ABSTRACT BOOK

Listed alphabetically by last name of presenting author

Oral Presentations ...... 2 Lightning Talks ...... 161 Posters ...... 166 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Combining citizen science with targeted monitoring we argue how the framework allows for effective large- for Gulf of Mexico tidal marsh birds scale inference and integration of multiple monitoring efforts. Scientists and decision-makers are interested Evan M Adams in a range of outcomes at the regional scale, includ- Mark S Woodrey ing estimates of population size and population trend Scott A Rush to answering questions about how management actions Robert J Cooper or ecological questions influence bird populations. The SDM framework supports these inferences in several In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill affected many ways by: (1) monitoring projects with synergistic ac- marsh birds in the Gulf of Mexico; yet, a lack of prior tivities ranging from using approved standardized pro- monitoring data made assessing impacts to these the tocols, flexible data sharing policies, and leveraging population impacts difficult. As a result, the Gulf of multiple project partners; (2) rigorous data collection Mexico Avian Monitoring Network (GoMAMN) was that make it possible to integrate multiple monitoring established, with one of its objectives being to max- projects; and (3) monitoring efforts that cover multiple imize the value of avian monitoring projects across priorities such that projects designed for status assess- the region. However, large scale assessments of these ment can also be useful for learning or describing re- species are often limited, tidal marsh habitat in this re- sponses to management activities. By prioritizing large- gion is extensive and marsh birds are notoriously diffi- scale inference, we will be able to establish regional cult to detect on surveys. Citizen science projects could baseline population sizes for many bird species and bet- fill in some of these survey limitations and provide bet- ter distinguish reasons for population change and what ter estimates of abundance or distribution but they also kinds of management actions are viable recovery op- could have detectability rates that are too low to be tions. Previous to this regional focus, we lacked the useful. Using observations reported by eBird, we de- data and the partnerships to even consider answering termined how often marsh birds were reported in and questions at the scale of the Gulf of Mexico; by using a around tidal marsh habitats. Clapper Rails were ob- structured decision making framework with a focus on served in 4.3% of such surveys; Seaside Sparrows and regional objectives we are able prioritize such outcomes Least Bitterns were observed in 0.9% and 2.6%. De- and support the needs of conservation decision-makers. tection rates improved with the type of eBird survey protocol used, survey time, number of observers and proximity to tidal marsh habitat. By selecting citizen Genomic data provide a flicker of hope for differen- science survey effort that has a higher chance of de- tiating taxa in the Northern Flicker complex tecting marsh birds, we could be able to achieve rea- sonable estimates of occupancy with enough survey ef- Stepfanie M Aguillon fort. Integrating citizen science data with data from tar- Leonardo Campagna geted monitoring projects could then be useful to better Richard G Harrison describe the distribution of marsh birds in the Gulf of Irby J Lovette Mexico. Next-generation sequencing technologies are increas- ingly being employed to explore patterns of genomic variation in avian taxa previously characterized using Using a structured decision making framework to morphology and/or traditional genetic markers. The hy- support large-scale inference bridization dynamics of the Northern Flicker complex have received considerable attention, primarily due to Evan M Adams the conspicuous plumage differences among these birds Auriel M Fournier and the geographically extensive hybrid zone between James E Lyons the Red-shafted (Colaptes auratus cafer) and Yellow- Mark S Woodrey shafted (Colaptes auratus auratus) flickers in the Great Plains region of North America. However, no tradi- In the previous talks in this symposium we discuss how tional molecular techniques have been able to differen- a structured decision making (SDM) framework is used tiate these two morphologically well-defined taxa from to prioritize various kinds of monitoring efforts and one another, or from the closely related Gilded Flicker craft monitoring plans in the Gulf of Mexico. Here, (Colaptes chrysoides). Here, we use a next-generation

2 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book sequencing approach to assess the genetic diversity and molt-migrants most frequently – and the need to con- evolutionary history of these three taxa. We confirm serve a mosaic of habitats to account for adaptive selec- the overall low levels of differentiation found using tra- tion in response to variable environmental conditions. ditional molecular markers, but are able to distinguish between the three subgroups for the first time, using a dataset of thousands of SNP loci distributed across the genome. Through demographic modeling and phylo- New initiatives at cooperative bird banding stations genetic reconstructions, we find that Red-shafted and aid the conservation of migratory species Yellow-shafted flickers are likely sister taxa, and that their divergence from the Gilded Flicker was compar- Steven Albert atively ancient. The low level of divergence and lack James Saracco of fixed differences between Red-shafted and Yellow- Kristen Ruegg shafted flickers, in particular, suggests whole genome re-sequencing may be necessary to assess the dynamics The Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship of their hybridization and identify the genetic basis of (MAPS) and Monitoring Overwinter Survival (MoSI) their striking differences in plumage. Programs comprise the hemisphere’s longest-running and geographically most-extensive network of demo- graphic monitoring and bird banding stations, cover- ing nearly 500 active stations in nearly every U.S. state, several Canadian provinces, and 13 countries in Habitats and Conservation of Molt-migrant Birds in Latin America. Many stations are run or aided by Southeastern Arizona and Northwestern Mexico citizen scientists. The network was originally estab- lished to monitor avian vital rates especially produc- Steven K Albert tivity, survivorship, and recruitment but new technolo- Peter Pyle gies, methods of analysis, and emerging threats have Mary Chambers broadened the scope of work carried out at these sta- Wade Leitner tions. We will describe three areas of new and emerg- Rodney B Siegel ing research aided by the citizen scientists of the MAPS and MoSI network. (1) Studies of avian disease dy- Adults of several species of western North Ameri- namics: MAPS operators contributed to a study of the can passerines are known to migrate to the monsoon ways in which west Nile virus affected survival in 49 regions of the southwestern U.S. and northwestern species of landbirds. Results indicated that the virus Mexico from July to October to undergo molt, and negatively impacted survival in some species only dur- there is growing concern about conservation of habi- ing initial spread of the disease, while others showed no tats needed by these birds during this energetically- signs of recovery since disease introduction. (2) Stud- demanding time. For two seasons, we documented ies of migratory connectivity - MAPS and MoSI op- habitat use by 12 species of monsoonal molt-migrants erators collect feathers from the same species on the using mist-netting and area-search. Molt-migrants gen- breeding, migration, and wintering grounds. Subse- erally selected habitats similar to those used in their quent genetic analysis demonstrates links between dis- breeding territories; however, in some cases, species crete populations of breeding and wintering populations appeared to shift habitats for molt in response to en- and sites, and differences in the timing of migration by vironmental effects, including relative strength of the different populations. (3) Integrated population mod- monsoon season. In a separate study, we used archival els: Models that combine data from MAPS with the micro-GPS tags to track the movements of two male North American Breeding Bird Survey improve infer- Black-headed Grosbeaks (Pheucticus melanocephalus) ences about causes of population change across many during their full annual cycle. The seasonal timing of species’ ranges. their movements and a prolonged late summer stopover in Sonora, Mexico are consistent with the expected be- havior of a molt-migrating bird. Remote-sensed en- hanced vegetation index (EVI, a measure of the quantity Integrating an eBird portal and an Avian Knowl- of live vegetation) data indicated that the grosbeaks ar- edge Network node for improved citizen science and rived in the monsoon region near the area’s annual EVI bird conservation peak, and left as the index was sharply declining. Our results underscore the need to conserve native grass- John D Alexander lands and riparian areas – habitats in which we detected Ellie E Armstrong

3 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 eBird Northwest, a regional portal of the interna- forest, one of the most endangered forest types globally, tional eBird program, serves as the primary citizen sci- during the winter season. In order to estimate survival ence application of Avian Knowledge Northwest, a re- and track movement patterns we deployed nanotags on gional node of the Avian Knowledge Network (AKN). individuals across five sites (n=29) located along the Through this regional integration of eBird and Avian Panama Canal. We estimated monthly survival to be Knowledge Network (AKN) we are demonstrating how 0.966 for after second year birds and 0.967 for second these data management and science delivery programs year birds. The best model for predicting survival over add value to and complement each other. eBird North- the duration of the study contained scaled mass index west provides content and services to both birdwatching and time since tagging. The top model describing site and natural resource management communities to bet- persistence included time since tagging and estimated ter develop, promote, facilitate, and improve upon cit- overall site persistence at 0.702. However three other izen science throughout the Pacific Northwest. eBird models were closely ranked: time and sex, mangrove Northwest takes advantage of the eBird platform for habitat and time, and age and time. As the Neotropical the entry, management and analysis of simple bird sur- dry season progressed, mangrove habitat retained more vey data. For more complicated survey data, Avian birds and those birds moved less than those in non- Knowledge Northwest uses AKN data structures that mangrove habitat. Focusing conservation efforts on account for more detail including specific time inter- high quality, wet mangroves would likely provide the vals, distance bins, and site conditions. Avian Knowl- best habitat for the greatest number of birds, however edge Northwest also offers a platform for the deliv- conserving secondary forests and wooded wetlands, es- ery of regionally-relevant and data-rich decision sup- pecially those adjacent to mangroves, may also provide port tools. By integrating the regional nodes of eBird useful habitat. and Avian Knowledge Network, we can take advantage of unique opportunities that add value to both data man- agement programs. We will provide examples of how the integration of eBird Northwest and Avian Knowl- Avian responses to indigenous community forest edge Northwest is facilitating a diverse range of citizen management in western Amazonia science projects that are being implemented at both lo- cal and regional scales. Our approach demonstrates that Nico Arcilla the integration of eBird Northwest and Avian Knowl- Madison Sutton edge Northwest can improve data collection, data man- Oscar Tsamajain-Shiwig agement, and science delivery, and represent an oppor- Robert J Cooper tunity for enhancing regional bird and habitat conserva- tion programs. Tropical forests are singularly critical to maintaining the Earth’s biodiversity. Birds play a major part in maintaining tropical forests, where up to 90% of plant Survival, site persistence, and movement dynamics species are dependent on animal pollination and dis- of a non-territorial Neotropical migrant during the persal, and in turn, approximately 30% of the world’s nonbreeding period bird species are dependent on tropical forest for sur- vival. Half of the world’s remaining tropical forests Elizabeth M Ames are in Latin America, especially Amazonia. Indige- Chris Tonra nous territories comprise about a third of the land area Lesley Bulluck in Amazonia, where they form a major barrier to defor- estation, but the effects of indigenous forest manage- Understanding survival rates and movement patterns ment on birds have not been quantified until now. We during the nonbreeding period is fundamental to un- documented forest management practices in indigenous derstanding changes in migratory populations as many territories in the northern Peruvian Amazon and inves- migrants spend greater than half the annual cycle over- tigated their impacts on understory bird communities. wintering. The objective of this study was to esti- We sampled birds in forest stands with different logging mate survival rates and examine movement patterns of a histories and used quantitative models to estimate and non-territorial migratory songbird during the overwin- compare bird community responses. Indigenous log- ter period across a habitat gradient. The Prothonotary ging practices did not result in significant decreases in Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is a Neotropical migrant bird abundance or species richness. However, a third that specializes on forested wetland habitat: bottomland of unlogged forest understory bird species were absent hardwoods during the breeding season and mangrove from logged forest between 1 and 5 years post-logging,

4 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book a loss that was offset by influxes of nearly equal num- Antonio Arnaiz-Villena bers of other avian species that may be better adapted Valentin Ruiz-delValle to forest with more open canopy. While indigenous Jose Palacio-Gruber logging practices influenced bird community dynamics, Cristina Campos they appeared to be far less detrimental for birds than Ester Muniz either conventional or reduced-impact logging. Our re- sults suggest that indigenous territories may approxi- A group of bird species included within the Carduelini mate sustainable forest and wildlife management to a tribe (genera Rhodopechys, Carpodacus and Leucos- greater extent than any other logging practices docu- ticte) belongs to the same radiation according to molec- mented in tropical forests. ular phylogenetic analyses. Our phylogenetic analy- ses based on nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome b gene (cyt-b) indicate that some of these species (Rhodopechys mongolica, R. githaginea and Carpoda- Temperature & life history: effect of temperature cus nipalensis) do not cluster together with their respec- manipulation during incubation on immunity and tive phenetically defined allies. Thus, a new group of thermoregulatory performance birds thrives in both hot and cold arid zones and are phenetically distinct, probably because of their adap- Daniel R Ardia tation to different extreme environments but may be considered as a new Genus group.. Both maximum Developmental conditions during early life can have ef- likelihood and Bayesian inference methods support the fects on physiology in later life history stages. Using existence of this new evolutionary basal group among temperature modifications during development I have finches which might have originated about 14 MYA. A studied how temperature programs organismal perfor- redefinition of genus Carpodacus is needed: one Amer- mance. Temperature can drive physiological develop- ican, and one different Eurasian evolutionary group at ment through simple allocation tradeoffs or can adjust least. Also, a new definition of genus Rhodopechys is developmental programming, such as through perina- found: Rhodopechys obsoleta is a greenfinch ancestor, tal programming. Experimental heating of developing while R. githaginea and mongolica, along with Car- tree swallow eggs led to transient increases in body podacus nipalensis, Leucosticte arctoa, and L. tephro- condition and body mass in nestlings, whereas experi- cotis, at least, are the Arid Zone group of finches de- mental cooling led to long-term lower innate immunity fined in this work. The possibility of existence of more measured as bacteria killing ability. Temperature ma- phylogenetic splits within genus Carpodacus is put for- nipulation during embryonic development also affected [email protected] thermoregulatory ability. Cooled nestlings were less effective at holding body temperature against a ther- mal challenge. However, cold conditions led to im- proved performance; by day 12 nestlings in the cooled The Bobolink Project: Helping Farmers Protect treatment incur lower thermoregulatory costs, measured Grassland Birds by metabolic rate, during a cooling challenge. In captive studies using artificial incubation, both zebra finches and bobwhite quail show effects of tempera- Jonathan L Atwood ture manipulation on bacteria killing ability, with em- Mark LaBarr bryos cooled during incubation showing reduced per- Allan Strong formance as nestlings. In quail, individuals experi- Stephen Swallow encing cooler incubation conditions had lower basal Anwesha Chakrabarti metabolic rates, which in turn drove differences in ther- Pam Hunt moregulatory performance. These results suggest that embryonic development conditions can have develop- Grassland-nesting birds are disappearing in the north- mental effects on immunity, thermoregulatory perfor- eastern United States. This decline is largely due to mance, and metabolic rate. mowing of hayfields during the weeks that birds like Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) are actively breed- ing. To protect these birds we are exploring new strategies for promoting conservation on private farms. Definition of arid-Zone Carduelini Finches by DNA New England’s working farmers face financial pres- Phylogeography:American and Asian G. Carpoda- sures that force them to mow earlier and more fre- cus is Taxonomically Split quently. The Bobolink Project collects funds from

5 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 conservation-minded donors that are used to pay par- ticipating farmers to modify their mowing schedules, thereby allowing grassland-nesting birds to success- Response of a native Hawaiian bird to the removal fully complete their breeding cycles. We follow a single of an invasive predator in a mesic, montane forest price, reverse auction process that encourages farmers to offer their acres at the lowest possible cost, thus inte- Paul C Banko grating conservation into the farm business in a way that Kelly A Jaenecke is comparable and competitive to traditional farm prod- Robert W Peck ucts. In 2017 a total of 17 farms, totaling 257 ha, were included through donations totaling $38,000. However, Introduced rats are notorious predators of birds and available donations only allowed the Project to accept their nests worldwide, but especially on remote islands. about 50% of the farmers who sought to participate, Rats (Rattus exulans) first arrived in Hawaii with Poly- raising a fundamental question about whether annually nesian colonists about 1,000 years ago, resulting in repeated donor solicitation, aimed at short-term rental deleterious consequences for native birds and ecosys- of fields that in the next year will once again need to be tems. Since Western contact in 1778, two additional subsidized, is a more successful approach than efforts rat species have become established in Hawaii, includ- focused on outright purchase of these properties. ing the highly invasive black rat (R. rattus), which ar- rived in the late 1800’s. Black rats have contributed substantially to the historical loss of native forest bird populations, in part through nest depredation. We as- sessed the impact of rat depredation on the reproduc- Genomic underpinnings of acrobatic social displays tion of a relatively common native forest bird, Hawaii in neotropical manakins (Pipridae) elepaio (HAEL; Chasiempis sandwichensis) by reduc- ing rat populations in two treatment plots in a Before- Christopher N Balakrishnan After-Control-Impact study in mesic montane forest in Robert J Driver Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. After monitoring rat Lainy B Day abundance and HAEL nesting success for two years James B Pease (2015-16), we distributed diphacinone rodenticide at Matthew J Fuxjager the beginning of the HAEL nesting season in 2017. Diphacinone bait stations were distributed at 50-m in- Manakins are neotropical suboscines with acrobatic tervals within 700x700m plots at low (1360m) and high sexual displays performed using the fastest known ver- (1670m) elevations, which also differed in habitat struc- tebrate limb muscles. The Scapulohumeralis caudalis ture. By the end of the nesting season, rat abundance (SH) muscle is responsible for medial movement of on treatment plots had been reduced to <10% of levels the humerus and is integral for manakin displays with observed in the previous two years, while it remained complex wing movements. Previous studies have re- relatively unchanged on untreated plots. Analyses in- vealed elevated androgen receptor (AR) expression in dicated that HAEL nest success and daily survival rate the SH muscle of species with complex wing displays. (n=206 nests, 3 years) increased on treatment plots dur- In this study we used RNA-seq to characterize in detail ing the application of rodenticide. Our results highlight the regulatory changes associated with the evolution of the conservation benefits of removing invasive preda- complex wing displays in manakins. We obtained tran- tors from island ecosystems. script expression levels derived from the SH and Pec- toralis (PEC) muscles from six manakin species and a flycatcher (Tyrannidae). We compared expression lev- els of 7,194 transcripts between species with and with- The life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii and its impact out rapid wing movements, and found differential ex- on wildlife pression associated with skeletal muscle contraction, muscle filament sliding, and actin-mediated cell con- Michelle M Barbieri traction gene ontology (GO) categories. Our analyses confirm the up-regulation of AR but also reveal differ- Toxoplasma gondii infections are common and ential expression of AR-associated heat shock proteins widespread among avian and mammalian wildlife from and downstream transcription factors. Ongoing analy- polar to tropical regions. Infections range from asymp- ses will examine rates and patterns of molecular evolu- tomatic to lethal and may vary based on the strain of tion and test for signatures of positive selection on these T. gondii and the immune status of the host. In some genes. threatened and endangered species, they have caused

6 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book concerning levels of morbidity and mortality. Exposure 2003 to 2013. There was an 83% decrease in abundance in wildlife occurs through direct ingestion of oocysts or and a 44% decrease in richness. Abundance declined tissue cysts in prey. Transplacental infections have also faster in thinned sites than unthinned sites during this been described. T. gondii is a coccidian parasite and period, but richness decreased similarly in both treat- its two-stage life cycle is dependent upon felids, the ments. Pion mortality is a threat to bird communities in definitive host, for sexual reproduction. This definitive the southwest, and tree thinning to control fire may be host, which includes outdoor and feral cats, is abun- an added risk. dant and each individual can shed millions of oocysts into the environment through feces. A single oocyst is sufficient to transmit infection and oocysts are per- sistent in the environment, surviving in soil, salt and Heavy babies and skinny youth: Density depen- fresh water for months to years. Oocysts deposited in dence in a highly social bird the terrestrial environment threaten aquatic species via runoff, where they may be taken up by filter feeding Sahas S Barve fish and invertebrates and transferred to higher trophic Walter D Koenig levels. Discerning the risk factors for exposure and the Eric L Walters development of clinical toxoplasmosis is challenging in wildlife, especially in species that are highly mobile Increasing population size leads to density-dependent and have diverse foraging habits. The cryptic nature of effects that substantially influence species. For group- failed pregnancies, the lack of carcass detection, and living, territorial species, density dependence might act the potential sub-lethal impacts of infections further at both the group and population levels. We teased apart complicate this risk assessment for many populations. the relative importance of group- versus population- level density-dependent effects on the body mass of cooperatively breeding acorn woodpeckers (Melaner- Avian communities are decreasing with pinon˜ pine pes formicivorus) using a 33-year dataset of a dramati- mortality in the southwest cally increasing population. Additionally, we examined how density-dependent effects are nuanced by the so- Andrew W Bartlow cial status (helper or breeder) of individuals, highlight- Charles D Hathcock ing its relevance to their sociobiology. On one hand, we Jeanne M Fair show that nestling body mass increases with population density but is unaffected by group size. On the other Tree mortality is expected to increase worldwide due to hand, adult body mass is strongly driven by group- climate-induced drought and increasing temperatures. level effects, declining with increasing group size. Den- The 20002002 drought in the southwestern U.S. led sity dependence thus works at both group and popu- to severe outbreaks of bark beetles that resulted in lation levels and leads to opposing outcomes on the high mortality of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), size of nestlings and adults. Notably, the body mass Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and pion pine (P. of helper males, the philopatric sex, was not only af- edulis) trees. Many areas in pion-juniper habitat had en- fected by group size but also declined with increasing tire stands of pion die, especially on the Pajarito Plateau population density. This result demonstrates a social in Northern New Mexico. We compared avian use in context driven density-dependent effect previously un- areas on Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and known in cooperatively breeding birds. While multiple Bandelier National Monument property with high pine hypotheses predict that group size of cooperative breed- tree mortality and low tree mortality. LANL sites had ers should increase with population density, our results also been thinned in 2002, while Bandelier sites were reveal strong costs of living in large groups on the body not thinned. We used mist net data and point count sur- condition of helpers, which likely regulate the decision veys to determine avian responses to tree thinning and to remain on the natal territory as helpers or to disperse tree mortality. We continued point counts until 2013. In to become breeders, limiting group size in cooperative 2003, avian use of thinned sites did not differ from un- breeders. thinned sites. Furthermore, tree mortality did not result in fewer species or fewer individual birds, suggesting avian use was not negatively impacted the first year fol- lowing tree thinning or tree mortality. In 2013, pion Uncovering the effects of climate change on bird mortality was nearly 100% at each site. Point counts species using structured citizen science: Audubon’s showed species richness and abundance declined from Climate Watch program

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Brooke L Bateman these process in a broader biological context is a valu- Nicole Michel able framework to better understand the forces shaping Kathy Dale avian diversification. Zach Slavin Chad Wilsey Gary Langham Low amplitude vocal signaling by rock wrens Species are facing an unprecedented rate of climate change, with over half of North American bird species Lauryn Benedict at risk to lose 50% or more of their current climatic Nadje Najar range by the end of the century. In an uncertain fu- Stephanie Pitt ture, we must be able to both forecast and monitor how species are responding to climate change. To Birds produce a staggering diversity of sounds. The track climate effects throughout species’ ranges re- vast majority of research on this topic focuses on high quires a landscape-scale coordinated and a structured amplitude broadcast song given by males, but study- effort. Historically, citizen science efforts have been ing other acoustic signal types can reveal much about integral in providing bird data through time, however functional avian communication. Many species pro- often do not provide structured protocols designed to duce low amplitude vocalizations that have been vari- answer specific research questions. Monitoring change ously classified as calls and songs, and generally seem on the landscape in relation to climate change requires to mediate close-distance encounters between rivals or a coordinated and more structured effort- monitoring mates. Rock wrens (Salpinctes obsoletus) frequently with purpose. Here we will highlight the history of use a stereotyped low amplitude signal that differs from bird citizen science programs, and how we are devel- both broadcast song and typical contact calls. Mea- oping new methods that are better able to detect and surements indicate that these low amplitude vocaliza- forecast change in bird populations in the face of cli- tions have significantly less power than broadcast song mate change. We will focus on Audubon’s newest citi- (p < 0.0001) and observations indicate that they trans- zen science effort, Climate Watch, which integrates cli- mit shorter distances. Rock wrens use the signal most mate projections and an occupancy modeling frame- frequently in two contexts: 1) during mate interactions, work with community scientists’ local knowledge to and 2) when challenged by a conspecific. In the lat- track how birds are responding to climate change. By ter context, they often embed the signal within bouts of monitoring bird responses to climate change as it is hap- broadcast song. The varied use of this low-amplitude pening using a structured monitoring protocol, we can vocalization implies multifunctionality within close- directly test hypotheses about bird climate change re- range encounters. Like song, it appears to function both sponses. in mate communication and resource defense, but al- lows individuals an alternative signaling option within these contexts.

