffan (1903) remarked they were “found everywhere there are trees” and Hicks (1935) considered them to be common to abundant summer residents in every county. In subsequent During the Atlas Project, Eastern Wood-Pewees were decades, local increases have occurred in unglaciated counties confirmed in 509 priority blocks (66.6% of the statewide total). where mature woodlands have become more prevalent, while However, the “30” code was used to confirm this species in 414 local declines are evident in intensively farmed areas where most blocks, an indication of both the difficulty in locating this woodlands have been eliminated. Since 1965, Eastern Wood- species’s nests in the woodland understories and of their relative Pewees have exhibited a slight but significant decline across abundance in most counties. Other evidence of breeding North America on Breeding Bird Surveys (Robbins, C. S., et al. confirmation proved to be rather difficult to obtain. Active nests 1986), although this decline has not substantially affected their were discovered in 43 blocks, adults carrying food for young status within Ohio. were observed in 30 blocks, and recently fledged pewees were Eastern Wood-Pewees normally place their nests in large noted in only 14 blocks. The few remaining records were deciduous trees, usually well out from the main trunk on a scattered among the other confirmed categories. Most of the horizontal limb. Most nests are placed at heights of 15–30 feet, other reports pertained to probable breeders, primarily territorial although some may be 50–70 feet above the ground. This species individuals.

176 Blocks Special Areas Other Observations Confirmed Probable Possible

Analysis of Block Data by Physiographic Region Summary of Total Blocks % Regional Ave. # Individ Breeding Status Physiographic Blocks with with % per BBS Route No. of Blocks in Which Region Surveyed Data Data for Ohio (1982–1987) Species Recorded Lake Plain 95 95 100.0 12.4 2.3 Till Plain 271 271 100.0 35.5 2.2 Total 764 100.0% Ill. Till Plain 46 46 100.0 6.0 6.1 Confirmed 509 66.6% Glaciated Plateau 140 140 100.0 18.3 6.1 Probable 241 31.5% Unglaciated Plateau 212 212 100.0 27.8 4.7 Possible 14 1.8%

177 Eastern Wood-Pewee