Sorting of some basic concepts associated with di- versification in birds Higher spring temperatures increase food scarcity John M Bates and limit the distribution of crossbills

Diversification is a general term covering processes un- Craig W Benkman derlying how groups like birds have evolved. The pro- Eduardo T Mezquida cesses by which different birds have come to occur Jens-Christian Svenning throughout the world are the subject of new types of Ron W Summers data and a range of modern analytical tools allowing both broader and more detailed analyses. I discuss two Understanding how climate affects species distributions terms commonly associated with diversification in birds remains a major challenge, with the relative importance and other organisms, these terms: dispersal and vicari- of direct physiological effects versus biotic interactions ance, are both important, but I argue that there are com- still poorly understood. Here, we focus on three species mon issues associated with how these words frequently of crossbill (Loxia spp.) in Europe. Although cross- are used that impede accurate interpretation of diversi- bills will feed on seeds in the cones of Scots pine (Pi- fication throughout the avian tree. I suggest considering nus sylvestris) throughout its wide range in Europe,

8 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book crossbills specialize on Scots pine in only northern Eu- 2017. Red-crowned Parrots bred almost exclusively in rope and Scotland, where parrot (L. pytyopsittacus) and cavities in dead palm trees. Breeding occurred from Scottish crossbills (L. scotica) reside, respectively. The Mar Jul in each year and broods contained up to three widespread common crossbill (L. curvirostra) feeds pri- nestlings. Roosting estimates during the breeding pe- marily on seeds in the cones of spruce (Picea) in north- riod (ca. 150 individuals) were typically more than half ern Europe and various species of pine in southern Eu- that recorded during the non-breeding period (ca. 250) rope. We test the hypothesis that warmer temperatures in both years, suggesting that less than half of the popu- in the spring accelerate seed release from Scots pine lation may have attempted to breed each year. We doc- cones, thereby lengthening the period of food scarcity umented the destruction of a significant portion of nest before the following seed crop is available in summer, cavities raising the question of whether artificial nest and thus preventing year-round specialization on Scots cavities may mitigate any future shortages. pine seeds outside of northern Europe and Scotland. We found that seed fall occurred 1.52 months earlier in southern Europe (Spain) than in Sweden and Scot- land, and was associated with variation in spring max- Can citizen scientists provide reliable avian count imum temperatures and precipitation. These climate data in low diversity neotropical areas? variables and area covered with conifers relied on by the crossbills explained much of their observed distri- Nicholas P Bergen butions, consistent with an indirect influence of climate Nicola Koper through its effect on food plants and seed availability. Using these relationships to project future distributions Monitoring projects in neotropical areas often lack the (2070) under global change scenarios revealed reduc- necessary resources and professional personnel to con- tions in potential crossbill distributions, especially for duct consistent, large scale monitoring. Few stud- Parrot Crossbills. ies have considered using non-expert observers to col- lect avian abundance data. However, citizen scientists have the potential to contribute meaningful data to this Parrot border crossing?: Biology and conserva- knowledge gap in low diversity areas. In this study, cit- tion of endangered red-crowned parrots in the Rio izen scientists in Grenada carried out dependent dou- Grande Valley of Texas ble observer surveys of resident land birds. 34 volun- teers were trained in audio and visual species identifica- Karl S Berg tion and standardized survey methods. We used models Caleb M Arellano in the program DOBSERV to test for species-specific, Anthony K Henehan observer-specific and group-specific differences in de- Clifford E Shackelford tectability. We also tested the effects of observer abil- Karl S Berg ity on observed abundance and species richness. Ex- pert observers had significantly higher observed abun- Parrots are among the most threatened groups of birds. dance compared to novice observers for difficult to de- This is especially true of neotropical parrots, some of tect species, but we found no evidence of different ob- which have become established in metropolitan areas served abundance for most common species. We found of the U.S. Most cases are the likely result of accidental evidence of observer effects on detectability for 19 of introductions from escaped pets. One interesting ex- 23 field trials. While individual observer detection ception is the globally endangered Red-crowned Parrot probabilities increased with ability, the probability that (Amazona viridigenalis), recently established in the Rio at least one observer detected an individual was high Grande Valley of South Texas. Historically considered (>90%) for 20 of 23 trials. This suggests that in areas endemic to northeastern Mexico, the species’ original with low diversity, pairs of well trained observers with northern range extended close to the U.S. Mexico bor- little previous experience can collect reliable abundance der, raising questions of the population’s origins. . Re- data, especially for common species, and that depen- gardless, the area contains one of the fastest growing dent double observer methods would increase the accu- human populations in the U.S., leading to destruction racy of abundance estimates for non-expert observers. of nest sites and illegal pet trafficking., Despite these threats, little is known about population size or breed- ing requirements. We studied nesting biology and con- ducted monthly estimates of population size at a com- Twenty-five Year Impact of the Northwest Forest munal roost in Brownsville, Texas from Jan 2016 Dec Plan on Forest Composition and Bird Populations

9 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Matthew G Betts a certain period of time. In southeastern Brazil Sick’s Benjamin T Phalan Swift is a common urban species that frequently uses Joseph M Northrup chimneys to place their nests. Accidents with falling Zhiqiang Yang nests and nestlings are common, and mortality in reha- Robert Deal bilitation centers is high due to a lack of information Josee´ Rousseau and protocols to recover swift nestlings. In the state Thomas A Spies of So Paulo, during two consecutive years a successful Robert Deal citizen science initiative has taken place to try to reha- Josee´ Rousseau bilitate Sick’s Swifts nestlings. From November to De- cember 2016 three nestlings were found together with The 1994 implementation of the Northwest Forest Plan their nest in the bottom of a barbecue grill from a house. in Oregon, Washington and California resulted in one of They had different stages of plumage. Two nestlings the most rapid and broad-scale changes to forest man- died and one successfully fledged. In November 2017 agement in the world, ultimately affecting practices on three nestlings were found in the same place and four 24.5 million acres. This provides an unprecedented op- nestlings from a neighboring city were brought to a portunity to evaluate the degree to which policy has swift rehabilitator. Again, both clutches had nestlings influenced biodiversity over the long term, a critical with different plumage development stages. From the component of adaptive management. We relied on the seven rescued nestlings, five fledged between the begin- 25 years of region-wide bird surveys, annual remotely ning and the end of December 2017. Several aspects of sensed forest cover data, and landownership informa- the nestlings behavior that have never been reported be- tion to test hypotheses about the response by forest fore were observed. This is the first case of a initiative birds to the NWFP. Bayesian hierarchical models re- to rehabilitate swifts in Brazil and with more investment vealed that population trends of both early and late seral in education and training, further rescue projects can be species were predicted well by changes in forest com- implemented in the country. position. However, counter to our expectations, mature- forest associated birds declined more rapidly following the NWFP than prior to its establishment. We hypothe- size that temporal lags in bird responses to prior habitat Introgression across the Great Plains towhee hybrid loss, climate changes, and negative responses to con- zone characterized with historical DNA temporary thinning may explain these declines. Early seral species continue to decline on both federal and Shawn M Billerman private lands, likely due to a combination of intensifi- Bronwyn G Butcher cation of forest management practices on private and Irby J Lovette succession on federal lands. Overall, these findings in- dicate that although the NWFP has substantially slowed Hybrid zoneslocations where two previously isolated declines in old growth forest, this change has yet to populations come into secondary contact and inter- have a positive impact on late-seral bird populations. breedare often regarded as natural laboratories that can This may also call into question the urgency to promote provide powerful insights into the differences that con- early seral habitat at the expense of the conservation tribute most importantly to reproductive isolation be- and restoration of old forest on federal lands, at least tween taxa. In part owing to their past prominence in for these bird species. classical studies of hybridization dynamics, the avian hybrid zones of the Great Plains represent a particularly powerful system in which to explore mechanisms im- Conservation of Sick’s Swifts (Chaetura meridion- portant for the maintenance of biodiversity on a large alis) in Southern Brazil: a successful citizen science geographic scale. While there is an extensive and valu- initiative able history of research on most of these hybrid zones, the hybrid zone between Eastern (Pipilo erythrophthal- Renata N Biancalana mus) and Spotted towhees (P. maculatus) has not been studied since the 1950s. We take advantage of a valu- The breeding habits of swifts from the genus Chaetura able series of specimens collected over 60 years ago, that live in urban environments are often associated combined with new genomics tools, to investigate pat- with human made structures, such as chimneys. This terns of genetic and phenotypic introgression between behavior, in many cases, approximate people and birds, towhees across the Great Plains. This first in-depth since they become part of each others everyday life for analysis of genetic introgression between Eastern and

10 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Spotted towhees will help us to understand hybridiza- ther strengthens prior findings that this female-biased tion and speciation in the context of other well-studied plumage ornament honestly signals competitive ability. systems across the Great Plains. Analyses of pheno- types from the towhee hybrid zone suggest extensive in- trogression, with high proportions of intermediate phe- notypes relative to parentals, differing from other hy- Manipulating badges of status only fools strangers brid zones of the Great Plains, where intermediate phe- notypes represent a relatively small proportion of in- Theadora A Block dividuals. These differences suggest different selec- Alexis S Chaine tion pressures between these systems, and may help us Daizaburo Shizuka better understand how and why these hybrid zones are Theadora A Block maintained across the Great Plains. Lynn Zhang Bruce E Lyon

Conflict in nature is common and risky, and mecha- nisms like individual recognition or badges of status Testosterone in a sex-role reversed and polyandrous can reduce such costs. Badges of status and individ- bird: Female aggression, ornamentation, and repro- ual recognition are thought unlikely to coexist in the ductive success same population since badges are primarily useful in larger, fluid social groups whereas individual recogni- Misha A Blizard tion requires smaller, stable groups. Social networks of winter flocks of golden-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia Despite abundant evidence of testosterones function atricapilla) exhibit intermediate levels of social com- in male behavior and ornamentation, its role in fe- munity structure. We found that dominance mecha- males is less clear. I studied testosterone in an avian nism depends on social context. Experiments showed species (spotted sandpipers; Actitis macularius) ex- that strangers use badges of status to determine dom- hibiting sex-role reversal: females experience greater inance. Conversely, badge experiments with familiar competition for mates than males, are aggressively ter- flockmates had no effect on dominance, and these ex- ritorial, and can have multiple mates in one season. I periments showed decreased aggression relative to ex- predicted that female plasma testosterone levels would periments with strangers. Our results provide among remain high throughout the breeding season, as terri- the first experimental evidence for coexistence of sta- tory defense and sequential courtship of males contin- tus signals and individual recognition, suggesting that ues, while male testosterone levels would drop when variation in social context, and hence the feasibility caring for offspring. I also expected that testosterone, of recognition, may help maintain coexistence of these particularly in females, would correlate with reproduc- two dominance resolution mechanisms. tive success and degree of melanized plumage orna- mentation. Females maintained constant testosterone levels from courtship to egg laying and early incuba- tion, with significantly lower levels than males during Variation in male solo song dialects of White-eared courtship. After courtship, male testosterone dropped Ground-Sparrows (Melozone leucotis; Passerelli- to levels comparable to females, supporting previous dae) through time research on sex-role reversed species. Considering be- havior, females captured following a simulated terri- Katherine Bonilla torial intrusion had higher testosterone levels than fe- Luis Sandoval males not exposed to a simulated intrusion. Variation in both female and male ornamentation could be ex- For most tropical bird species that learn songs is un- plained by models incorporating testosterone levels rel- known where or when learning occurs, but, to know ative to reproductive stage. However, testosterone did this is critical to understand the occurrence or not of not correlate with the reproductive success of females song dialects. Three possible hypotheses may explain or males. The maintenance of female testosterone lev- the dialect occurrence in species that learn songs: (1) els throughout the breeding season and the elevation in Males learn songs from birds in the area where born female testosterone levels following simulated territo- and stay close when adult, this produces similar songs rial intrusions suggest that testosterone mediates female among individuals in the area. (2) Males learn songs aggression in spotted sandpipers. The relationship be- from birds in the area where born but migrate to new tween testosterone and ornamentation in both sexes fur- areas as an adult, producing a mix of songs in the area

11 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 where establish the territory. (3) Males learn songs after Here, I present a four-hour laboratory exercise suitable establishing a territory, producing similar songs among for either an ornithology or a comparative animal physi- individuals in the area. Our goal was to analyze the ology course. In it, students use calorimetry to measure dialects change through time on White-eared Ground- the energy contained in several different food items. Sparrows (Melozone leucotis; Passerellidae) males, as They then observe House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) a proxy to understand when or where these males learn selecting food items to determine whether or not birds to sing, and therefore how dialects are produced in this preferentially select the most energy-dense food items. species. We sound recorded four White-eared Ground- Depending on how it is presented, this lab can teach Sparrow populations during seven years (each male was students about optimal foraging, feeding energetics, es- color banded) in Valle Central, Costa Rica. During the sential nutrients (i.e., that birds eat for reasons other study period, we recorded the number arriving and de- than obtaining energy), individual variation in feeding parting males in each population. We found that song strategies, and basic statistics (importance of multiple dialects have a small variation through time, although samples, Chi-square and ANOVA). I will discuss solu- individuals in each population changed. Our data are tions to problems I have encountered while performing consistent with hypotheses one and three, but without this lab in the past as well as the permissions necessary a genetic study is impossible to discriminate between to perform the experiment. both. However, we are sure that White-eared Ground- Sparrow males learned songs from conspecifics at the population when they establish the breeding territory.

Andrew J Boyce Rapid evolution of plumage traits in African white- eyes: a genomic perspective

Rauri CK Bowie The roles of interspecific aggression and thermal Guinevere O Wogan physiology in limiting elevational ranges of tropical Ke Bi birds Graeme Oatley Gary Voelker Andy J Boyce Blair O Wolf White-eyes (Zosterops) have earned the moniker the Thomas E Martin great speciators by exhibiting among the highest rates of diversification estimated for vertebrates. The rapid Climate and competition are both strong forces that set speciation among the birds of this group, and the ex- range limits and have both been posited as drivers of tremely wide geographic distribution (Old World trop- narrow elevational ranges typical of tropical birds. Nar- ics) makes them an interesting group within which to row elevational ranges result in rapid species turnover investigate the processes underpinning speciation and across elevations and produce massive biodiversity on adaptation. Here we make use of several thousand tropical mountains, yet our understanding of the forces genome-wide SNPs to investigate phylogenetic and that produce this pattern are still evolving. To assess the phylogeographic divergence among African white-eye relative importance of climate and competition in set- taxa. We demonstrate that plumage traits have evolved ting elevational range limits of tropical birds, we mea- rapidly, with several examples of parallelism reflect- sured thermal physiology and interspecific aggression ing adaptation to local habitats. Finally, by quantifica- across a large elevational gradient in Malaysian Bor- tion of plumage in modern and historical specimens, we neo. We estimated multiple metrics of thermal physiol- demonstrate that the belly and flank plumage of south- ogy (RMR, conductance, LCT) for 28 songbird species ern African white-eyes have continued to be selected from mid (1500m) and high (3200m) elevation com- upon over the past 100 years. munities. Furthermore, we performed playback exper- iments on two parapatric species pairs and one sym- patric species pair. Thermal physiology was similar be- tween mid and high elevation species and there were no Picky eaters: An undergraduate laboratory exercise consistent differences between parapatric species pairs. We found interspecific aggression in one parapatric pair Melissa S Bowlin (Pycnonotidae) and a complete absence of aggression in

12 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book another (Zosteropidae). We also found interspecific ag- Alice Boyle gression between two species of sympatric flycatchers (Muscicapidae). Our results suggest thermal physiol- Understanding the causes of individual-, population- ogy is not a direct driver of elevational range limits in , and species-level differences in dispersal and mi- tropical songbirds. Additionally, interspecific aggres- gration remains a central challenge in ornithology be- sion may set range limits in some cases, but the absence cause movements are inherently hard to study but of aggression in one parapatric pair and the presence of have major implications for their population dynam- aggression between co-occuring species indicates ag- ics. Grassland birds appear to be among the most mo- gression is not a prerequisite for parapatry and aggres- bile groups of terrestrial birds. Here I summarize re- sion alone is not evidence that competition sets range sults of studies of Ammodramus sparrows from the tall- limits. grass prairies of Eastern Kansas based on marked indi- viduals, landscape-level attributes, and tracking. Both Grasshopper and Henslow’s sparrows exhibit high rates of within-season and between-year breeding dispersal, Breeding season carry-over effects of forest frag- and in Grasshopper Sparrows, both dispersal propen- mentation on Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) sity and the resulting pay-offs are affected by preda- tion but not brood parasitism risk. Henslow’s Spar- Brendan Boyd rows move to larger, less fragmented tracts of grass- Sue Hayes land as the season progresses. Occupancy, isotopic, Bridget Stutchbury and re-sighting data all suggest that (frequently long distance) dispersal between years is the norm in both The Wood Thrush is an iconic forest-dwelling North species. Between-year dispersal occurs in conjunction American long-distance migrant that has been steadily with migration; thus, I provide preliminary evidence for declining for decades. Habitat loss and fragmentation the non-breeding ranges of Kansas-breeding Grasshop- on the breeding grounds has been shown to cause short- per Sparrows and discuss associations between migra- term negative effects on immediate breeding success. tion, dispersal, and demographic parameters. Some im- However, long-term impacts on adults, or carry-over plications of these studies are bad news for conserva- effects, have not been studied, in part due to the dif- tion; despite their small size, these birds do best in ficulty of tracking individuals across large geographic very large grasslands, they apparently respond to en- distances. The Motus Wildlife Tracking System is an vironmental conditions over large scales, and standard innovative new automated radio telemetry array that, approaches do a poor job at revealing links between for the first time, can link breeding fragment size to management and population processes in such dynamic fall migration and annual survival. Wood Thrush occu- systems. Conversely, the birds’ mobility makes them pying small fragments are expected to experience high responsive to changing management and local environ- rates of brood parasitism and nest predation, which mental conditions, minimizing the role of dispersal lim- could directly delay fall migration due to timing con- itation. straints from late re-nesting or indirectly delay migra- tion if adults are in poorer condition. Wood Thrush are large enough to carry radio-tags with a one year battery life, allowing detection of adults who return within the Problematic Pachycephalidae: a new phylogenetic 100,000 km2 study site in SW Ontario. I captured adult hypothesis using ultraconserved elements Wood Thrush (n=47) in large and small forest frag- ments in SW Ontario during the 2016 and 2017 breed- Serina S Brady ing seasons and fitted them with coded radio transmit- Leo Joesph ters in order to track their movements using the Motus Robert G Moyle Wildlife Tracking System. I will present results to test Michael J Andersen two predictions (1) the initiation of fall migration will occur later for birds breeding in small versus large frag- The utility of islands as natural laboratories of evolu- ments and (2) there will be a lower annual return rate tion is exemplified in the patterns of differentiation in for birds breeding in small versus large fragments. widespread, phenotypically variable lineages. Pachy- cephalidae is one of the most complex avian radiations spanning the vast archipelagos of the Indo-Pacific, mak- ing it an ideal group to study the patterns and pro- Movement ecology of grassland sparrows and why it cesses of diversification on islands. Here, we present matters for conservation a robust phylogenetic hypothesis for all five genera

13 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 within Pachycephalidae, based on thousands of ultra- Urban and Endangered: the complex realities of conserved elements (UCEs) that we generated with a Red-crowned Parrots in Texas target-capture approach and high-throughput sequenc- ing. Our dataset comprises 104 individuals and in- Donald J Brightsmith cludes 50 species in the family. We sampled more Simon Kiacz densely within taxonomically recalcitrant clades, such Janice D Boyd as the Pachycephala pectoralis complex. We estimated a species tree for all whistlers within a multispecies coa- The US Endangered Species Act was created to protect lescent framework and explored questions pertaining to species and the habitats on which they depend, but like the groups’ systematics and biogeographical origins at much legislation it sometimes has unexpected impacts. multiple taxonomic levels within this clade (e.g., from In 2011, the USFWS declared the Red-crowned Parrot the entire family to within species-complexes). This (Amazona viridigenalis) as a candidate for listing. This work further refines our understanding of one of the parrot is endemic to northeastern Mexico and is listed regions’ most enigmatic bird lineages and adds to our as endangered by the IUCN. In the Lower Rio Grande growing knowledge about the patterns and processes of Valley of Texas (LRGV), the species began to appear diversification on island systems. in the wild in the early 1980’s and the population has grown steadily since 1995. Despite ongoing debate, the USFWS and State of Texas consider the population na- tive. Since 2016, we have studied nest trees (98) and Extraordinary genetic similarity between Rufous roosts (181 counts) throughout the LRGV. Over 70% and Allen’s hummingbirds inferred from whole of nest trees were standing dead palms of introduced genome sequences species. Typical roost and nest locations were within 5 meters of residential streets, often in the front yards of Alan Brelsford private houses. In fact, all roosts and nest sites were in German Lagunas-Robles planted trees in suburban areas. Despite the presence of Brian Myers sizeable protected areas, no roosts or nests were discov- Kevin Burns ered in patches of natural vegetation. Nationwide other Chris Clark endangered species exist in suburban environments, but their persistence is normally tied to remnant native veg- Rufous and Allen’s hummingbird males differ in sev- etation. However, if the Red-crowned Parrot is listed eral traits that are likely to be under sexual selection, in- on the US Endangered Species Act, it will present a cluding coloration, the shape of tail feathers involved in unique set of challenges for homeowners, governments, sound production, and courtship display behavior. The and urban ecologists as they struggle with how to main- recent discovery of a hybrid zone in southern Oregon tain critical habitat elements of anthropogenic origin in and northern California raises the possibility of deter- wholly manmade habitats. mining the genetic basis of these traits by admixture mapping. In order to determine the extent of genetic differentiation between the species and how differenti- ation varies among genomic regions, we sequenced the Indirect effects of a competitor on life history and genomes of 7 Allen’s and 9 Rufous hummingbirds col- reproductive traits in a cavity nesting bird lected far from the hybrid zone. Out of 1.6 million SNP markers identified, only 81 were fixed for alternative Sarah E Britton alleles in the two species. These fixed differences were Barbara Ballentine overwhelmingly (82%) located on the Z chromosome, further supporting the important role of sex chromo- Research on life history evolution in birds has revealed somes in speciation. Most of the fixed differences fall both direct and indirect effects of predation. Increased outside protein-coding regions, and none cause amino levels of nest predation favor reproductive behaviors acid substitutions, suggesting that the functional differ- that reduce the threat of predators on offspring or allow ences between the species are regulatory, not structural. parents to bet hedge for future reproductive attempts. Because fixed differences are limited to a few small re- In this study, we investigate whether the presence of gions of the genome, prospects are good for identify- a competitor, the house wren (Troglodytes aedon), re- ing their associations with behavioral and morphologi- sults in similar indirect effects on life history and re- cal traits by admixture mapping. productive behaviors of Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis). House wrens compete for nesting cavi- ties and will kill Carolina chickadee eggs and nestlings.

14 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

We monitored nest boxes in Western North Carolina likely to meet the combination of stakeholder objec- where exposure to house wrens varies. We surveyed tives. There was some support for midstory removal house wren presence at active Carolina chickadee nests meeting stakeholder objectives. Sensitivity analysis and measured clutch size and mass, incubation, provi- of the decision network suggested that the number of sioning rates, nestling growth rates, development, and RCW clusters is affected by helper and breeder sur- fledging success of chickadees. House wren takeover vival, recruitment rates, food availability, and herba- accounted for 38.77% of nesting failures, more than any ceous understory. The decision network based on stake- other cause of failure in our study. We found that the holder objectives will be the framework for addressing presence of house wrens resulted in smaller Carolina future questions. chickadee clutch sizes. However, we did not detect any effects of house wren presence on chickadee egg size, incubation, provisioning, growth, or development. These results suggest that house wren presence affects Hybridization and introgression after the 19th cen- a narrow range of life history traits early in the nest- tury invasion of Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) ing period, possibly because this is when house wrens into the New World are the biggest threat. Reducing clutch size may be a strategy used by Carolina chickadees to decrease repro- Robb T Brumfield ductive investment in an environment where early nest Jessica A Oswald failure is probable, allowing adults to reserve energy for Michael G Harvey future reproduction. Rosalind C Remsen DePaul U Foxworth Donna L Dittmann

Using Structured Decision Making to Balance The Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) of the Old World Stakeholder Objectives for Red-cockaded Wood- colonized the East Coast of the United States in the pecker Management early 19th Century, and subsequently expanded and came into contact with the indigenous New World Emily J Brown White-faced Ibis (P. chihi). Putative hybrids between Paige F Ferguson the two species have been observed across a large por- tion of North America. To characterize the extent of The Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis; hybridization and introgression we sequenced 4,616 ul- RCW) is listed as Endangered under the United States traconserved loci (UCEs) from 66 individuals sampled Endangered Species Act. The Oakmulgee Ranger Dis- across the distributions of falcinellus, chihi, and the trict of the Talladega National Forest harbors the largest range-restricted Puna Ibis (P. ridgwayi) of South Amer- RCW population in Alabama. Despite efforts to restore ica, including samples from a contact zone between fal- RCW habitat and install artificial cavities in the Oak- cinellus and chihi in southwestern Louisiana. We found mulgee, the number of active RCW clusters has not differentiation across the genome among the three cur- exceeded 120, although the District’s Recovery Plan rently recognized species. Our results also revealed ex- objective is 394 active clusters. Our objectives are to tensive genetic admixture between chihi and falcinel- identify factors limiting RCW population growth and lus in birds with both intermediate and parental phe- identify management methods that could reduce these notypes where species are sympatric and also in some limitations. We held four structured decision making individuals sampled far from the contact core area of workshops with representatives from the United States sympatry. Genomic cline analyses revealed evidence Forest Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspec- of greater introgression into falcinellus from chihi than tion Service, the Longleaf Alliance, the Birmingham vice versa, but did not detect cline width outlier loci that Audubon Society, and local residents. We built a de- would suggest selection against hybrids. Surprisingly, cision network that predicted the relative likelihood of we also found evidence of admixture between ridgwayi a range of management options to meet stakeholder ob- and nearby South American populations of chihi. We jectives, including increase the number of RCW clus- expect further population expansion in Plegadis, per- ters. In addition, we collected field data related to haps driven by anthropogenic environmental changes, factors the decision network identified as influencing to contribute to additional dynamic secondary contact the number of RCW clusters. Cavity insert installa- and more introgression among species in the future. tion had the greatest probability of increasing the num- ber of RCW clusters and prescribed burning was most

15 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Evaluating the relationships between eastern hem- lar game bird that inhabits semiarid oak grasslands in lock decline and Louisiana waterthrush demograph- southern Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico. ics and behavior in Tennessee Montezuma quail’s diet has been poorly investigated in their northern edge of its distribution. In this regard, Lee C Bryant investigating the diet composition of Montezuma quail, Tiffany A Beachy as well as its temporal and geographic variation, is a Than J Boves fundamental tool for understanding the species’ ecol- ogy and provides relevant tools for harvest and habitat Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is declining management. The objective of this research is to deter- throughout the eastern United States due to the inva- mine the composition of the winter diet of C. montezu- sive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae). In mae in Arizona from quail harvested during the hunting the southern Appalachians, hemlock is concentrated in seasons of 2016-2017. We found that acorns of Quercus moist ravines and its loss may threaten riparian habitat spp. (46%) are the most frequent food item in the crops quality. With respect to birds, most research has ex- of C. montezumae, followed by grass seeds (19%), rhi- amined changes in community diversity but few stud- zomes of sedge Cyperus fendlerianus (11%), bulbs of ies have evaluated the consequences for, and responses woodsorrel Oxalis spp. (7%), insects (5%), seeds of by, single species to hemlock decline. The Louisiana wildbeans Phaseolus (4%), bulbs of sedge Cyperus spp Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) is an obligate ripar- (2%) and the rest of the diet (6%) is represented by 37 ian species that could be sensitive to hemlock condition plant species and one desert snail (Gastropoda). This in the southern Appalachians. Environmental changes result differs from the only two previous studies in Ari- including habitat fragmentation and stream acidifica- zona, where the principal food item in winter were the tion negatively impact waterthrushes, but how hemlock bulbs of Oxalis (up to 65% of their diet) and the large decline might impact them is currently unclear. To presence of acorn was only in the spring (41.8%). This address this issue, we evaluated how hemlock condi- variation in the diet composition suggest a plasticity in tion was associated with a suite of metrics related to resource utilization in response to yearly variation in waterthrush behavior or fitness. We found that hem- humidity and temperature. lock condition was unrelated to territory size, provi- sioning, nestling condition, foraging habitat selection, or adult survival. However, with respect to nest site se- Habitat specific abundance and occupancy dynam- lection, waterthrushes selected for areas with more ex- ics of a non-territorial overwintering songbird in posed roots when hemlock condition was poor. Nest Panama and Colombia survival was reduced in areas where hardwood species dominated the understory, suggesting that hemlock de- Lesley P Bulluck cline could indirectly impact waterthrush fitness depen- Nick Bayly dent on how succession proceeds following hemlock Elizabeth Ames mortality. In total, our results suggest that short-term Cathy Viverette consequences of hemlock decline for this charismatic Chris Tonra riparian species in Great Smoky Mountains National Park appear minimal but are likely dynamic and com- Despite numerous studies of territorial overwintering plex. Adult waterthrushes may be able to adjust their migratory songbirds, little is known about the non- foraging behavior following hemlock decline, but sub- breeding ecology of most migratory species. Non- sequent habitats could have negative consequences for territorial species present an additional paradigm, as reproduction. they display more complex movement patterns than ter- ritorial species. Recent studies of migratory connec- tivity in non-territorial Prothonotary Warbler (PROW) Winter diet composition of Montezuma quail in indicate that individuals from across disparate breed- southern Arizona ing populations overwinter in a relatively small region, but little is known about how abundance and occupancy Oscar E Lopez Bujanda varies among habitats. We surveyed for PROW across Alberto Macias Duarte >300 points in 15 sites throughout this region and used Reyna A Castillo Gamez these data to estimate habitat-specific abundance. We Angel B Montoya found that PROW abundance increases with canopy height in cienaga (lagoon) and mangrove habitats from Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) is a popu- raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$1 bird/ha, when

16 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book canopy height is 5m, to 3-4 birds/ha when canopy height is 20m. PROW abundance was low (<1 bird/ha) in secondary forests and woody wetlands, regardless Degree of immune challenge differentially affects of canopy height. Survey points were visited twice to oxidative stress and metabolism develop dynamic occupancy models and assess move- ment into and out of habitats as the dry season pro- Michael W Butler gresses. The probability of PROW site occupancy in- Ellen M Armour creased with increasing canopy cover, and mangroves and cienagas are less likely to experience local ex- Mounting an immune response destroys pathogens, but tinction as the dry season progresses compared with this response comes at a physiological cost, including wooded wetlands. Consistent use of sites into the dry the production of oxidative damage or the modifica- season suggests vital resources are present during the tion of nutrient metabolism. Many investigations into pre-migratory period. This study enhances our under- the effects of immune challenges employ a single high standing of Prothonotary Warbler non-breeding habitat dose, meaning that the consequences of more mild (and use and movement and is one of the first to demonstrate common) immune challenges are poorly resolved. We that habitat quality may be correlated with the probabil- tested how degree of immunological challenge modifies ity of local extinction in a non-territorial overwintering oxidative physiology, markers of the immune response, migrant songbird. and lipid metabolism. We injected 5 different doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into northern bobwhite quail (0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, or 1 mg LPS / kg body mass) and quantified oxidative damage (d-ROMs), antioxidant ca- Extrapair parentage in a rapidly moving chickadee pacity (OXY), biliverdin concentration (a putative an- hybrid zone: confounding factor for analysis of fit- tioxidant) in liver and spleen, haptoglobin (an acute ness consequences of interbreeding? phase protein that is part of the immune response), cir- culating triglyceride and glycerol levels (metrics related Emily S Burton to lipid metabolism), and change in body mass over the Robert L Curry 19-hr experiment. Only the highest dose of LPS re- duced body mass and lowered circulating triglyceride In songbirds that hybridize, extrapair parentage may levels, while lower doses had no effect on these metrics, confound analysis of key fitness consequences such suggesting minimal metabolic costs of mild immune as hatching success if the species-level genotypes of challenges. However, all doses of LPS induced oxida- extrapair parents differ from those of social parents. tive damage, with the highest dose generating the most Our research on black-capped and Carolina chick- oxidative damage, demonstrating that even mild im- adees in southeastern Pennsylvania has revealed rapid mune challenges affect oxidative physiology. We also northward hybrid zone movement associated with cli- found an inverse relationship between oxidative dam- mate change; hatching success has changed corre- age and biliverdin amount in the spleen, which may in- spondingly, with fewer eggs hatching in populations dicate that biliverdin physiologically acts as an antiox- experiencing interbreeding, but whether the patterns idant. Lastly, oxidative damage was most robustly pre- are obscured by extrapair parentage is unknown. Us- dicted by amount of circulating haptoglobin, providing ing eight species-diagnostic single nucleotide polymor- insights into the interplay between immune challenges phism (SNP) markers, we genotyped 54 breeders and and oxidative physiology. 137 nestlings from 30 nests over 2 years in one hybrid- zone population (at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary) and conducted parentage analysis to identify extrapair off- spring (EPO). At least 30% of nestlings had genotypes Effects of Drought on Brood Parasite Body Condi- that could not be explained by those of their social tion, Follicle Development and Parasitism: Implica- parents and were therefore EPO, even though species- tions for Host-Parasite Dynamics diagnostic SNPs yield low detection power. Initial anal- yses suggest a potential relationship between hatching Valerie L Buxton success and %EPO in a nest. Therefore, extrapair mat- Wendy M Schelsky ing does potentially confound analysis of hatching suc- Than J Boves cess at Hawk Mountain. Work in progress focuses on Scott Summers using these results to refine analysis of hatching success Patrick J Weatherhead in this hybrid-zone population. Jinelle H Sperry

17 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Temporal variation in avian brood parasite condition the latter serving as reference habitat. ARUs were set and reproduction seem to affect host-parasite dynam- to record for 10 minutes, 3 times daily to cover pri- ics. Few studies, however, consider dynamics from the mary vocalization periods of target species. An index perspective of the parasite. Here we examined how of 12 marshbird species was developed to evaluate habi- brood parasite body condition and reproductive output tat quality, including Clapper Rails, Seaside Sparrows, vary both seasonally and annually and investigate the Nelson’s Sparrows, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, and resultant impacts on nest parasitism rates of an endan- Least Bitterns. Key habitat characteristics were eval- gered host species. In the breeding seasons of 2011 uated for each sampling point, including vegetation and 2012, we collected female Brown-headed Cow- type, standing water depth, and distance from edge. birds from Fort Hood, Texas and conducted morpho- We predicted higher species diversity in intact marsh metric, phenotypic, and physiological measurements on patches due to higher habitat quality of mature vegeta- carcasses. During the same period, we also monitored tive communities. Instead, we found mixed results be- nests of Black-capped Vireos and recorded parasitism tween islands, with vegetation type as the highest pre- occurrence. Based on an analysis of > 400 cowbirds, dictor of species diversity. Our results indicate that salt- we found that cowbird body condition was significantly marsh restoration is not always successful in creating lower in 2012 than in 2011. Fewer females developed wildlife habitat, and that follow-up assessments to eval- follicles in 2012 and follicle development was substan- uate ecosystem functioning should be included in bar- tially delayed. Correspondingly, nest parasitism rates rier island restoration planning. were significantly lower in 2012 and vireo nest suc- cess was significantly higher. The substantial varia- tion we observed in cowbird body condition, follicle Selection on pigmentation genes leads to rapid phe- development, and parasitism may be related to a record- notypic evolution in a finch radiation breaking drought that occurred in 2011. Cowbirds ap- peared to suffer negative carry-over effects from the Leonardo Campagna drought, likely due to reduced food resources, although Irby Lovette similar effects on vireos were not observed. Detrimen- tal effects of drought on cowbirds but not on vireos may The search for molecular targets of selection is leading have significant implications for host-vireo dynamics to a better understanding of how evolution shapes bio- under changing climate conditions. logical diversity. Instances of recent and rapid specia- tion are suitable for associating phenotypes with their causal genotypes, because gene flow may homogenize Does the Working Coast work for wildlife? Effects areas of the genome that are not under divergent selec- of saltmarsh restoration on avian communities in the tion. Locating differentiated genomic regions among Gulf of Mexico taxa allows us to test associations between the genes in these regions and their contributions to phenotypic Paige A Byerly diversity. Here we study a rapid radiation of nine Hardin J Waddle sympatric bird species known as southern capuchino Paul L Leberg seedeaters, which are strikingly differentiated in sex- ually selected characters of male plumage and song. Restoration of vanishing barrier islands is an impor- We sequenced the genomes of individuals representing tant component of coastal management in Louisiana. a diverse set of species and associated phenotypes to Preventing erosion of back barrier saltmarsh marsh search for differentiated genomic regions. We asked on these islands has become a major focus of the what genes are harbored in divergent regions and to Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration what extent has selection on the same targets shaped Act (CWPPRA); however, restoration efforts may pri- phenotypic diversity across different lineages. Capuchi- oritize mitigation of island erosion over re-creation of nos show differences in a small proportion of their lost wildlife habitat. Here, we investigate the success of genomes, yet selection has acted independently on the saltmarsh restoration in creating wildlife habitat on two same targets during the groups’ radiation. Many diver- Louisiana barrier islands, using marshbird presence as gence peaks contain genes involved in the melanogen- a metric of restoration success. Marshbird occupancy esis pathway, with the strongest signal originating from was measured over four seasons in 2016 and 2017 a regulatory region upstream of the gene coding for the through use of 43 acoustic recording units (ARUs) and Agouti-signaling protein. Across all divergence peaks, complementary point counts. Sampling efforts were di- the most differentiated areas are similarly likely regula- vided between restored and intact marsh patches, with tory. Our findings are consistent with selection acting

18 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book on the same genomic regions in different lineages to Sarah K Carter shape the evolution of cis-regulatory elements, which Travis Haby control how more conserved genes are expressed and Kevin H Miller thereby generate diversity in sexually selected traits. Natasha B Carr Zachary H Bowen

Tracking grassland fledglings: using radio- In an era of uncertainty and rapidly changing policies, telemetry to study post-fledging survival of a threat- resource management agencies need actionable science ened grassland songbird that helps them make better decisions faster. Multi- ple use agencies, which manage lands for diverse re- Hannah C Carey source objectives and values, are under particular pres- Barry Robinson sure to accommodate and balance different resource Nicola Koper uses across public lands. Actionable science that helps improve both resource outcomes and the defensibility Grassland birds are experiencing continued population and durability of land use plans can help agencies con- declines due largely to habitat fragmentation and degra- tinue to make sound environmental decisions. The US dation. Energy development and the associated infras- Geological Survey, as a science agency within the De- tructure (i.e. roads, powerlines) have caused significa- partment of the Interior, has developed a strong work- tion alterations to remaining grassland habitat, and this ing relationship with the Bureau of Land Management has been shown to alter grassland songbird behavior to help accomplish just that. A newly proposed frame- and, in some cases, contribute to population declines. work describes the basic science needs of the Bureau of The presence and continued efforts of energy devel- Land Management for decision making: the develop- opment through built infrastructure and altered sound- ment and use of quality data as a foundation for de- scape can influence adult inter- and intraspecific com- cisions, relevant science about relationships between munication and intraspecific juvenile-adult communi- key resources and processes, standardized methods for cation potentially leading to lower survival because of quantifying potential impacts of proposed actions, and masked alarm-calls. Fledglings are thought to expe- research on the effectiveness of alternative management rience significantly higher mortality rates than adults; and mitigation actions. Two recent efforts understand- however, post-fledging mortality rates are understud- ing a landscape approach to resource management and ied, especially in grassland songbirds. To study the synthesizing recent sage-grouse science - demonstrate effects of oil infrastructure and the associated noise challenges and opportunities in providing and packag- on chestnut-collared longspur fledgling survival we ing timely and relevant science that resource managers used an experimental playback infrastructure and radio- and policy makers can use. Underlying efforts to bet- telemetry. Radio-tags were fitted to nestlings and obser- ter integrate science into management is a need to con- vations took place every day until the individual died tinually examine its role why is science needed, how or the radio-tag battery died. We found no effect of can it help managers make better decisions faster, and treatment type on fledgling survival, however, there is how can it support decision makers as they accommo- a significant positive correlation between survival and date and respond to changing policies, environmental seasonal peak fledgling abundance. We also found that conditions, and social desires. fledgling survival increases with age. This research contributes information to an understudied life history phase of a threatened grassland songbird. Understand- Context-dependent influences of vegetation struc- ing survival rates at this life stage allows management ture on nest survival in the shortgrass steppe efforts to focus on known negative effects leading to more effective mitigation strategies for grassland song- Amber R Carver birds. Mitigating impacts at other life stages such as David J Augustine minimizing depredation of nests, which is higher near Michael B Wunder some oil wells, may have a greater conservation impact on declining grassland songbird populations. Breeding grassland birds exhibit coarse- and fine-scale habitat use patterns. These patterns are reinforced through natural selection, but it is unclear how much Developing actionable science for multiple-use juvenile mortality contributes to selection pressure. lands: from landscapes to sage-grouse in the Bureau Depredation is the main cause of nest failure, and de- of Land Management spite habitat selectivity most grassland bird nesting ef-

19 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 forts are unsuccessful. Evidence that North American that species diversity increased with decreasing urban grassland birds select habitats that favor nest survival is impact. equivocal. We quantified the extent to which vegetation composition and structure at varying spatial scales in- fluenced nest depredation probability in ground-nesting passerines in the shortgrass steppe. During 2011-2017, Effects of Habitat Loss and Nesting Density on Sur- we located and monitored 1369 nests at the Central vival and Breeding Propensity of an Endangered Plains Experimental Range in northeastern Colorado. Shorebird We measured foliar cover of plant functional groups and vegetation density at nest sites and across pastures Daniel H Catlin where birds nested. We estimated vegetation impacts Daniel Gibson on bird nest survival through logistic-type nest survival Kelsi L Hunt models. We hypothesized that nest survival increases Meryl J Friedrich with cover of tall vegetation for species associated with Chelsea E Weithman tall vegetation and decreases for species associated with James D Fraser short vegetation. In all focal bird species, nest survival was explained well by at least one of the explanatory Habitat loss plagues many species and is a primary vegetation variables at the territory scale, generally sup- driver in the loss of global biodiversity. Although the porting the above hypothesis. At the nest-site scale, connection between a species and its habitat is clear, the effects of those same attributes were minimized or re- specific mechanisms by which habitat loss affect pop- versed. Furthermore, responses to specific vegetation ulations is less well understood. We investigated the attributes differed within tall- and short-vegetation bird relationship between fluctuating amounts of habitat on guilds and was often dependent on weather and vegeta- the breeding propensity and demography of a pioneer tion context. Our study underscores the importance of species, the piping plover (plover,’ Charadrius melo- considering context and scale in habitat studies and the dus). In 2010 and 2011, historically high water lev- complexity of grassland bird reproductive dynamics. els and flooding inundated much of the plover’s sand- bar nesting habitat on the Missouri River. We captured and marked adult and hatchling plovers on the Gavins Point Reach of the Missouri River from 2005 to 2014. Although plovers are conspicuous, breeding status can Urban characteristics related to urban bird commu- be difficult to establish with certainty. To address this nity in the desertic city of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mex- issue, we developed a Bayesian formulation of a mul- ico tievent model, or a multistate model with state uncer- tainty. With this model, we investigated the effect of Reyna A Castillo-Gamez´ sex, habitat availability, river flow, and density (birds/ha Karina Johnston-Lopez´ nesting habitat) on survival of hatch year and breeding Alberto Mac´ıas-Duarte and non-breeding adult plovers. In addition, we esti- mated the transition rates for these age classes between We surveyed urban avifauna in Hermosillo, Sonora, breeding and non-breeding states. Non-breeding adults Mexico, to determine which species make up the urban ( = 0.58 0.06) had lower survival rates than breed- bird community and to characterize their spatial varia- ing adults ( = 0.80 0.04). Breeding propensity de- tion according to different levels of urban impact. From creased significantly during and immediately following March to August 2013, we sampled 240 randomly- the flooding in 2010 and 2011. Our models indicated distributed sites within the city of Hermosillo, and its that in general, abundant habitat, low densities, and low surroundings; we visited each plot three times. At flows were positively correlated with breeding propen- each sampling plot, we measured urban characteristics sity. (type of land use and land cover percentage) to deter- mine the degree of association between each detected species’ distribution and the environmental characteris- tics. We identified 72 bird species, including six non- Thy neighbors matter: An experimental test of the native species. Only three of the non-native species rep- prey site partitioning hypothesis resent 41% of the urban community, and the individu- als of the order Columbiform represent 40% of the bird Anna D Chalfoun community in Hermosillo. We observed that the bird Lindsey Sanders abundance increased with increasing urban impact, and Tayler Scherr

20 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Selection of safe reproductive sites is critical for the sure to organochlorine compounds, and metals in dry- successful production of offspring. Whereas within- land habitats of Central Mexico. For this purpose, we species factors such as microhabitat selection can screened birds from twenty different dryland sites for clearly influence nest predation risk, whether neighbor- presence and intensity of infection through microscopy hood effects such as the distribution and attributes of and PCR methods. Through our sampling we found that conspecific and/or heterospecific nests influence nest haemosporidian parasite diversity in the region is high. survival, however, remains a largely open question. We We also fund higher prevalence and parasitaemia during conducted a field experiment within sagebrush steppe the reproductive than in the non-reproductive season. habitats in western Wyoming, USA to examine whether Responses to anthropogenic activities varied among greater vertical variation in surrounding nest sites de- bird species, but in general, prevalence and intensity creased nest predation rates of ground and/or shrub of infection increase with increasing habitat degrada- nests. We used actual Brewer’s sparrow nest cups col- tion caused by land use changes, overgrazing, and tree lected at the end of the previous nesting season, and extraction. Contrastingly, prevalence and parasitaemia clay eggs of approximately the size and blue color of decrease with increasing concentrations of metals and Brewer’s sparrow (Spizella breweri) eggs. All three ex- organochlorines in soil and in bird tissues in spite of the perimental treatments (all ground nests, all shrub nests, fact that physiological stress in birds increases with ex- and half of each type) consisted of equal nest densities posure to these compounds. This result suggests that (N = 30) and spacing (N = 20 m). In general, ground vectors and perhaps haemosporidian parasites could be nests had the highest rates of nest discovery and loss. susceptible to pollutants as well. Ground nests within the mixed nest-type treatment, however, experienced significantly lower nest predation rates than when surrounded just by other ground nests. Within-scale and cross-scale interactions of temper- Observational data from nearby long-term study sites, ature and socioeconomic factors affect Neotropical moreover, also suggested that areas with higher vari- migrant persistence ability of nest heights across species experienced higher nest survival. Together, our results suggest that similar Anand Chaudhary nest types within the same vicinity can facilitate preda- Kevin J Gutzwiller tor search images, and that the evolution of nest site selection is influenced not only by individual species’ Little is known about how human socioeconomic fac- traits but also by the behavioral choices of neighbors. tors and their interactions with breeding-season cli- mate at different spatial scales affect avian persis- tence. Neotropical migrant persistence may be espe- Effects of anthropogenic activities on haemosporid- cially vulnerable to such interactions because of ad- ian infection in birds of the highland plateau of cen- ditional stressors these species face on their winter- tral Mexico ing grounds and during migration. Across fourteen EPA Level III Ecoregions in the eastern United States, Leonardo Chapa-Vargas we explored whether within-scale (landscape only) Karina M and cross-scale (region-landscape) interactions involv- Guadalupe M Ruiz-Garc´ıa ing regional- and landscape-scale maximum tempera- Gerardo Ham-Duenas˜ ture during the breeding season and landscape-scale Julio C Canales-Delgadillo socioeconomic factors (median age, median income, Romeo J Tinajero percentage of the population with a college education, and percentage of the population that was female) in- Knowledge about effects of anthropogenic activities on fluenced the persistence of four Neotropical migrant interspecific relations, especially those involving para- species. We assessed the influences using negative- sites and their hosts, is limited. Haemosporidian par- binomial regression. A cross-scale interaction involv- asites of birds have complex lifecycles including dif- ing percent college educated affected Acadian Fly- ferent life stages both in vectors (dipterians) and in catcher (Empidonax virescens) persistence. Within- their avian hosts. These parasites cause diseases in scale interactions involving median income influenced their hosts and thus may affect their population ecol- the persistence of the Kentucky Warbler (Geothlypis ogy. We aimed at evaluating if prevalence and inten- formosa), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus sity of infection (Parasitaemia) increase as a response colubris), and Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens). to land use changes to agriculture, habitat degrada- Within-scale interactions involving percent college ed- tion through overgrazing and tree extraction, and expo- ucated influenced the persistence of the Kentucky War-

21 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 bler and Yellow-breasted Chat. These results indicate its population has expanded in Southern California. that breeding-season temperatures at different spatial Here, I track its growth using eBird checklists. The scales can affect persistence of Neotropical migrants, mainland range of S. s. sedentarius has grown from and that human socioeconomic factors can modify the roughly 70 km2 in 1970 to about 13,000 km2 today, effect of these temperatures. Temperature may affect representing an increase of up to 23% in the total range food availability for birds, and socioeconomic factors of the species as a whole. Its main habitat within may influence where people live, the quality of back- Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and western River- yard habitats for birds, and peoples’ propensity to con- side Counties is urban parks, gardens and campuses. tribute to bird conservation. Failure to consider these The range expansion of sedentarius seems driven by socio-ecological factors and their interactions at differ- food availability, although as it is found in urban habi- ent spatial scales may lead to ineffective use of limited tats that S. sasin sasin does not seem to utilize, a sub- resources for Neotropical migrant conservation. tle change in ecology of the two subspecies is also im- plied. eBird data suggest that breeding S. s. sedentarius met S. s. sasin near Santa Barbara perhaps as early as 2005, raising the possibility of a new zone of intergra- Managing the CATastrophe: exploring the options dation of the forms. As S. s. sedentarius has a substan- for reducing the numbers of free-roaming felines tially longer breeding season and thus a potential fe- cundity advantage over S. s. sasin, it is possible that the Linda M Cherkassky island sedentarius will outcompete the mainland sub- species. Partners in Flight has Allen’s Hummingbird Urban, suburban, and rural areas continue to be plagued on its 2016 watchlist because analysis of Breeding Bird by free-roaming owned and un-owned cats, posing sub- Survey data suggest this species has undergone an 83% stantial threats to native wildlife, significant risks to decline since 1970. This estimate is not credible for human and wildlife health, and causing nuisances to three reasons: it implies a 1970 population of 10 mil- landowners. Some academics and organizations have lion Allen’s within the restricted range of this species; employed tactics and pushed policies that favor the do- there are no suggestions that S. s. sasin has become mestic cat above everything else. These strategies and extirpated anywhere throughout its historic range; and management approaches will be discussed, including the geographic range occupied by S. s. sedentarius has their advancement by means of the no-kill movement. grown by nearly 700% in this same time period. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), a process by which cats are trapped, sterilized, and released, is a fundamental com- ponent of no-kill. TNR has been promulgated as the only humane and effective method for reducing the feral Weather over the Gulf of Mexico influences broad- cat population. Conversely, cats receive no regular vet- scale stopover patterns of migrating birds in the erinary care or proper shelter and colonies are perpet- spring ually maintained as newcomers join. Discussion will include the need for euthanasia, support for open ad- Hannah L Clipp mission shelters, and examples of non-lethal solutions Emily B Cohen that do not come at the expense of wildlife. We will Jaclyn A Smolinsky briefly review what has taken place in some municipal- Jeffrey J Buler ities, counties, and state legislatures. Weather can shape biogeographical patterns of migrat- ing birds at multiple scales. Understanding the relation- ship between weather and stopover ecology can help eBird records show substantial growth of the Allen’s us predict where species occur during migration. We Hummingbird population in urban Southern Cali- used archived data from weather surveillance radars fornia and daily weather maps to quantify the influence of synoptic weather on spring stopover distributions of Chris J Clark birds along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast. Specif- ically, we 1) mapped daily bird stopover density with The sedentary subspecies of Allen’s Hummingbird (Se- 10 radars during spring 20082015, 2) quantified the fre- lasphorus sasin sedentarius) was originally endemic to quency of occurrence of synoptic weather type patterns; the Channel Islands off the coast of Southern Califor- 3) determined the relative influence of different synop- nia, but colonized the mainland at the Palos Verdes tic weather types on bird stopover density via boosted peninsula sometime before 1966. In the decades since, regression tree models; and 4) described the stopover

22 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book distributions under different synoptic weather types. acting during past tidal marsh colonization events. We Models indicated that synoptic weather type had the identified several candidate genes that exhibited ele- strongest influence in explaining mean and coefficient vated divergence between Saltmarsh and Nelson’s spar- of variability of stopover density among predictors in- rows, including genes linked to osmotic regulation, cir- cluding longitude, latitude, distance from the coast, and cadian rhythm, and plumage melanism all putative proportion of hardwood forest within 5 km. Interactions candidates linked to adaptation to tidal marsh environ- among predictors indicated that weather influenced dis- ments. These findings provide new insights into the tributions more strongly with longitude than with dis- roles of divergent selection and genetic drift in gener- tance from the coast. Two synoptic weather types dom- ating and maintaining biodiversity. inated most days. Meanwhile, the two least commonly occurring weather types had the greatest influence on bird distributions and resulted in characteristic stopover distribution patterns. For instance, on nights when a Spatial Distribution and Site Fidelity of Long-billed cold front has passed over the Gulf region and created Curlews Wintering in California and Mexico westerly winds, stopover density was high in Texas and the corresponding exodus was relatively large. Our re- Stephanie E Coates sults offer evidence that synoptic-scale weather can af- Jay D Carlisle fect migration flow and the spatial distribution of mi- grants during stopover. Migratory birds face threats throughout the annual cy- cle, and cumulative effects from linkages between the breeding and non-breeding grounds may impact species at the population level. Mapping connectivity and spa- Divergent selection and drift shape the genomes of tial distribution within varied habitats pinpoints conser- two avian sister species spanning a saline-freshwater vation issues, yet for many species we lack fundamental ecotone knowledge. Long-billed Curlews are a migratory shore- bird of conservation concern that show population de- Gemma V Clucas cline at some regional and local scales. Little informa- Jennifer Walsh tion is available regarding their spatial distribution habi- Matthew MacManes tat use patterns during the non-breeding season, particu- Adrienne Kovach larly for Mexico. We used satellite transmitters to track 21 curlews that bred in the Intermountain West and win- The role of adaptation to divergent environments or tered in California and Mexico, examined home range ecological speciation in generating and maintaining size with dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement Mod- biodiversity is a central question in evolutionary biol- els, and for 14 individuals with multiple winter seasons, ogy. Comparison of the genomes of phylogenetically compared inter-annual site fidelity with a Utilization related taxa spanning a selective habitat gradient en- Distribution Overlap Index. We documented four main ables discovery of divergent signatures of selection and wintering areas: the Central and Imperial/Mexicali Val- thereby provides valuable insight into the role of di- leys of California, the Chihuahuan Desert of inland vergent ecological selection in speciation. Tidal marsh Mexico, and coastal areas of western Mexico and the ecosystems provide tractable opportunities for studying Baja Peninsula. Coastally-wintering birds had signif- organisms’ adaptations to selective pressures that un- icantly smaller home ranges and fewer core use areas derlie ecological divergence. Sharp environmental gra- than inland birds. Home ranges in the Central Valley dients across the saline-freshwater ecotone within tidal were larger than other inland areas, and Central Val- marshes present extreme adaptive challenges to terres- ley females had larger home ranges than Central Val- trial vertebrates. Here we sequence 20 whole genomes ley males. We found that inter-annual fidelity for win- of two avian sister species endemic to tidal marshes tering curlews was high, regardless of habitat type or the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus) and sex. These findings provide valuable information for Nelson’s Sparrow (A. nelsoni) to evaluate the influ- full annual cycle conservation, and will be particularly ence of selective and demographic processes in shap- constructive for conservation planning once range-wide ing genome-wide patterns of divergence. Genome-wide migratory connectivity is mapped. divergence between these two recently diverged sister species was notably high (genome-wide FST = 0.32). Divergent regions were widespread across the genome, as opposed to focused within islands of differentiation; Spatial and temporal patterns in spring stopover these patterns may in part be the result of genetic drift habitat use around the Gulf of Mexico

23 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Emily B Cohen opinion to identify 32 priority species in California for Jeffrey J Buler which there was the greatest need to better understand Hannah L Clipp how renewable energy may be affecting their biology Peter P Marra and we examined the significance of solar-induced fa- talities on population growth rates of these species. We Habitats along the US coast of the Gulf of Mexico pro- developed a matrix model framework to analyze this vide critical resources for North America’s migratory data and parameterized our models with vital rates from birds. The majority of the bird species that breed in existing literature and BBS survey data. To parameter- North America travel across the Gulf of Mexico every ize the immigration rates of the populations affected by spring and fall during migration. We sampled emigrant fatalities we determined the likely origin of individu- bird densities at the peak of nocturnal exodus to quan- als killed at six solar facilities in California by measur- tify stopover habitat use for 13 weather surveillance ing hydrogen stable isotope (2H) ratios from bird car- radars around the Gulf of Mexico from Brownsville, casses. We detected substantial among-species variabil- Texas to Key West, Florida. We mapped spring bird ity in the proportion of migrant individuals killed at so- stopover densities bi-weekly (March - May) and annu- lar facilities, demonstrating the highly species-specific ally (2008 - 2015) and used boosted regression trees to nature of the geographic and thus demographic impact model the relationship of departure densities with geo- of fatalities to these populations. Likewise, prelimi- graphic and environmental variables around each radar. nary analyses for several species highlighted important We used these relationships to predict the stopover dis- discontinuities between model outputs and BBS survey tributions of migrating birds around the entire U.S. demographic trends. These results indicate the impor- coast of the Gulf of Mexico, including areas not sam- tance of accurately incorporating immigration and em- pled by radar, annually and from early to late spring. igration data into these models to improve understand- The most consistently influential variables in predict- ing of assessment and consequence of renewable energy ing the stopover densities of migrants were the lon- effects on wildlife populations. gitude, amount of hardwood forest in the surrounding landscape, air temperature, wind speed and direction, and distance to artificial bright lights at night. Seasonal intensity peaked in late April and early May with the Investigating the molting and migration strategy of highest densities along the western Gulf Coast and the the Painted Bunting through genomics and stable lowest in Mississippi and Alabama. In Florida, stopover isotopes densities shifted west to east from early April to early May. This is the first comprehensive assessment of Andrea Contina where and when migratory birds occur across this crit- Jeff Kelly ical region, information fundamental to identifying pri- Eli Bridge ority stopover habitat for conservation of North Amer- Kristen Ruegg ica’s migratory landbird populations. The Painted Bunting is a North American migra- tory songbird with two allopatric breeding populations Demography of birds killed at solar energy facilities which have been observed to adopt different migration and molting strategies in the eastern and western part of Tara J Conkling their breeding ground in the United States. Birds from Hannah B Vander Zanden the eastern population are known molting their feathers Jay E Diffendorfer at the breeding ground before commencing the migra- Adam E Duerr tory journey while birds from the western population Scott R Loss are molt-migrants, meaning that they molt their feath- David M Nelson ers on migration and at specific molting sites away from the summer breeding grounds. However, little is known With the increased interest in development of renewable about the migration and molting strategy of the west- energy facilities, there has also been concerns about ern breeding populations occurring in Mississippi and detrimental environmental impacts of these facilities, Louisiana. We investigated the migration and molting including those to wildlife. However, there is lim- strategies of western and eastern Painted Bunting popu- ited research examining the significance of renewable- lations through molecular markers. We implemented a driven wildlife fatalities and habitat loss on demog- stable isotope approach (hydrogen) to assign migratory raphy of affected avian species. We surveyed expert birds to their molting locations and a single nucleotide

24 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book polymorphisms (SNPs) approach to identify the breed- The Salton Sea: California’s Most Imperiled Wet- ing population origin of the migrants captured at the land? stopover sites in northwestern Mexico. Our preliminary results confirmed the molting patters of the western and Daniel S Cooper eastern populations and refined the migratory connec- Andrea Jones tivity maps for this species across its breeding and win- tering range.We also present a list of candidate genes Located in the Sonoran Desert in extreme southeastern possibly regulating migration and molt in this songbird. California, the Salton Sea has had its ups and downs throughout its 100-year history, it being the latest iter- ation of a massive wetland area appearing irregularly in the delta of the Lower Colorado River for millen- Intraspecific niche divergence within a geologically nia. Since 2012, certain bird populations, particularly novel ecosystem fish-eating waterbirds, have been in decline as freshwa- ter inputs into the sea have decreased. Here we dis- Meaghan Conway cuss the sea’s recent history as it relates to waterbird Adrienne I Kovach populations throughout the arid West, and present the Brian J Olsen results of recent bimonthly point counts of waterbirds. From January to November 2017, we recorded more The degree of an organism’s specialization, or niche than 40,000 individuals of 62 waterbird species, includ- breadth, can influence its distribution across space. ing roughly 20 species of waterfowl, 20 shorebirds, 15 Specialization is also positively correlated with both ex- gulls and terns, plus herons and pelicans. The most nu- tinction risk and diversification rates, and understand- merous species were Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Duck, ing factors that influence these two processes is crit- gulls (mainly California Gull), peeps (mainly Least ical for conservation. A species niche varies over Sandpiper and Western Sandpiper), and Black-necked space and time, but how these changes mediate extinc- Stilt, all exceeding 1,000 individuals on counts in 2017. tion and diversification remains unclear. Niches may Notably absent from recent counts are Eared Grebes, change both their breadth and position, and we tested which had been estimated using the sea by the hundreds three mechanisms proposed to explain these changes. of thousands in recent decades. Numbers of Ameri- The Ecological Opportunity Hypothesis (EOH) pre- can White Pelican, Brown Pelican and Double-crested dicts niche breadth expansion following colonization Cormorant have also plunged at the sea, as rising salin- of novel habitats. The Niche Variation Hypothe- ity levels have depressed fish reproduction here. We sis (NVH) suggests intraspecific competition increases briefly discuss planned restoration efforts, and identify niche breadth, while interspecific competition con- species/populations most at risk as water transfers di- strains niche. Finally, ecological variation among popu- rect more Colorado River water out of the Imperial Val- lations can increase variation in niche position, increas- ley to urban uses along the coast. ing niche breadth at the species level. We test these hypotheses by examining patterns of variation in bill size (a functional trait related to diet and thermoregula- tion) among populations of three species of Emberizid A Baird’s life: a full-annual-cycle perspective of sparrows that colonized tidal marshes at different time Baird’s and Grasshopper Sparrows of the Northern scales. We quantified the effect of inter- and intraspe- Great Plains cific competition and habitat characteristics on niche breadth and position. In support of the EOH, we found Maureen D Correll that among population divergence increased with time Jacy Bernath-Plaisted since colonization. We also found support for the effect Erin H Strasser of habitat characteristics on variation in niche position. Irene Revulcaba-Ortega Contrary to the NVH, competition did not appear asso- Jose H Martinez ciated with niche breadth. Our results suggest that eco- Mieke Titulare logical adaptation and not relaxed interspecific compe- tition produces tidal-marsh specialists, and understand- Grassland passerines are among the most rapidly de- ing these processes provides insight into how to con- clining birds in North America. Baird’s and Grasshop- serve diversity in these North American endemics. per Sparrows are part of this declining guild, and are at risk due to habitat loss and degradation on both their breeding grounds in the Northern Great Plains and their

25 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 wintering grounds in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mex- movement and detection with multiple latent groups, ico and southwestern US. Conversion of grassland ar- likely representing feral, semi-feral, and indoor/outdoor eas to agriculture combined with poor grazing practices house cats based on the estimated movement parame- on the areas that remain have resulted in particular habi- ters of each group. Cat population assessment meth- tat damage in Mexican rangelands, which may be lim- ods will vary depending on resources, scale, and desired iting these populations more than conditions on their outcomes. breeding grounds. We combined adult survival data for both species with remotely sensed habitat data col- lected via Unmanned Aircraft Systems to identify A) where in their annual cycle birds are most limited and Genomic Consequences of Secondary Contact in the B) what habitat characteristics drive differences in sur- Kolombangara White-eyes vival on the breeding and wintering grounds. We are also using connectivity information collected via light- Sarah A Cowles level geolocators to connect populations and identify J AC Uy potential stopover areas and corridors used by Baird’s and Grasshopper Sparrows in the NGP. We found that Examining what happens when two closely-related adult survival is comparatively high and invariant on the species come into secondary contact provides unique breeding grounds across years but varies widely on the insights into the final stages of the speciation pro- wintering grounds. We explore and discuss the effects cess. The Zosterops genus of birds is one of the of shrub density, height, and volume on adult survival most rapidly speciating vertebrate lineages. Mem- and discuss our plan to combine these data with nest bers of this speciose genus, however, are highly vagile and juvenile survival data in the Northern Great Plains and are geographically widespread, begging the ques- into an integrated population model to efficiently iden- tion of how divergence can occur if populations can tify areas of conservation need within the annual cycle easily come into contact. On the small, mountain- of these two species. ous island of Kolombangara within the New Georgia Province of the Solomon Islands, two closely-related non-sister species of White-eyes, Z. kulambangrae and Z. murphyi, are distributed along an elevational gradi- Estimating free-ranging cat abundance: an ent, with one species endemic to high altitude while the overview of techniques, study designs, and models other is found in lower elevations. At mid-elevation, the two species come into secondary contact. Over Michael V Cove the summers of 2016-2017, we captured 134 individ- uals of both species along two elevational transects Feral and free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) can on different slopes of Kolombangara Island. Using exert strong negative effects on birds and other wildlife, genotype-by-sequencing SNP data, we find evidence of particularly in human-altered ecosystems. However, past hybridization events and the persistence of present- quantifying the effects of these exotic predators is dif- day species boundaries. This evidence for limited hy- ficult because they are elusive and difficult to detect, bridization at the contact zone from nuclear markers is which hinders population assessments and management consistent with patterns from mitochondrial markers. plans. The development of hierarchical models, when We explore potential reproductive barriers that allow paired with camera trap data or repeated count data, the two species to coexist in sympatry, including pre- have helped to improve cat population estimates. Here, mating isolation based on divergence in plumage color I give an overview of applicable models and study de- and body size. signs to estimate cat abundance on the landscape de- pending on study objectives. Camera traps and spa- tial capture-recapture models provide the most robust estimates of cat abundance and individual movements Avian Feeding Guild Responses to Forest Fragmen- on the landscape, but these methods are associated tation in Costa Rica with high costs and require substantial logistical sup- port. Other methods, including volunteer surveys and Cody M Cox N-mixture models, are less robust but may be represen- Nate P Nibbelink tative of general population trends. Finally, I highlight a case study of free-ranging cats in the Florida Keys, Neotropical forest fragmentation can adversely affect USA, using spatial capture-recapture models. Top pop- forest-dependent bird species by reducing habitat area ulation models separated cats based on differences in and connectivity, limiting access to food and mates and

26 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book increasing competition. While many studies show de- bers of people across wide geographic areas, including clines in populations and species richness of understory on privately-held parcels. Understanding how to scale- insectivores in fragmented landscapes, few have exam- up the adoption of conservation practices is a primary ined effects on other feeding guilds. We hypothesize objective for Habitat Network. This presentation will that understory nectarivores, understory frugivores, and examine both of these issues and explore how The Na- canopy frugivores will respond positively to forest frag- ture Conservancy and Cornell Lab of Ornithology are mentation at fine scales since flowering and fruiting putting our citizen-science framework to use to study plants are often abundant along forest edges, but nega- both problems at once. www.Habitat.Network tively at coarser scales as forest nesting area decreases. In a fragmented landscape in northwestern Costa Rica, we collected occupancy data using 10 minute depen- Fifty years and still eating the same: a tale of refu- dent double observer point counts at randomly selected eling performance from two long-term banding sta- sites within 10 zones designed to capture major land- tions scape gradients (e.g., elevation, patch size). We con- ducted point counts at 287 sites from May December Andrea L Crary 2016 and 2017, recording 10,176 individuals represent- Lucas W DeGroote ing 280 species. Species were grouped into 15 feed- Mark C Shieldcastle ing guilds based on diet and foraging stratum. Logistic Henry M Streby models were used to determine how landscape gradi- ents were related to bird presence by guild. Canopy Migratory songbirds face many anthropogenic threats frugivores and understory nectarivores displayed neg- throughout their annual cycles, one of which is a ative relationships with mean forest patch size, while steadily warming global climate. Studies of changes understory frugivores had a positive relationship. These in migratory behavior show clear, but inconsistent, re- guilds all displayed positive relationships with percent sponses to changing climate, with many species shift- forest at coarser scales, but canopy frugivores showed ing the timing or rate at which they migrate. Birds a negative relationship at finer scales. Thus, for birds increase fat accumulation prior to migration to fuel of these guilds, small subsistence farms and shade their long-distance flights and periodically stop to refill grown coffee that leave sizeable forest patches intact fat stores before continuing or completing migration. will likely provide adequate habitat, while more inten- Some birds may be forced to adjust the rate at which sive human land use likely will not. they refuel in response to advanced or delayed migra- tory behavior, changes in stopover habitat quality, or other environmental factors related to climate change. Habitat Network: Coupling bird conservation with We used data from two long-term bird banding opera- citizen science to scale-up impact tions, Powdermill Nature Reserve, southwestern Penn- sylvania (1961-2017) and Black Swamp Bird Observa- Rhiannon L Crain tory, northwestern Ohio (1992-2012) to compare refu- eling rates of short- and long-distance migratory song- Habitat Network seeks to address two problems facing birds during spring and fall migration 1) at each station bird conservation. 1) While there is substantial research to determine if refueling rates have changed over time, beginning to characterize the special ecology of resi- and 2) between stations to determine whether refueling dential spaces it does not always help answer individ- rates differ between an inland non-stopover site and a uals’ questions about how they should best utilize their lake-shoreline stopover site. We used linear models to personal yards and other green spaces in their commu- estimate hourly mass gain by regressing size-corrected nities to support birds. Habitat Network aims to collect mass by capture time (i.e., time elapsed since sunrise). detailed spatial and practice data from 1000s of peo- Estimates of hourly mass gain varied among years and ple engaging in their own version of bird conservation species, with few species exhibiting significant long- to better understand what works across a diversity of term patterns. Our results indicate that refueling per- ecological assemblages and what works for people (e.g. formance varies with annual fluctuations in local tem- what practices and landscapes are people gravitating to- perature and precipitation, but has not varied linearly wards and which do they avoid). 2) When it comes to with long-term climate trends. bird conservation scale can matter a lot. As valuable as NGO and government-led conservation and restora- tion efforts may be, there are many conservation prac- Spatiotemporal structuring and genomic architec- tices that are most valuable when done by vast num- ture of multiple transects across an avian hybrid

27 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 zone Analysis of genotypes using eight transcriptomic sin- gle nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers confirmed Claire M Curry that the Hawk Mountain breeding population changed Michael A Patten over the 18 years from pure Black-capped Chickadee Jason Weir to strongly mixed, with numerous mixed-species pairs, as Carolina Chickadees moved in. Over this interval, Most work on hybridization has examined introgres- mean hatching success declined from > 90% to < 60%. sion of loci or phenotype over space in single transects. Pair-level analysis confirmed that very low hatching Analysis of multiple transects over time provides ad- success in clutches produced by mixed pairs drove the ditional insight into stages of reproductive isolation by overall hatching success decline. Contrary to Haldane’s providing evidence that patterns observed are not re- Rule expectations, within-brood nestling sex ratio did sults of drift or selective sweeps. Thus we can ob- not vary with genetic compatibility of parents or with tain evidence of selection pressures shaping genomic hatching success; however, sire genotype was associ- architecture, particularly in contact regions of differ- ated with brood sex ratio, with hybrid fathers overpro- ing ages. One such spatiotemporally complex hybrid ducing sons. Our additional data were consistent with zone exists between Tufted (Baeolophus bicolor) and Hawk Mountain results: at two sites outside the hybrid Black-crested (B. atricristatus) Titmice, which are sis- zone, hatching success did not change over time, but at ter species (family Paridae) that hybridize in Texas and a fourth site where population composition shifted from southwestern Oklahoma. The hybrid zone contains two mixed to nearly all Carolina Chickadees, annual mean regions of contact which differ in ages based on his- hatching success improved over time. Our study shows torical distribution records. We used nuclear single that hybridization in chickadees confers substantial fit- nucleotide polymorphisms, a 650-bp sequence of mi- ness costs, but our data yield only minimal evidence for tochrondrial cytochrome b, and a plumage-based hybrid Haldane’s Rule. index to examine genomic architecture of this hybrid zone and provide corroboration of zone age. Genomic hybrid index correlated (r>0.95) with plumage hybrid Grazing management for conserving grassland index. Geographic cline widths of putative neutral birds: the need to consider local environmental con- genes (i.e., not identified as outliers in genomic clines) text and species philopatry across landscapes were wider in the younger zone than the older zone. One genomic cline outlier was shared between zones Kristin P Davis and had a narrower geographic cline in the older zone, David J Augustine as expected after stabilizing selection. High Fst loci Cameron L Aldridge were scattered throughout the genome in both zones. Susan K Skagen These data suggest a genomic architecture of scattered divergent loci and support previous work on zone age. Research in the shortgrass steppe of northeastern Col- orado provides an increasingly complex picture of how disturbance regimes interact with topography, edaphic Spatiotemporal variation in hatching success and conditions, and vegetation heterogeneity to influence nestling sex ratio in a rapidly moving chickadee hy- grassland bird distribution and abundance. Studies dur- brid zone ing the 1960 1990’s in upland communities primar- ily emphasized the influence of livestock grazing in- Robert L Curry tensity on vegetation structure as a primary driver of Robert J Driver variation in bird habitat. It is becoming clear, how- Valentina Ferretti ever, that livestock movement, weather variability, and Emily Burton topoedaphic gradients all interact to generate vegetation mosaics for bird species with divergent breeding habi- Moving hybrid zones provide powerful opportunities tat requirements. For example, in an ongoing grazing for investigating fitness consequences of interbreeding, experiment in Colorado’s shortgrass steppe, McCown’s including Haldane’s rule. To study spatiotemporal vari- longspurs were most abundant in heavily grazed areas ation in hatching success and nestling sex ratio asso- in the southern/western portion of the site but did not ciated with northward movement of the Black-capped respond to intense grazing in other portions of the land- Carolina chickadee contact zone, we used longitudinal scape. In stark contrast, lark bunting distribution on data (2000 2017) from Hawk Mountain, Pennsylvania, the site primarily fluctuated in response to precipita- supplemented by data from three other regional sites. tion conditions, with grazing or fire management only

28 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book altering habitat quality in dry years. These species- the influence of grazing practices and abiotic/biotic en- specific distributional patterns significantly influence vironmental conditions is critical to effective conserva- how, when and where adaptive grazing management tion for grassland birds. can enhance grassland bird habitat, highlighting the im- portance of understanding species-specific patterns of philopatry at scales from individual territories to land- scapes larger than individual ranches. Managers cur- Trends in carotenoid-consistent coloration across rently lack context to know whether population declines non-passerine birds at an individual site are due to local management ac- tions or population redistributions across larger land- Sarah N Davis scapes. Disentangling these drivers of grassland bird Julia A Clarke distribution and abundance is a key need for effective application of grazing management to achieve conser- Carotenoids are a diverse group of pigment molecules vation outcomes. used for coloration within birds that produce vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows. Large-scale phylogenetic studies of avian carotenoid expression focus nearly ex- Grazing and grassland birds: Does management af- clusively on the presence or absence of plumage pig- fect abundance in Colorado’s shortgrass steppe ments, despite their presence in other integumentary features (e.g. skin, beaks). As a first step in as- Kristin P Davis sessing the evolution of carotenoid expression it is Cameron L Aldridge necessary to study all aspects of carotenoid use. To David J Augustine better understand the scope of carotenoid coloration Susan K Skagen across Aves, we compared the presence of carotenoid- consistent coloration in the beak keratin, face skin, leg Grassland birds have declined more precipitously than skin, leg scales, and plumage of approximately 2,000 most other guilds of birds in North America since the species across basal avian families. We assessed the 1970s. Rangelands managed primarily for cattle pro- co-occurrence of different areas of color expression and duction support most of the limited grassland bird habi- used ancestral state reconstructions to estimate when tat that remains, but grazing impacts on grassland birds the reported expression of coloration in different in- are not well described for species breeding in short- teguments arose. We show that previous emphasis on grass prairie. In 2013, we initiated a grazing experi- plumage has led carotenoid-consistent coloration to be ment at the Central Plains Experimental Range (CPER) under-described, and inclusion of other body regions in northeastern Colorado’s shortgrass steppe to exam- of pigment expression influence predictions of when ine the effects of grazing on a variety of ecosystem ser- and how this complex method of coloration may have vices. Specifically, our objective was to evaluate how arisen. We quantitatively demonstrate that the loca- season-long grazing compared to adaptive rotational tion of pigment expression is correlated by body region grazing, in the context of habitat and weather character- (i.e. leg skin and leg scales are associated in expression istics, affected breeding songbird abundance. We col- of pigments) and not by integument type (ex. differ- lected point count data (20132017) and used Bayesian ent regions of skin tissues). Furthermore, the expres- N-mixture models to assess how grazing treatment, to- sion of carotenoid-consistent coloration in integumen- pography, soils, vegetation and weather affect the abun- tary structures is likely ancestral to several avian fami- dance of McCown’s longspur, grasshopper sparrow and lies. This lends added support to the importance of col- lark bunting. From some of our results, McCown’s oration across Aves and highlights areas where mecha- longspurs remained restricted to higher elevation sites nisms of color expression warrant further study to better with fine-textured soils on the CPER, even though por- understand its use. tions of the CPER were grazed heavily to increase avail- able habitat for this species. Grasshopper sparrows re- sponded positively to a lack of grazing (rest) across the site and were more abundant in areas with taller The Left Testis Differs from the Right Testis in Com- vegetation and saline soils. In contrast, lark bunting position and Function Within Male Waterfowl and abundance was significantly lower in areas with saline Game Birds (Galloanserae) soils, and their abundance appeared driven by precipi- tation conditions rather than grazing treatment. These David J Delehanty species-specific responses illustrate how teasing apart Pamela P O’Hearn

29 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Sperm production is central to avian reproduction and recovered a total of 27 geolocators in 2017; Churchill, is shaped by strong selection on male reproductive MB (n=12), Whitehorse, YT (n=5), Denali, AK (n=5), physiology and behavior. A male bird possesses two Nome, AK (n=5). We found evidence that blackpolls functional testes, each producing sperm and androgen. use a loop migration strategy, generally moving directly Commonly, the left testis is larger than the right testis east across the continent before heading south, primar- within individual males. Studies involving avian tes- ily staying along the North American coastline, before ticular function make a fundamental assumption that traveling to the Amazon Basin to overwinter. During regardless of overall bilateral asymmetry in size and spring migration blackpolls cut across the interior of mass, the left testis and right testis within male birds North America, migrating directly toward their breed- are compositional and functional analogues of one an- ing locations. Contrary to previous studies on east- other. Using adult male chukar (Alectoris chukar), we ern breeding blackpolls, we found little evidence that tested this assumption and found it to be false. The western breeding blackpolls embark on a prolonged left testis is not simply a larger analogue of the right transoceanic flight during fall migration. Although testis. Rather, the left testis contains a higher proportion blackpolls from the eastern most site, Churchill, depart of spermatogenic cells per area of tissue than the right the breeding grounds earlier than those from more west- testis, whereas the total number of androgen-producing ern breeding locations, there is no difference in their Leydig cells is equal between the testes despite the bi- arrival to the wintering grounds based on breeding ori- lateral difference in size and mass. Chukar produce gin. As one of the fastest declining songbirds in North more sperm from their left testis, due both to greater America, it is imperative that we gain a better under- size of the left testis relative to the right and also to standing of blackpoll ecology throughout the annual cy- greater density of spermatogenic cells within left-testis cle. tissue. We then tested bilateral asymmetry of spermatic cell density across a suite of monogamous and polygy- nous waterfowl and game birds (the monophyletic Gal- Convergent morphological evolution within the loanserae) and observed a consistent pattern of left-side largest radiation of Neotropical songbirds (Thraup- specialization for sperm production regardless of mat- idae) ing system or taxonomic order. We hypothesize that sperm and androgen production are under independent Amelia-Juliette C Demery selection within Galloanserae, with sperm production Kevin J Burns capacity augmented within the left testis during embry- onic development. Although convergence is a common evolutionary phe- nomenon, few studies have quantified its prevalence across a large, densely sampled clade. Newly available, large-scale phylogenies and the advent of new meth- From Alaska to the Amazon: migratory behavior of ods allow for the unbiased identification of convergent blackpoll warblers (Setophaga striata) across their events and their statistical significance for the first time. breeding range Tanagers (subfamily Thraupidae, the largest family of songbirds) offer an ideal opportunity to study the ex- William V DeLuca tent of phenotypic convergence in response to ecologi- Bradley K Woodworth cal specialization across a broad regional scale. Using Stuart A MacKenzie the largest multivariate morphological dataset to date Amy Newman for the clade, we found multiple convergent events that Alex Sutton grouped species in morphospace associated with dis- Nikole Freeman tinct diet guilds and assessed significance of their mag- nitude and frequency through simulations. For exam- Every fall blackpoll warblers (Setophaga striata) em- ple, granivorous birds grouped in convergent regimes of bark on one of the most extraordinary migratory feats morphospace and diet guild across the clade while spe- on the planet, a nonstop crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. cific lineages (e.g. Cyanerpes and Oreomanes) grouped However, this exciting discovery is only based on two in morphospace unique from the rest of the system. Our populations in the extreme southeastern portion of the study shows that across Thraupidae various bill shapes species’ range. We tested the hypothesis that blackpolls have convergently evolved to fill multiple distinct sec- from western populations first migrate east, travers- tions of ecological niche space, likely in response to ing North America before embarking on a transoceanic ecological opportunity. flight toward South America to overwinter. In 2016 we deployed 30 geolocators at each of four locations and

30 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Population genetics and migratory connectivity of studied population of Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma the Prothonotary Warbler coerulescens) at Archbold Biological Station. Previous work in this population showed evidence of inbreed- Matthew G DeSaix ing depression at multiple life history stages, which of- Lindsay S Miles ten results in selection for inbreeding avoidance. Here, Catherine B Viverette we tested for inbreeding avoidance but instead found Rodney J Dyer evidence that individuals prefer to mate with relatives: Lesley P Bulluck levels of relatedness in observed breeding pairs were higher than expected under a model of random mat- The Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is a ing among available mates at Archbold each year. We neotropical migrant songbird designated as a species demonstrated that this observed inbreeding preference of conservation priority. Although clearing of bot- was largely driven by limited dispersal. Conditional on tomland forest breeding habitat has decreased in re- dispersal distance, observed patterns of inbreeding were cent decades, mangrove forests are increasingly being consistent with random mating, suggesting a lack of ac- destroyed across the wintering range and these distur- tive kin discriminative mate choice in this system. In- bances may contribute to the observed population de- dividuals who dispersed farther paired with mates who clines on the breeding grounds. Disentangling the link- were significantly less related, which is consistent with age between breeding and wintering populations is es- previous work showing fine-scale isolation-by-distance. sential for elucidating the effects of disturbances on However, we found that the probability a potential mat- population dynamics throughout the annual cycle. We ing pair forms was negatively correlated with disper- utilized genetic markers to explore population genetic sal distance, and observed dispersal distances were sig- processes and migratory connectivity in P. citrea, filling nificantly shorter than expected under random mating. crucial gaps in our knowledge for effective conservation Thus, this study shows how a strong preference for and management of this species. Between 2014 and short dispersal distances can result in increased inbreed- 2017, we collected genetic samples from 288 individu- ing in a natural population. als across 18 sites distributed throughout the breeding, nonbreeding, and migratory range. We used double di- gest RAD-sequencing to produce 233,220 variable loci Migration through an unforgiving landscape: Impli- and identify genomic SNPs. We analyzed regional geo- cations for addressing solar-avian interaction issues graphic population substructure by identifying possible spatially distinct genetic clusters and we explored pat- Robert H Diehl terns of gene flow for breeding populations by analy- ses of isolation by distance. To infer connectivity with Growth of utility-scale solar power generation in the the breeding range, we used population assignment of southwestern US will continue as the hazards posed wintering individuals. We compared these results to by a changing climate encourage investment in low- preliminary findings from geolocator and stable isotope carbon-based renewable energy in the coming decades. studies on P. citrea, and discussed the management im- Operational solar facilities in desert environments stand plications of our results in the context of full annual in stark contrast to their surrounding landscape, and cycle conservation of the species. these facilities are documenting varying degrees of presence and mortality of waterbirds and other avian species not typically associated with arid terrestrial Levels of inbreeding driven by limited dispersal in habitats. A favored hypothesis explaining this pres- Florida Scrub-Jays ence/mortality suggests birds moving through the area may be responding to environmental cues that misiden- Jennifer Diamond tify solar facilities as oases or open water. Perceived Reed Bowman this way, solar facilities become ecological traps. Ge- John W Fitzpatrick ography likely also plays a role. Some of these fa- Nancy Chen cilities lie along migration routes for waterbirds and myriad songbirds. For example, Eared Grebes depart- Natal dispersal and mate choice are important deter- ing Great Salt Lake in autumn follow traditional routes minants of levels of inbreeding in natural populations, that carry them through this landscape. Grebe mortality which in turn affect genetic diversity and fitness. We has been documented at solar facilities and migrating investigated the genomic consequences of limited dis- grebes have been known to succumb en masse when at- persal and mate choice from 1990-2013 in a long- tracted to anthropogenic surfaces that mimic open wa-

31 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 ter. These supposed responses by birds to solar facil- DISCUSSION ities are untested; it remains unknown how birds per- ceive, respond to, and arrive at solar facilities, and what Discussion drives variation in their presence and mortality across the broader arid landscape. Better understanding birds’ behaviors in relation to solar facilities will help char- acterize the magnitude of the hazard and identify ap- DISCUSSION proaches for reducing or minimizing their impacts on birds. Discussion

Overview of solar-avian interactions in the Mojave Desert DISCUSSION

Thomas V Dietsch Discussion

Within the last decade, there has been a considerable push towards increasing the amount of renewable en- ergy produced on public lands in the desert Southwest. DISCUSSION Utility-scale solar energy offer a clean alternative to more carbon-based sources of energy, but in doing so, Discussion these facilities have displaced thousands of acres of natural habitat. Moreover, as solar facilities become operational, they have reported higher than expected avian mortalities, including taxa not normally associ- DISCUSSION ated with arid habitats, such as waterbirds and long- distance Neotropical migrants. In response, govern- Discussion ment agencies are working with solar facilities and sci- entists to identify causes of mortality and appropriate measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate these im- pacts. Mortality monitoring and reporting has been standardized and implemented across solar technology DISCUSSION types. This monitoring has improved our understanding of the potential risks from utility-scale solar develop- Discussion ment, but has also raised questions that many of the pre- senters in the symposium have begun to address. This presentation will provide an overview of the solar-avian issue as background for the symposium. DISCUSSION

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32 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

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Discussion Evidence for a relationship between the move- ments of boreal-breeding and temperate-breeding fringillids DISCUSSION Paul J Dougherty W H Wilson Discussion Many bird species that breed at high latitudes exhibit ir- regular southward incursions in response to spatial and temporal variation in winter food availability. We ana- DISCUSSION lyzed Christmas Bird Count and eBird records to com- pare the migratory behavior of 13 fringillid species that Discussion breed in North America. Historic data indicate that east of the Rocky Mountains, many species overwinter in relatively uniform numbers across latitudes. By con- trast, we found few significant positive correlations be- tween winter records in different areas along the same DISCUSSION longitude for each species. We attribute these patterns to the fact that resource levels and environmental con- Discussion ditions tend to be similar across latitudes. Our analyses not only support the hypothesis that many Arctic and boreal finches synchronously invade southward every other year, but also identify a similar biennial pattern in the movements of some temperate-breeding species, DISCUSSION most notably the American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis). Because these two groups breed at different latitudes Discussion and show large-scale southward movements during the same years, areas across southern Canada and the north- ern United States alternate between having high win- ter abundances of certain northern-breeding species and DISCUSSION certain southern-breeding species. We propose that these alternations are caused by a shared response to Discussion cyclical seed crop failure across the northern regions of North America. Further research is needed to ascertain the exact cause of this relationship between the migra- tory behaviors of these two groups of fringillids.

33 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

can have a significant and well-documented role in hu- man health and are the focus of this talk: rabies, plague Binational Collaboration for Desert Bird Conserva- and toxoplasmosis. Plague and rabies, while histori- tion in the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico cally urban diseases, are now primarily sylvatic in the United States. Free-ranging cats can serve as a bridge Jennifer N Duberstein from sylvatic disease cycles, exposing humans in urban Sallie Hejl and peri-urban environments. Both diseases are rou- Alberto Macias-Duarte tinely fatal for humans unless treated early but may not Chris McCreedy be looked for in diagnoses. In contrast, toxoplasmosis, for which felids are the obligate host, is primarily urban The U.S.-Mexico borderlands share birds and ecosys- and peri-urban but can have disease effects on wildlife tems that do not recognize international boundaries. well beyond such peri-urban cores. For humans toxo- These species and places face common threats, includ- plasmosis, primarily spread through cat feces, is a se- ing climate change, habitat loss due to development, rious threat in utero and to the immunocompromised, unsustainable grazing and agriculture practices, exotic while subclinical expressions of infection are increas- and invasive species, and impacts of border infrastruc- ingly linked to non-lethal human behavioral changes ture. Effective conservation in this region requires in- and mental illness such as schizophrenia. Cats, besides novative approaches for bridging these political bound- their effects on wildlife, are a public health issue and aries. Adding to the complexity are differences in lan- this needs to be considered in their management. guage, challenges in obtaining funding, difficulties in coordinating cross-border travel, and lack of capac- ity. The Sonoran Joint Venture is a binational, public- private partnership for bird and habitat conservation in Incubation temperature alters sex ratios of avian the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. We offspring bring together partners from both sides of the border to conserve birds and habitat, identify common priorities Sarah E DuRant and actions to strategically study and protect species William A Hopkins and places most in need, provide seed money for pri- ority conservation efforts, and help provide the best Many animals with genetic sex determination are capa- available tools, training, and science to our partners on ble of manipulating sex ratios via behavioral and phys- the ground. Some of our innovative resources include iological means, which can sometimes result in fitness a bilingual decision support tool to help land mangers benefits to the parent. Therefore, revealing the mech- evaluate climate change impacts on birds and their habi- anisms for altered sex ratios in vertebrates remains a tats before undertaking management action; a bilingual, compelling area of research. Sex ratio manipulation collaborative, online space for researchers to upload, in birds is not widely documented, and the ability of share, analyze, and visualize their data; and tools and wild birds to alter sex ratios post egg-laying has largely strategies for involving birders and citizen scientists in been overlooked or thought unlikely. Incubation tem- collecting needed information. Together, Sonoran Joint perature is a key component of the developmental en- Venture partners from the U.S. and Mexico are working vironment for birds, but despite its well-documented across international borders to determine and address effects on offspring phenotype it has rarely been con- the highest conservation priorities and provide tools and sidered as a factor in avian sex ratios. Using ecologi- training to address the unique issues facing desert birds cally relevant manipulations of incubation temperature in the border region. within the range 35.037.0C, we found greater mortal- ity of female Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) embryos dur- ing incubation than males regardless of incubation tem- perature, and evidence that more female than male em- Look What the Cat Dragged In: Human Diseases bryos die at the lowest incubation temperature (35.0C). Our findings in conjunction with previous work in brush David C Duffy turkeys suggest incubation temperature is an important determinant of avian secondary sex ratios that requires Cats (Felis catus), whether feral or domestic but al- additional study, and should be considered when esti- lowed outdoors, are involved as hosts or vectors in a mating the impact of climate change and other human wide array of diseases that affect humans. For many disturbances on avian populations. such zoonoses, the role of cats may be minor or little studied. However, there are three diseases where cats

34 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Two Negatives Equal a Positive: How SoCal’s 2015-2017, we surveyed primarily grassland habitats at Wild Parrots (Non-invasive, Non-native) Are Help- 10-19 ranches per each of 3 geographies per year. The ing Conserve Mexican Species focal geographies in nc. Montana, nw South Dakota, and the Sandhills of Nebraska were selected based on Brooke Durham proportions of intact grassland relative to annual crop- land (unsuitable as habitat for birds) and to encompass To explore the possibility that non-invasive non-native the variation in biotic communities and land manage- species in the urban southern California setting may of- ment throughout the region. Among ranches, the great- fer for at least two IUCN endangered species, wildlife est proportion of expected species was 64%, however rehabilitators have engaged conservationists and scien- across ranches within each geography, 85-94% of ex- tists to determine the role that these outcasts may play pected species were present. This suggests that the cur- in the ultimate saving of their species in a wild set- rent scale of grassland cover and variation in soils and ting. With up to thirteen species of naturalized ur- management can provide for the full suite of species. ban wild parrots recorded in the southern California re- This scale of habitat need exceeds that provided under gion, it is the common presence of the IUCN endan- traditional forms of land protection. We suggest that gered species red-crowned amazon (Amazona viridi- programs that can help ranching families continue to genalis) and lilac-crowned amazon (Amazona finschi) graze cattle, and thus keep land in grass, are a more that brings added layers of complication to wildlife re- cost-effective long-term strategy for maintaining grass- habilitation, conservation and science. Wildlife reha- land bird habitat in the region. We will use these results bilitators have an obligation to high standards of ani- in outreach highlighting the benefits of cattle produc- mal welfare, conservation and ecology and will have tion for grassland conservation. to overcome standardized eco xenophobia, lack of le- gal protections on the US side of the border and a lack of structured conservation on the Mexican side of the border along with a deficiency in background studies to Influence of avian life history strategies on building determine what responsibilities take precedence in this collision risk at a continental scale complicated subject. Rehabilitators are using disease testing, microchipping, population studies, urban ecol- Jared A Elmore ogy studies, and a recently initiated genomic study to Stehpen B Hager help determine what, if any, role these individual alien Bradley J Cosentino parrots can play in their species survival in the wild. Scott R Loss Initial analysis seems to indicate an unusual resistance to disease, and the possibility of, at the very least, serv- Bird window collisions (BWC) kill approximately 1.49 ing as a genetic reservoir should the natural populations billion birds annually in North America and poses sub- in Mexico experience a sudden decline due to anthro- stantial concern for conserving bird populations across pogenic pressure or a natural disaster on the scale of the continent. Recent research has greatly increased our 2017’s hurricanes. understanding of factors influencing avian vulnerabil- ity to BWCs but the role of different avian life history strategies in influencing BWC risk has yet to be rigor- Quantifying the contribution of ranching to grass- ously evaluated across multiple study sites. We used land birds of the northern Great Plains a standardized BWC monitoring protocol at 40 uni- versities across North America to examine variation in Kevin S Ellison collision vulnerability among birds with different life history strategies (e.g., foraging, nesting, and migra- Several of the species of greatest conservation concern tory strategies), and assess building-, vegetation-, and are endemic within the grasslands of the North Ameri- landscape-related characteristics influencing mortality can Great Plains, breeding and wintering in the north- of top species and guilds. Species collision vulnerabil- ern and southern plains, respectively. Five of these ity estimates accounted for sampling biases associated species have undergone >65% population losses since with numbers of buildings and days sampled, North the 1960s. Because the key species are associated with American population abundance, and degree of species large areas of grasslands, yet >70% of these lands are range overlap with sampling locations. Linear mod- privately owned and infrequently surveyed, we esti- els and pairwise comparisons were used to assess re- mated the diversity and abundances of the species that lationships between collision vulnerability and guilds. are supported through typical cattle ranching. Between Generalized linear mixed models were used to compare

35 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 highly vulnerable species and guilds to principal com- signatures of selection on regions specific to each com- ponents analysis of building, vegetation, and landscape parison. We compliment these findings by searching metrics. 272 birds (67 species) were found as BWC the feather transcriptome for genes involved in generat- victims and used in analyses. Species such as Black- ing both variation in patterning and coloration between throated Blue Warbler, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, discrete female phenotypes, and between males and fe- Ovenbird, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Gray-cheeked males. Together, we link the evolutionary history of fe- Thrush had disproportionately high collision vulnera- male ornament evolution with the genes and pathways bility. Woodland-nesting, migratory, and insectivorous putatively associated with both color production and guilds comprised the majority of fatalities and there- that are upregulated by testosterone in feather tracts. fore appear more vulnerable than species with alterna- Our findings advance our understanding of sex-specific tive life history strategies. Our study linking life his- coloration evolution on a mechanistic level, which is tory strategies to BWC risk both increases mechanistic contextualized by our data on the current adaptive func- understanding and will help effectively mitigate BWC tion of the trait. impacts continent-wide.

Philina A English Erik D Enbody

What does the blue-green colour of robin eggs sig- Evolutionary genomics and transcriptomics of vari- nal, if anything? able female plumage ornamentation in a New Guinea Malurus fairywren Philina A English Lori D Parker Erik D Enbody Robert Montgomerie Simon YW Sin Michael S Webster Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the Scott V Edwards broad ecological and phylogenetic patterns in the oc- Jordan Karubian currence of immaculate blue-green eggs in birds, from physical protection provided by the pigment molecules A repeated theme in investigations of genomic land- to their potential to act as a visual signal. We used scapes of divergence between species is the presence avian visual models to study the signaling potential of of divergent loci related to male sexual signal produc- egg color variation in >600 American Robin (Turdus tion. In comparison to male traits, little attention has migratorius) eggs. We evaluated whether this varia- focused on how divergence in female ornamentation in- tion was related either to the physical strength of the fluences behavioral isolation and adaptation. We in- eggshell, or to variables that might be important for sig- vestigate the genomic and transcriptomic landscapes of naling: female appearance and condition, or egg quality divergence between populations of White-shouldered (e.g. carotenoid content). We found that the force re- Fairywren (Malurus alboscapulatus) in New Guinea quired to crack eggs decreased for more elongate, color- that vary by degree of female, but not male, ornamenta- ful eggs, suggesting that higher biliverdin concentration tion and female ornamentation is recently derived. We does not strengthen shells. In contrast, yolk carotenoid previously demonstrated that a more ornamented fe- content predicted both the blue-green hue and overall male phenotype is associated with increased aggression luminance of individual eggs, controlling for laying se- and is partially mediated by androgens. We now ask, quence and date. Both total carotenoid investment and what are the molecular mechanisms that maintain popu- average shell color of clutches were related to aspects lation variation in ornamentation in females? We search of female condition (bill color, ectoparasite load, or for selection on genomic regions that may be associated relative body mass). This suggest that males who in- with plumage differentiation using whole-genome rese- vest more in provisioning chicks hatched from more quencing of populations with low, medium, and high richly colored eggs (as we have previously shown ex- female ornamentation. We found heterogeneous pat- perimentally) might be responding to information about terns of genomic divergence between populations with the quality of both their mate and their offspring. While

36 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book there are other naturally selected benefits of blue-green Across waterfowl, the timing and location of remigial pigmentation, including protection from UV radiation, molt is variable, presumably reflecting species-specific the color of robin eggs is not a strengthening mecha- optimization among food availability, predation risk, nism, but does contain information on both female and and time constraints (e.g., freeze-up or optimal mi- offspring quality that can be used by male robins to in- gration timing). I studied several species of wild sea form their parental investment decisions. ducks to explore variation in molt strategies, including Harlequin Ducks, Barrow’s Goldeneyes, and Scoters (Surf and White-winged). Some aspects of molt strate- gies were markedly different among species: Barrow’s Regional Observations and Trends in Avian Mortal- Goldeneyes underwent a typical molt migration to a ity at PV Solar Facilities specialized inland habitat, Scoters used marine habi- tats that often were partially along their fall migration Wallace P Erickson routes, and Harlequin Ducks molted on their marine Daniel Riser-Espinoza wintering areas. Despite these differences, all species had high survival rates during remigial molt, as well Reporting of bird carcasses during construction and as low foraging effort and little mass loss, indicating early operations of some utility scale photovoltaic high prey availability. All species also had slow feather (PV) solar energy facilities in California earlier in this growth rates relative to other waterfowl, suggesting that decade led to concerns and scrutiny by state and federal they were not under time constraints to complete molt. wildlife agencies and other stakeholders. Some of the Therefore, despite gross differences in overall timing bird incidences at those facilities were water-associated and location of remigial molt, each of these species em- birds (e.g. grebes and loons) leading to the hypothe- ploys a tractable strategy using high quality molting sis that the solar facilities may appear as water to some habitat. There was some evidence for annual or site- birds in some conditions. Several fatality monitoring specific variation in strategies; this warrants additional studies that implemented standardized methods have study to understand the degree of plasticity in remi- been conducted in the southwest U.S. and the results gial molt and to understand potential constraints under from those studies are synthesized and summarized in changing environmental conditions. this presentation. Overall bird fatality rates vary among sites and that variation is driven primarily by habitat and level of water-associated bird mortality. Few migrant songbirds or raptors are found as fatalities within the How does EPA assess risks of chemicals to birds? solar fields. Most of the passerine carcasses found are resident birds, and cause of the mortality is not well un- Matthew A Etterson derstood. Some of the sites have collected background Kristina Garber mortality data, and evidence suggests some measurable A Jarvis portion of the solar field mortality, especially for resi- dent passerines, may be background mortality. Fatality The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) eval- rates for water-associated birds is very low at most sites uates the risk of chemicals to birds and other non-target studied, with a few exceptions. Several hypotheses for organisms using Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA). explaining the variation in mortality of water-associated The specific evaluations conducted under an ERA typ- birds are introduced and discussed. ically vary by statutory authority and available data. Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Roden- ticide Act, risks of pesticides to birds are assessed us- ing a tiered risk assessment method. Standard toxic- Diversity of Strategies of Remigial Molt among Sea ity data are required to assess mortality, growth and Ducks reproductive effects of a pesticide on birds. The first tier of the risk assessment is conservative and intended Dan Esler to first identify and eliminate from consideration those pesticides that appear to have low risk. Subsequent Waterfowl undergo simultaneous remigial molt, which tiers increase ecological and biological complexity and renders them flightless for several weeks. This wing progressively relax conservatism. Ecological risk as- molt period is considered a discrete annual cycle stage, sessment processes used by different EPA Offices with regularly occurring at times and in places completely different statutory responsibilities will be discussed. separate from breeding, fall migration, or wintering Where possible, practices specific to birds will be re- and often associated with a distinct molt migration. viewed.

37 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Perceptual models use specific parameters of the avian visual system, accounting for the amount of neural Measuring Total Plasma Protein in Wild Birds noise present in the retina, to predict the visual con- spicuousness of an object in two dimensions (chromatic Jeanne M Fair and achromatic) relative to the visual background. We Mark Jankowski found that avian visual perception of the solar pan- Aaron Skinner els varies substantially between different visual back- Margret Hatch grounds and species. Nevertheless, birds should be able to perceive (chromatically and achromatically) so- Total protein in serum or plasma has been used as a lar panels as distinct habitat features, with some excep- diagnostic tool for disease and condition in animals us- tions in the chromatic dimension for some backgrounds ing several different methodologies the biuret method- (asphalt, sand) and species (Canada goose). Addition- ology (also known as a colorimetric method,) the Brad- ally, we found that solar panels may be visually sim- ford assay, the Heska analyzer, and by the use of the ilar to certain bodies of water particularly for Canada refractometer. Our first objective was to compare four geese. This is relevant because the similarity between common methods for measuring total plasma protein water bodies and solar panels is often explained based (TP) in birds for variability within and between sam- on polarized light (lake effect hypothesis). However, ples and review how the measurement of total blood we found that this similarity can also extend to the chro- proteins have been utilized in captive and wild birds. matic (and in some cases, achromatic) dimensions. We Using chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus), wild-caught propose that birds may be using multiple sensory cues Common Rock Doves (Columba livia domestica) and rather than the single cue (i.e., polarized light) when Northern Pintails (Anas acuta), we compared each sam- looking at solar panels and that some of these cues may ple for total plasma protein for the four different meth- cause some sensory confusion in some birds (water- ods. The best model for TP included species, assay, fowl). species*assay, glucose, alkaline phosphatase, and cal- cium in which only species*assay was not a statistically significant effect. Thus, species patterns were robust to Reconstructing the geographic origin of the New assay used given that assay*species was not statistically World jays significant. Assays responded similarly to one another, but mean TP from the Heska assay was statistically sig- Sumudu W Fernando nificantly lower than the other assay means; and, mean Andrew T Peterson TP from the Bradford assay was higher than the biuret Shou-Hsien Li mean TP from the biuret assay. Rock Doves had the lowest TP. To help answer the question of what does The New World jays (NWJs) are a monophyletic lin- TP tell us in wild birds? over 250 studies measuring TP eage of corvids, presently considered to comprise in wild birds are reviewed for the impacts of age, sex, 7 genera and raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$36 reproductive status, and migration. species, and represent the product of a radiation across much of the Americas. The group has long been a focus of research in behavioral ecology, in light of complex How do different bird species visually perceive solar behavioral repertoires, particularly as regards social be- panels? Implications for reducing avian mortality in havior. Several previous studies have examined NWJ solar facilities evolutionary history, and biogeography, but invariably have been based on sparse representation of NWJ gen- Esteban N Fernandez-Juricic era and limited outgroup sampling. This sampling has Patrice Baumhardt indeed been too thin to permit a thorough understand- K L Kelly ing of the geographic origin of NWJs, particularly in terms of representation of the deepest branches of the Many of the hypotheses put forward to explain why corvid phylogeny. Hence, we derived a denser phylo- birds are drawn to solar facilities suggest avian per- genetic hypothesis by deriving DNA sequences for the ceptual problems. However, no study has tested how key early lineages, to permit development of more ro- solar panels are perceived by birds. Our goal was to bust biogeographic analyses regarding the geographic use perceptual modeling to estimate the visual saliency origin of the NWJ clade. We produced a multilocus of solar panels from the avian visual perspective con- phylogeny from sequences of three nuclear introns and sidering three species of birds (songbirds, waterfowl). three mitochondrial genes, and included at least one

38 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book species from each NWJ genus and 29 species repre- Measuring the diversity of molting spatial strategies senting the rest of the five corvid subfamilies in the among western landbirds using long-term banding analysis. We used S-DIVA, S-DEC, and BBM analyses data implemented in RASP to create biogeographic recon- structions, and BEAST to estimate timing of NWJ di- Luiza Figueira versification. Biogeographic reconstructions indicated Pedro VR Martins that NWJs originated from an ancestor in the Eastern C J Ralph Palearctic or Eastern + Western Palearctic, diversified John D Alexander in Mesoamerica and spread to North and South Amer- Jaime L Stephens ica subsequently; our analysis indicates that the group Jared D Wolfe has been diversifying in the New World since the late Miocene. Breeding and molting are energetically costly compo- nents of the avian annual life cycle. Temperate birds have developed a diversity of strategies to successfully complete these activities prior to the onset of winter. Habitat and Seasonal Effects on the Avian Commu- For example, the prebasic molt of Neotropical migrants nity in a Fragmented Maritime Forest can occur at or near an individual’s breeding territory, at different sites along the migratory route, or on the Holly J Ferreira wintering grounds after migration. Conversely, resi- Amanda L Fox dent birds might complete their breeding and molting James A Rotenberg activities at a single territory, or undergo the prebasic molt at nearby locations. To disentangle the diversity Maritime forest ecosystems are one of the least-studied of molting strategies exhibited by western landbirds, we coastal habitats for birds. Coastal development has used 30 years of data from 60 banding stations in south- fragmented these forests, leaving habitat consisting of ern Oregon and northern California to determine where true maritime forest and evergreen shrub. How these 20 species molt in relation to their breeding activities. fragmented habitats can support both migrant and resi- Specifically, we used a cluster analysis based on the ac- dent bird species remains unknown. We surveyed frag- tivities (breeding, molting, both, or neither) observed ments of maritime forest and shrub at Fort Fisher State for each captured individual by location. We also ex- Recreation Area in Kure Beach, North Carolina, to de- amined site fidelity for each species at each location. termine the bird community structure. Our objectives Our results showed wide variation of molt strategies were to determine bird species richness, biodiversity, relative to breeding location. Most species used dis- and seasonal differences in each habitat. We performed tinct breeding and molting sites; this pattern was more point counts and area searches within four habitat frag- evident for some species (e.g. Lesser Goldfinch). Ex- ments, repeating each point count and area search three ceptions were Wrentit and MacGillivray’s Warbler that times per season in spring and summer to encompass routinely molted at their breeding site. Site fidelity was both spring migration and the breeding season. Our consistently higher where there was more breeding ac- surveys found a total of 33 species in spring and 33 tivity, but we also detected high site fidelity on winter- species during summer with detection differences be- ing sites for some short-distance migrants, like Hermit tween point counts and area searches. We calculated Thrush. Our results suggest that western landbirds ex- species diversity indices per fragment and per habitat. hibit a diversity of behaviors to successfully complete Species diversity of fragments ranged from a low of breeding, molt and migration. 1.16 to a high of 2.46 using a Shannon diversity in- dex. We created species area curves using rarefaction and extrapolation to estimate more accurate species di- Interactive effects of climate, landcover change, and versity levels per habitat. Those results showed a higher habitat quality on Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl popula- number of species in the shrub habitat in spring and in tions in the U.S and Mexico the forest habitat in summer. The data indicated that there was a seasonal effect, possibly due to detection Aaron D Flesch and temperature differences between habitats. Based on our findings, we formulated bird and habitat man- Climatic flux and anthropogenic landcover change pose agement and monitoring suggestions for this site. major threats to wildlife especially in arid regions, but information on their combined impacts is limited. Ferruginous Pygmy-owls are iconic Sonoran Desert

39 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 predators that are of major conservation concern given ranges collaborated to develop best thrasher monitor- marked range contractions over the past century. I as- ing and management practices. The DTWG has estab- sessed spatiotemporal variation in territory occupancy lished a standardized field protocol for inventory and across 14 watershed regions in northern Mexico and ad- monitoring, developed species distribution models to jacent Arizona across 16 years (2001-2016), and eval- guide random sampling, and is conducting initial sur- uated hypothesized relationships between occupancy veys with the short-term objective of developing re- and variation in temperature, precipitation, landcover gional habitat suitability models. Secondary short-term change, and local habitat quality. There was little ev- survey goals include testing the DTWG field protocol idence of systematic temporal declines in occupancy and generating accurate species distributions on a fine across this vast bi-national region or for population scale. Longer-term goals include determining popula- units in the U.S. or Mexico. Instead, occupancy dynam- tion sizes, monitoring trends, and refining existing habi- ics varied at smaller scales among watershed regions. tat models that can lead to best habitat management Subpopulations in six regions declined or marginally practices. In 2017, partners of DTWG sampled 375 ran- declined including two to extinction, six were stable, dom plots in Nevada, California, and Arizona, with 68 and two increased or marginally increased. Although plots occupied by LeConte’s Thrasher and 23 occupied variation in occupancy was associated with changes in by Bendire’s Thrasher. In this presentation, we discuss temperature, precipitation, landcover, and habitat qual- sampling design, 2017 survey results, expansion of the ity in the predicted directions, evidence for interactions program in 2018, and how collaboration among states among these factors was much greater than that for ad- and federal partners successfully applied the best avail- ditive relationships. Occupancy declined with rising able science toward thrasher conservation on a regional winter temperatures at a much greater rate in disturbed scale. landscapes compared to those with little anthropogenic disturbance. Moreover, occupancy increased with pre- cipitation at increasingly positive rates as local habi- Informing isotopic assignment of secretive marsh tat quality increased. Such results suggest a complex birds migratory connectivity with directed and op- set of processes simultaneously drove dynamics likely portunistic citizen science data by influencing food abundance and the quantity, con- nectivity, and quality of habitat. Management focused Auriel M Fournier on protecting high-quality habitat, creating and enhanc- Alexis R Sullivan ing habitat, reducing landcover change, and increasing Marie Perkins landscape connectivity will enhance conservation. Mark C Shieldcastle Sammy L King Kiel L Drake

Region-wide Desert Thrasher Surveys: An Example Stable hydrogen isotope methods for tracking animal of a Collaborative Conservation Effort movement and migratory connectivity are widely used yet often produce low resolution assignments. Incor- Dawn M Fletcher porating prior knowledge of abundance, distribution or Lauren B Harter movement patterns can ameliorate this limitation, but Elisabeth Ammon data are lacking for most species. We demonstrate how observations reported by citizen scientists can be Trends from recent Partners in Flight data show that used to develop robust estimates of species distributions LeConte’s and Bendire’s thrasher populations have de- and to constrain isotopic assignments. We developed a clined by 64% and 78%, respectively, in the past 10 Bayesian framework to refine isotopic estimates of mi- years. Both species are recognized as sensitive by grant animal origins conditional on species distribution wildlife agencies demonstrating the need for additional models constructed from citizen scientist observations. research and monitoring. LeConte’s and Bendire’s To illustrate this approach, we analyzed the migratory thrashers are traditionally under-sampled in bird mon- connectivity of three migratory rails. Citizen science itoring programs because they are rare and relatively observations enabled both estimation of sampling bias cryptic in their behavior. The Desert Thrasher Work- and construction of bias-corrected species distribution ing Group (DTWG) was formed in 2011 to raise aware- models. Conditioning isotopic assignments on these ness, conduct habitat suitability modeling, and enhance species distribution models yielded comparably high- monitoring strategies for these thrashers. Fifteen gov- resolution assignments. Our study demonstrates ex- ernment agencies and partners that span the species’ tensive data from organized citizen science monitoring

40 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book programs are especially useful for improving isotopic Using monitoring to reduce uncertainty in identify- assignments of migratory connectivity in birds, which ing key ecological drivers of populations - examples can ultimately lead to better informed management de- from the Everglades cisions and conservation actions. Peter C Frederick

The ability to link avian population status with man- Guiding Coordinated Bird Monitoring Decisions agement actions requires understanding population re- Through Structured Decision Making sponses to typical environmental drivers. This is partic- ularly difficult at large spatial scales, and with highly Auriel M Fournier mobile species. Here, I track the history of a long James Lyons term monitoring effort directed at long legged wading Evan Adams birds in the Everglades of Florida, USA, to illustrate Janell Brush how directed ecological research and hypothesis-driven Robert Cooper monitoring priorities can become integral to manage- Steve DeMaso ment and restoration planning. During the first 60 years of the previous century, ad hoc monitoring resulted in The Deepwater Horizon oil spill presented a wide va- a hypothesis that wading bird reproductive effort and riety of challenges, as well as unique opportunities for success was driven largely by hydrological variation. the Gulf of Mexico bird conservation community, in- Subsequent research revealed that predation, substrate cluding demonstrating the many values and goals of availability, disease and contaminants were not ma- the diverse stakeholders and funders who are invested jor drivers. Directed research and monitoring between in the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and highlighting the 1985 and the late 1990s focused on food availability need for Gulf of Mexico-wide information on birds and as the primary mechanistic relationship, made possible their habitats. The Gulf of Mexico Avian Monitoring by the addition of a robust program monitoring aquatic Network used structured decision making to provide a prey dynamics. The avian monitoring program now framework for prioritizing bird monitoring decisions, tallies over 40 years of continuous data collected over and meet the bird conservation communities’ common a 16,000 km2 area. This program has been able to objectives in a transparent way. We first created a quan- detect and measure the effects of ecological surprises titative system for assigning a benefit score based on like mercury contamination, invasive Burmese pythons, the bird conservation community’s values to monitor- and aquaculture in other states. During the past ten ing proposals. With the benefit scores and estimated years, the program has matured to the point that wading costs, we show how to select an optimal combination bird responses to both short term hydrological change, of proposals to maximize benefit of monitoring invest- and longer term restoration scenarios have been mod- ments yet meet any constraints on the decision maker eled with credibility. This experience illustrates that (such as budget), such as may occur after a request for long term investment in directed avian monitoring and proposals. Second, we also used the bird conservation targeted research can result in science-driven decision communities’ values to prioritize questions about man- making in one of the largest wetlands in the world. agement actions, status and trends, and ecological pro- cesses. While our structured decision making process has been focused on birds that use the Gulf of Mexico, these methods are not specific to that area or to birds, and these two ways of using structured decision mak- ing to inform bird monitoring strategies could be used Benjamin G Freeman to address challenges in other systems, taxa and geogra- phies.

Climate change causes mountaintop extinctions in a tropical bird community Auriel M Fournier Benjamin G Freeman Micah Scholer John W Fitzpatrick

41 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Climate change is causing most montane species to timate was low (=0.166, SE=0.0465). Extrapolation of shift their distributions upslope towards cooler environ- our model averaged confidence set suggested that only ments. Summit-dwelling species have nowhere higher 8.7% of the South Carolina coastal plain was occupied to shift into, and are thus widely predicted to go extinct by Loggerhead Shrikes in the 2016 and 2017 breeding in the near future. But evidence for such mountaintop seasons. Our results suggest an importance of habitat extinctions remains thin. We present results of a study beyond breeding territories, and highlight the need for to determine how birds on the Pantiacolla,a remote Pe- higher concentrations of pasture and grassland at a 1km ruvian mountain, have shifted their elevational distri- scale in order to increase the proportion of area in South butions between 1985 and 2017 associated with tem- Carolina occupied by Shrikes. perature increases. We show that bird species on the Pantiacolla have shifted their distributions upslope by a magnitude similar to that expected given observed tem- perature increases. These upslope shifts have had three Evolutionary dynamics of elevational ranges in An- negative consequences for high elevation bird species: dean birds 1) reductions in size of elevational distribution, 2) de- clines in abundance, and 3) local mountaintop extinc- Chauncey R Gadek tions. We place our findings in the context of recent Christopher C Witt studies of bird distributional shifts associated with cli- mate change in tropical vs. temperate regions, and sug- Andean uplift reorganized the South American climate gest that mountaintop extinctions are especially likely since the mid-Miocene, creating steep environmental in tropical taxa. gradients and novel habitats. This period of geologic dynamism coincided with diversification into the An- des by many avian groups. Bird lineages that success- Effects of scale and land cover on Loggerhead fully colonized and persisted in the Andes are marked Shrike occupancy by physiological adaptations and restricted elevational ranges. Genera and families tend to have similar ele- Jennifer L Froehly vational ranges, suggesting constraints on evolutionary Amy Tegeler shifts in elevation. Here we used phylogenies and ele- Catherine B Jachowski vational range data for Andean birds to estimate the his- David S Jachowski tory of elevational transitions and elevational stasis. We asked three questions that have implications for evolu- The Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) is a tionary mechanisms: 1) Have the timing of elevational species of concern throughout its range due to severe transitions indeed coincided with Andean uplift? 2) Do population declines over the past seven decades. Grass- the rate and magnitude of elevational transitions vary land habitat loss and fragmentation is widely viewed as according to their ancestral starting point, suggesting contributing to the decline. Habitat associations have threshold effects? and 3) Do upward and downward primarily been studied up to territory scale, with few shifts occur with equal probability? We present ev- studies assessing Shrike habitat selection at landscape idence that elevational ranges are continuing to shift scales. We conducted roadside passive-active point in conjunction with recent diversification, that the rate counts for Loggerhead Shrikes in the coastal plain of of elevational shifts changes with elevation, and that South Carolina to evaluate support for several compet- downward shifts are less common than upward shifts ing hypotheses of how land use and habitat fragmen- during the history of Andean bird diversification. tation at multiple spatial scales influenced the occu- pancy of Loggerhead Shrikes. Detection probability increased with fair weather and temperature, and de- creased with noise. Our high probability of detection Effects of sex and inbreeding on reproductive senes- (p=0.486, SE=0.082) indicates support for the applica- cence in three cooperatively breeding species tion of passive point counts in future Loggerhead Shrike monitoring. Occupancy was best predicted by percent- Victoria Garcia age of pasture at 1km, where predicted occupancy in- Reed Bowman creased from 2% when there was 0% pasture in a 1km John W Fitzpatrick radius, to 98% occupancy when there was 43% pasture Walter D Koenig in a 1km radius. There was considerable model selec- Jeffrey R Walters tion uncertainty, and our model averaged occupancy es- Eric L Walters

42 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Differences in reproductive senescence between males vania. We simultaneously tested an ecologically rel- and females are hypothesized to occur based on dif- evant component of personality, exploratory behavior, ferences in intra-sexual reproductive competition such using a mobile aviary in the same population. Of that the sex that competes more has higher mortality the 73 Carolina Chickadees tested in the aviary assay, and therefore faster senescence. We examined how 29 (raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$ 40%) visited sex and inbreeding affected reproductive senescence in RFID-equipped feeders and were accordingly included Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus), Red- in the analyzed social network. Among those 29 chick- cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis), and Florida adees, we classified eight as slow explorers and 21 as Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens). Based on mor- fast, although a large amount of variation in exploratory tality rates and mating systems, we predicted that fe- behavior existed among individuals. Faster explorers male Acorn Woodpeckers and Red-cockaded Wood- had greater connectivity in the network (r = 0.51, p = peckers would senesce earlier and faster than males, 0.045) and were more central in the network (r = 0.70, whereas there would be no sex-biased senescence in p = 0.02). Slower explorers were less likely to be in- Florida Scrub-Jays. We predicted that inbred birds in fluential in changing the network’s structure (r = 0.82, each species and sex would senesce earlier and faster p > 0.01) compared to faster explorers. Our data sug- than non-inbred birds. Sex and inbreeding both affected gest that fast explorers may create more connections by reproductive senescence in Red-cockaded Woodpeck- moving around the population more frequently, rather ers, whereas neither did so in Acorn Woodpeckers and than remaining stationary, while slower birds may stay Florida Scrub-Jays. Our predictions were confirmed in one part of the study area for longer periods. with respect to sex in that Florida Scrub-Jay males and females experienced senescence similarly, whereas re- productive senescence had a stronger effect on Red- Lack of nest defense behavior leaves endemic cockaded Woodpecker females than males. Our predic- Caribbean ground-nesting birds more vulnerable to tion that inbred birds experienced greater reproductive depredation by invasive mammals senescence were not supported because even though Red-cockaded Woodpecker inbreeding was associated Holly M Garrod with a decrease in number fledged per year, inbreed- Robert L Curry ing was also associated with decreased reproductive senescence. Our failure to find an effect of inbreed- For many island ecosystems, non-native mammals have ing on reproductive senescence in Acorn Woodpeckers been reported to cause detrimental effects on nesting and Florida Scrub-Jays may be due to low inbreeding success for native bird species. In particular, the small in those populations. Asian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) and black rat (Rattus rattus) have caused severe declines for many is- land endemic birds. Ground-nesting birds are partic- Social network position correlates with exploratory ularly vulnerable to these mammalian predators. We behavior in Carolina Chickadees (Poecile carolinen- used camera traps to monitor nests for two ground- sis) nesting species in Hispaniola, the Broad-billed Tody (Todus subulatus) and the Narrow-billed Tody (Todus Rebecca D Garlinger angustirostris). We took GPS coordinates of all nest Sarah E Polekoff locations and used ArcGIS to assess if location in- Robert L Curry creased depredation risk. Using a mammalian decoy we then conducted behavioral experiments to assess the An individual’s social environment can both shape and extent to which todies have acquired adaptive defense be influenced by behavioral and ecological processes. behaviors in response to recent depredation pressure. Personality, defined as consistent behavioral differences We found through camera footage that both mongoose between individuals, may play a role in an individ- and rats are causing the majority of nest failures, with ual’s social repertoire among conspecifics, and there- 68.3% of Broad-billed tody nests failing (n=41) and fore play a role in fitness. Our goal was to exam- 26% of Narrow-billed tody nest failing (n=15). Addi- ine the relationship between social status, network po- tionally, we found no response to predation events in sition, and personality in a wild population of song- either species, where todies continued to behave nor- birds. We used radio frequency identification (RFID) mally even with a mammal present near the nest. High technology at feeders (N = 6) to investigate winter so- rates of predation and a lack of adaptive defensive be- cial relationships in a population of Carolina Chick- haviors suggest that invasive mammals may be having adees (Poecile carolinensis) in southeastern Pennsyl- a greater impact than previously thought.

43 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Brown-capped Rosy-Finches (Leucosticte australis) (hereafter rosy-finches) nest at higher elevations than Condition-dependent foraging strategies of brown any other bird species in the United States, and their pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in the northern breeding distribution is limited to Colorado and the Gulf of Mexico Snowy Range of Wyoming. Despite residing in an al- most pristine environment for most of the year, Christ- Brock Geary mas Bird Count (CBC) data suggest that rosy-finches Scott T Walter may have declined 85-95% over the past 50 years and Paul L Leberg are on the Partner’s in Flight Red List. To obtain a bet- Jordan Karubian ter understanding of their life history, we summarize information on the movements and demography of this Animal movement decisions and associated rates of en- poorly studied species. Limited information from re- ergy expenditure have important implications for sur- coveries of banded birds suggests that rosy-finches do vival and fitness, which in turn scale up to shape broader not move far between years when captured in winter population dynamics. As regional environmental con- (mean=4312 km, n=51) or between winter and breed- ditions create dynamic resource availability over space ing locations (3014 km, n=5). Estimates of rosy-finch and time, the ability of foraging individuals to con- abundance from the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Con- tinually modify their behaviors is of great importance. servation Regions program in Colorado over the pe- However, animals are often diverted from optimal ac- riod 2008-2017 varied between 6 and 55,000 individ- tivities, potentially resulting in reduced efficiency of uals. Annual survival of birds banded at the Sandia movement. Previous studies have allowed remarkable Crest in New Mexico over the period 2004-2017 was insights into the foraging behaviors of animal pop- 0.310.033. Juvenile-to-adult ratios of rosy-finches were ulations, but often lack characterizations of variabil- slightly below those of taxonomically related species ity within individuals. From 2012-2017, we attached or species that reside in similar environments. Small GPS transmitters and accelerometers to breeding adult population size combined with low annual survival and Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in the north- productivity suggest that rosy-finches could be in peril. ern Gulf of Mexico, where the prey landscape is patchy Furthermore, limited movement of individuals suggests and dynamic at a variety of scales due to both natu- that rescue of populations by immigration from other ral and anthropogenic stressors. We observed lower locations may be unlikely. site fidelity and less variation in energy expenditure in birds of higher body condition, despite increases in fi- delity in the overall cohort as the breeding season pro- gressed. Additionally, assessments of traditional for- Ecology and conservation of grassland birds of the aging metrics such as trip distance, linearity, or dura- Great Plains: challenges and opportunities tion did not yield significant relationships among indi- viduals, highlighting the importance of considering be- T L George havioral variation at multiple levels to more thoroughly Arvind O Panjabi characterize foraging strategies of interest. Future work Adam Beh will pursue incorporation of additional environmental and biologging data to further explore the mechanisms The Great Plains of North America support a unique by which highly variable behaviors may be maintained group of grassland bird species that are well-adapted within populations, as well as to further inform local to their treeless, arid and dynamic environment. Their assessments of brown pelican populations and island nomadic behavior, both within and between seasons, restoration efforts currently underway throughout the is distinct from other birds and is one of the most Louisiana coast poorly understood aspects of their ecology. Eighty- five percent are migratory and 90% of those winter in the Chihuahuan Desert. More than 75% of grass- Movements and demography of the Brown-capped land bird species are declining, but those wintering in Rosy-Finch the Chihuahuan Desert have declined twice as much as species wintering elsewhere. Grassland birds face T L George threats across their full annual cycle from habitat loss, Erika Zavaleta degradation, fragmentation and disruption, and nu- Raymond VanBuskirk merous sources of human-induced mortality. Climate Garth Spellman change will exacerbate the already variable climate of

44 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book the Great Plains and shift suitable climate envelopes lat- Dan Gibson itudinally across great distances. Despite challenges, we are making advances, especially in our knowledge of distribution, habitat use, intra- and inter-seasonal movements, connectivity and survival. New technolo- gies are emerging to assist with tracking and monitor- Migratory shorebird adheres to Bergmann’s Rule ing. New analytical tools such as dynamic occupancy throughout the annual lifecycle through shifts in in- models can help us better understand year to year move- dividual body mass ment, while integrated population models can help us understand the impacts of demographic rates across the Dan Gibson full annual cycle. We are also making strides in con- Angela D Hornsby servation with several initiatives and partnerships fo- Jonathon B Cohen cused on developing regional and continental conser- James D Fraser vation strategies. Grassland bird conservation has to Kelsi L Hunt occur primarily on private lands and we’re doing a bet- Dan H Catlin ter job bridging the divide between scientists and man- agers through private lands outreach, grazing manage- Where spatial patterns of phenotypic variation are ment and conservation. found across divergent taxa, ecogeographic rules have been proposed to explain convergent responses to sim- ilar environmental conditions. Bergmann’s rule is the most widely known yet heavily contested rule of bio- Renewable Energy and Birds geography. However, the extent to which migratory species should adhere to it remains unclear, consid- Garry George ering individuals inhabit a range of latitudes within a single year but 1) structural aspects of size are fixed Audubon is the leading voice for birds for over 100 and 2) size-related variation in migratory behavior or years with a wingspan that extends across the hemi- success may exist. Here, we tested whether piping sphere with 23 state offices, 41 nature centers, 463 plovers (Charadrius melodus) adhered to Bergmann’s chapters and 1 million members in each of the four Rule throughout the annual life cycle. Using measure- Flyways and partnerships in Canada, and Central and ments collected from individuals on breeding and non- South America. With the release of the Climate Re- breeding habitats, we tested whether fixed (i.e., wing port by Audubon’s science team in 2014 that showed length) or plastic (i.e., body mass) determinants of size that 314 N. American birds were at severe risk of los- varied as a function of latitude, and its correlates, dur- ing climate suitability in their wintering and/or breed- ing both seasons. We found that wing length was cor- ing ranges, Audubon has rapidly expanded our work related with latitude during only the breeding range, on Climate with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas but body mass tracked latitude in both the breeding and emissions to 80% of 1990 level by 2050. A key com- non-breeding ranges, which suggested that individuals, ponent of that emission reduction is a transformation of to some capacity, could regulate body size to match lo- the energy sector to clean energy of wind, solar, and cal optima. Additionally, we found the most consistent geothermal primarily among technologies. Audubon relationships between body size and seasonal tempera- has set a goal of 50% clean energy generation in the tures, which supported the Heat Conservation or Dis- U.S. by 2030. But utility-scale wind and solar can have sipation hypotheses, but found less support for asso- significant impacts on populations of species of birds ciations among body size and predation pressure, day and the places they need. This presentation will de- light length, or resource availability. We also found ev- scribe Audubon’s national Renewable Energy Initiative idence that the minimum distance an individual trav- to support rapid deployment of utility-scale wind, solar elled during migration was positively associated with and geothermal while protecting birds, and the venues body size, which suggested that larger birds were either in which Audubon collaborates with the industry and more likely to successfully migrated longer distances conservation organizations on federal, state and local than smaller individuals. policies, individual projects, and on research and sci- ence to inform siting of renewable energy projects.

Prairie Strips for Birds: Increasing Biodiversity Alongside Agriculture

45 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Jordan C Giese estimates for occupancy probability. To address this Lisa A Schulte hypothesis, we conducted morning (within 4 hours of Robert W Klaver sunrise) and evening (within 3 hours of sunset) point counts at 46 sites in Alabama and modeled occupancy The STRIPS project (Science-based Trials of Rowcrops for 20 species. We used Bayesian estimation to com- Integrated with Prairie Strips) is a long-term, interdis- pare occupancy probabilities for the two periods and ciplinary agricultural research project led by Iowa State assessed whether the difference between the means fell University. The project aspires to determine how inte- within a predefined region of practical equivalence. Of gration of strips of native prairie vegetation into agri- the 20 species, 10 (exactly 50%) showed no difference cultural landscapes can provide benefits to agriculture between morning and evening occupancy probabilities, and wildlife. To investigate breeding bird use of prairie thereby narrowly failing to support our hypothesis but strips, we conducted point count surveys at 11 exper- nevertheless suggesting that evening point counts can imental study sites throughout Iowa during May-July, produce similar results as morning counts for many 2015-2017. Each site was divided into fields represent- species. Given this finding, we suggest that evening ing three land cover types: conventional crops, crops point counts are an appropriate alternative to morning with low diversity grass strips, and crops with high di- point counts for some species and recommend that re- versity prairie strips. We calculated abundance, rich- searchers implementing evening point counts should (1) ness, and Shannon-Weaver diversity of each site and conduct pilot fieldwork to ascertain evening detectabil- land cover. Fields with prairie strips tended to have ity of focal species and (2) limit evening point counts to higher bird abundance and richness than fields with- optimal survey conditions. out prairie strips, but not higher diversity. This is likely due to the strong response of a few species [e.g., Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius poeniceus), Dickcis- Exploring patterns of vocal performance across sels (Spiza americana), and Common Yellowthroats song types in field sparrows (Geothylpis trichas)]. Dickcissels were significantly more abundant in fields with prairie strips than in fields Sharon A Gill with conventional crops (p = 01). Establishment of Maarten J Vonhof prairie strips within agricultural fields does not fa- vor area-sensitive species like Bobolinks (Dolichonyx Songbirds that produce trill songs face a performance oryzivorous) and Henslow’s Sparrows (Ammodramus trade-off between trill rate and bandwidth. Due to me- henslowii) but can benefit other declining grassland chanical constraints, rapid trills are often associated species. The practice can be a valuable tool for increas- with narrow bandwidths and slow trills with broad- ing biodiversity and landscape heterogeneity in areas band songs, with deviation from the optimal trill per- that are currently lacking both. formance reflecting individual quality. Although con- siderable evidence regarding this trade-off exists, the influence of additional factors, in particular the pres- Evening point counts produce similar occupancy es- ence of divergent song types within populations, on timates as morning point counts for many species vocal performance remain unclear. Here, we test the hypothesis that vocal performance differs across song Neil A Gilbert types in field sparrows (Spizella pusilla). We recorded Paige F Ferguson 63 males across 27 sites across southwest Michigan and using automated procedures, measured frequency The point count is a methodological mainstay in avian (peak, minimum and maximum, Hz), and duration (s) research. Although numerous point count protocols can of entire songs and separately for the two portions of be customized according to the researcher’s needs, the songs (sweeps and trills). Using a k-means cluster anal- time of day during which point counts are conducted ysis, we identified four song types in our sample: two is seldom modified. Traditionally, ornithologists con- clusters contained broad bandwidth songs that differed duct point counts in the 3-4 hours following dawn. in song rate and two clusters had songs with narrow However, given the second peak of avian activity dur- bandwidths that differed in frequency. We then ran a ing the evening hours, we considered whether evening linear quantile mixed model, with male as a random ef- point counts can produce similar occupancy estimates fect and song type as a fixed effect, to explore variation as morning point counts. We hypothesized that the song types in vocal performance. The slope depicting majority (i.e. >50%) of the study species would not the relationship between trill rate and bandwidth var- show a major difference between morning and evening ied across song types, suggesting that patterns of vocal

46 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book performance vary by song type. Accounting for varia- Daniel H Kim tion in song types within populations may allow us to Madison Sutton more accurately characterize the extent to which males Kelsey C King deviate from optimal vocal performance. Grassland birds comprise the most rapidly declining group of birds in continental North America, and con- tend with longstanding threats including habitat loss Assessing Variation in Isotopic Signatures of Tissues and degradation as well as the emerging threat of ac- for a Migratory Songbird (Tree Swallow) celerating climate change. Although grassland bird re- sponses to habitat management are well-documented, Rachel M Gingras much less is known about how external factors, such Audrey R Taylor as climate, interact with management actions to af- Douglas Causey fect grassland birds. We evaluated how habitat man- agement and climate parameters influenced the abun- Pinpointing the natal and breeding origins of migratory dance of the Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus sa- birds is critical for understanding migratory connectiv- vannarum), a declining Neotropical migrant that breeds ity and population dynamics. Stable isotopes of hy- in the Great Plains, using mark-recapture data. Specif- drogen (D) and oxygen (18O) can be used as intrinsic ically, we investigated breeding populations’ responses markers for the geographic location where an organ- to management actions including patch burning, cattle ism’s tissues are grown. This tool is based on estab- (Bos taurus) grazing and haying, and their interactions lished isoscapes of geographic variation in the isotopic with varying temperature and precipitation regimes on composition of precipitation, and known processes by private conservation land in the Platte River Valley, which D and 18O are incorporated into animal tissues. Nebraska. We found that Grasshopper Sparrow abun- However, the utility of this tool depends on a detailed dance was primarily correlated with prescribed burning understanding of the magnitude and sources of isotopic and spring precipitation. Total Grasshopper Sparrow variation within and between individuals from the same abundance peaked around 25-28 months after burning, origin. Using migratory Tree Swallows (Tachycineta and declined with greater spring precipitation levels. bicolor; TRES) as a model avian organism, our study Grasshopper Sparrows in grazed pastures responded fa- aims to examine sources of variation in the D and 18O vorably to higher cattle stocking rates, which in this values of tissues within and between individuals col- study ranged from 0.75 to 5.3 animal unit months per lected at a single breeding site. We collected adult pri- hectare. Our results indicate that the effects of habi- maries, nestling contour feathers, adult tissue samples tat management practices such as fire, grazing and (muscle, liver, blood serum, and RBC) and embryonic haying are influenced by precipitation levels. Since tissues from unhatched eggs from breeding TRES at the Grasshopper Sparrow population in this study was Otter Lake in Southcentral Alaska, and analyzed these heavily affected by climate, we may expect ongoing for D and 18O. Known-origin feather values were re- climate change to have a disproportionate effect on gressed against Otter Lake water samples to determine Grasshopper Sparrows in the future. the natal isoscape signature for eggs and nestlings and to calculate a transfer function for each individual using a general linear model. We then examined how transfer functions varied across TRES tissues, ages, and sexes Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for within a single year. Based on our results, we will dis- Protected Species (GoMMAPPS): a Nexus to Reg- cuss which tissues are the most consistent and reliable ulatory Decision-Making for assigning natal or breeding ground origins via iso- tope analysis. Jeffrey S Gleason Randy R Wilson Patrick GR Jodice James E Lyons Climate change and management implications for a Elise F Zipkin declining Neotropical migratory songbird breeding Emily D Silverman in the Great Plains The coastal and pelagic waters of the Gulf of Mex- Alex J Glass ico (GoM) are critically important to many species of Nicole Arcilla waterbirds from North America, the Caribbean, and Andrew J Caven western Europe, during some point of their annual

47 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 life-cycle. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management using principal components analysis and linear models. (BOEM) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (US- We found relationships between leg and wing morphol- FWS) are interested in acquiring seabird data to in- ogy with foraging strata and bill morphology with diet form O&G planning decisions, National Environmen- breadth. Species with shorter wings and longer legs tal Policy Act (1969) analyses, Oil Spill Risk Anal- occupied the dense understory and species with larger ysis (OSRA) models, and to inform future consulta- bills incorporated more food types in their diets. Fruit tions. Unfortunately, limited information is available preferences were weak and showed little relationship for seabirds regarding species composition and seasonal with morphology. In addition, the species that showed and spatial distribution and abundance in near- and off- the most morphological change since introduction ex- shore waters of the GoM, even though the amount of hibited a narrower foraging niche than the species that O&G activity in this Region (in waters of the Outer exhibited the least morphological change. The ecomor- Continental Shelf) exceeds all other BOEM Regions phological relationships of introduced species may pro- combined. The Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment vide important information about the evolutionary pres- Program for Protected Species (GoMMAPPS) is a fed- sures acting on them and how species could change over eral partnership between BOEM, National Oceanic and ecological timescales. Morphological changes created Atmospheric Administration Southeast Fisheries Sci- by mismatches in a species’ ecomorphology can influ- ence Center, USFWS’s Migratory Bird Program, and ence the long-term stability of novel ecosystems, which the U.S. Geological Survey’s Wetlands and Aquatic Re- is often overlooked in the literature. search Center. The seabird component of GoMMAPPS is anticipated to be the most spatially and temporally extensive avian research effort ever conducted in the Does use of exotic shrubs influence nesting success GoM. The overarching objective of the seabird compo- of Veeries in northeastern Pennsylvania? nent is to collect broad-scale information on the distri- bution and abundance of priority seabird species in the Christopher B Goguen GoM to inform seasonally- and spatially-explicit den- Les D Murray sity estimates. Exotic plants are common components in many mod- ern habitats and are often used as nesting substrates Ecomorphology of the introduced avian frugivores by songbirds. However, there has long been concern on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu and how it relates that exotic substrates represent less safe and lower qual- to rapid morphological change ity nesting sites than native plants. Over five sum- mers (2012-2016), we located and monitored the fate Jason M Gleditsch of Veery (Catharus fuscescens) nests in a state park in J P Kelley northeastern Pennsylvania. Our objective was to de- Corey E Tarwater termine if placement of nests in exotic nesting sub- Jeff T Foster strates influenced nest survival or other measures of Jinelle H Sperry productivity in this population. Over five years we lo- cated and monitored 289 Veery nests. Of these nests, Many morphological traits of organisms are thought to 59.1% were supported either entirely (58.1%) or par- be the product of adaptive evolution resulting in direct tially (1.0%) by exotic substrates, particularly Japanese relationships between a species’ ecology and morphol- barberry (Berberis thunbergii; 31.1%) and multiflora ogy termed ecomorphology. However, anthropogenic rose (Rosa multiflora; 22.5%). Based on logistic ex- impacts on ecosystems can cause rapid changes in a posure analyses, daily survival rate of nests varied sub- species’ environment which may lead to a mismatch in stantially by year, but nest substrate category (native ecomorphological relationships creating strong evolu- plants, multiflora rose, Japanese barberry, or other ex- tionary pressures. The impact of rapid changes to envi- otic species) as an explanatory variable did not improve ronments on ecomorphological relationships is evident the data fit compared with the null model. We also by the commonness of rapid evolutionary change in in- found no difference in mean clutch size or mean num- troduced species. We assessed the ecomorphological ber of young fledged per successful nest among nest relationships of five frugivorous bird species on Oahu, substrate categories. Overall, exotic shrubs appear to Hawaii, USA with field observations and aviary exper- be of similar quality as native plants when used as nest- iments. The diets of the birds were determined by fecal ing substrates by Veeries on our study site. sample analysis. Seven morphological measurements were taken and related to the observed ecological traits

48 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Erin E Grabarczyk Sharon A Gill Elizabeth A Gow Anthropogenic noise decreases the area over which male bird song can be detected in the environment. For territorial males, noise may make it more difficult to detect and respond to territorial challenges, which Carry-over effects of spring migration distance on in turn may influence whether males maintain terri- reproductive success of tree swallows tory ownership. We tested whether noise affected male house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) ability to detect in- Elizabeth A Gow truders and altered responses to them. Because males Samantha M Knight tend to maintain territory ownership following an in- David W Bradley trusion during later breeding stages versus early, we Robert G Clark tested males either prior to clutch initiation or during Russell D Dawson incubation to determine if breeding stage influenced Ryan D Norris male response. During experiments, we broadcast pre- recorded male song and pink noise on territories to sim- Migration is costly and these costs generally increase ulate intrusions with and without noise, as well as to with migration distance. Thus, migration distance may noise alone. We recorded vocal responses and counted carry-over through direct or indirect pathways to influ- the number of flyovers and attacks towards the speaker. ence the reproductive success of individuals. Breed- From our recordings we measured how long it took ing populations of tree swallows (Tachnycineta bicolor) males to respond to playback, and found noise had no have differing degrees of migratory connectivity. Thus, effect on their ability to detect an intruder. Next we ex- some breeding populations have a low degree of varia- plored if responses differed by breeding stage and treat- tion in migration distance (strong connectivity), while ment. Males responded similarly to intrusions across others have a high degree of variation in migration dis- breeding stages by increasing song length and rate, and tance (weak connectivity). We expect that in popula- displayed similar aggressive behavior in response to an tions with strong connectivity there may be little effect intruder, regardless of whether or not noise was present. of migration distance on reproductive success, while in Males increased song peak frequency in response to an populations with weak connectivity, reproductive suc- intruder alone compared to an intrusion with noise. If cess may through indirect pathways on the timing of higher frequency songs are perceived as more aggres- breeding site arrival and the timing of breeding initi- sive signals and under noisy conditions, males do not ation be negatively influenced by migration distance. produce them, then noise may compromise responses Using migration data generated from 133 light-level to territorial challenges. geolocators from 12 breeding populations from across North America we assessed how wintering location and migratory distance may carry-over to impose differing Anthropogenic habitat disturbances and hybridiza- direct or indirect pathways on reproductive success in tion breeding populations with strong and weak connectiv- ity. Path analyses revealed that the direct and indi- Kathryn C Grabenstein rect pathways on reproductive success differ between weak and strong connectivity populations. In popula- Determining how species boundaries are maintained is tions with weak connectivity, clutch size was indirectly critical for conserving biodiversity and for better under- negatively affected by migration distance, which was standing the speciation process. Hybridization follow- mediated through breeding arrival date and timing of ing anthropogenic habitat disturbances (e.g., urbaniza- breeding. In populations with strong connectivity, there tion) has been documented in a diverse array of both ter- were no such carry-over effects. These results suggest restrial and aquatic species around the globe. Although that migration distance may impact reproductive suc- there are a growing number of examples of disturbance- cess through indirect pathways. mediated hybridization, we generally lack information on the mechanism by which disturbance breaks species barriers. Black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and moun- tain (P. gambeli) chickadees are non-migratory birds Does noise affect male house wren detection and re- that, despite broad range overlap, appear to hybridize sponse to a territorial intruder? predominantly in disturbed areas (e.g., logging sites or

49 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 urban centers). As a first step towards understanding Shrikes on <1% of survey points, with 20 observations the influence of human-meditated habitat changes on recorded on surveys. Multi-species occupancy results species boundaries between these chickadee species, I will provide guidance for multi-species management will use genomic data from a large sample of black- recommendations to benefit this Appalachian pasture- capped and mountain chickadees to compare the rela- land bird community, as well as elucidate if conspecific tionship between patterns of human-driven habitat dis- stimuli can be used on point counts to increase Logger- turbance and hybridization. Specifically, I will assess head Shrike detection. if chickadee populations are more admixed in disturbed areas. Using reduced-representation genome sequenc- ing I will determine patterns of genomic admixture in regions of overlap between the species and compare Utilizing social science to advance the dialogue levels of admixture to multiple metrics of human habi- about free-ranging domestic cats tat alteration. Assessing the correlation between dis- turbance and hybridization between black-capped and Ashley R Gramza mountain chickadees will be followed by experimen- Kirsten Leong tal manipulations of resources to determine the spe- Chris Lepczyk cific mechanisms that break down when these chick- Tara L Teel adee species interact in human-altered environments. Kevin R Crooks

When domestic cats roam outdoors unrestricted, they Multi-species bird occupancy in pasturelands, and incur and impose risks on ecosystems. These cats em- use of conspecific stimuli to increase Loggerhead body a complex issue of critical importance to bird con- Shrike detection servation and cat and human health globally. Why then do people continue to feed and care for outdoor cats Laura D Graham that they do not own or give their own cats unrestricted Christopher M Lituma access to the outdoors? Why can’t bird conservation professionals and other entities agree on how to man- Pastures in Appalachian West Virginia and Virginia age cats? We can shed light on some of these questions are a persistent source of early successional habitat through the use of cultural framing and modeling. This supporting a range of bird species, including Logger- presentation will provide an overview of free-ranging head Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus), which have de- domestic cats as a social construct, where meaning is clined range-wide in the last 50 years. Loggerhead assigned by society via cultural rules. Assigning differ- shrikes are a species of regional conservation concern ent meaning to and rules about free-ranging cats often and may act as an umbrella species for other early suc- leads to controversies over management. These mean- cessional birds. My objective is to determine whether ings can be based on factors as human group member- Loggerhead Shrikes are an umbrella species for other ship (i.e. bird conservation vs. animal welfare organi- Appalachian pastureland birds, and whether conspe- zations) and the type of cat involved (i.e owned vs. un- cific stimulus can increase shrike detection. To char- owned). We will present a conceptual framework out- acterize this bird community, I conducted 893 roadside lining the range of elements that have factored into con- and 63 off-road point counts in pasture-dominated land- troversies over the management of free-ranging outdoor scapes from April 28- July 31, 2017. Results were cats. This conceptual framework will be used to illus- coupled with habitat covariates at the patch and land- trate how the differences in frames utilized by various scape scale to develop multi-species occupancy models, stakeholder groups can lead to talking past each other and a single-species occupancy model to define logger- with respect to the way the cat problem is identified and head shrike habitat associations and habitat availability. management solutions are suggested. Management and I also tested whether conspecific stimuli can increase conservation planning of free-roaming outdoor cats will loggerhead shrike detection during point count sur- require acknowledging the multiple ways that people veys by experimentally applying audio playback and/ understand and relate to these animals to identify effec- or 3D-printed decoys on roadside and off-road sur- tive and socially acceptable management strategies. veys. Most common early successional species by pro- portion of points where detected were Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) [82%], followed by Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) [76%] and American Winter distribution of Atlantic and Great Lakes Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) [76%]. I detected Loggerhead Piping Plovers

50 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Cheri L Gratto-Trevor occupancy model to estimate extinction and coloniza- Jen Rock tion for large-scale occupancy and applied it to data Francois Shaffer of two grassland bird species, the Chestnut-collared Dan Catlin Longspur (CCLO) and Lark Bunting (LARB), collected Kelsi Hunt as part of the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conserva- Jim Fraser tion Regions program. We included covariates for land- scape composition and annual vegetation greenness to Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) are listed as a explain large-scale occupancy, extinction and coloniza- species at risk in Canada and the United States. To ac- tion, and point-level habitat structure to predict small- curately assess nonbreeding threats, direct conservation scale occupancy. Large- and small-scale occupancy efforts, and determine potential effects of catastrophic of CCLO increased over the period, despite declining events (e.g., hurricanes, oil spills) to a particular breed- regional abundance, and LARB occupancy and abun- ing population, we need to know where specific breed- dance remained stable. Both species colonized new ing populations concentrate in winter. Recent discovery sites containing less than ideal habitat and went locally of large numbers wintering in the Bahamas, as well as extinct at sites with poor habitat, and the species used current banding efforts on the Canadian and U.S. At- local features similar to those chosen at the landscape lantic coast and the Great Lakes, allows us to begin to level. In addition to applications at multiple spatial tease apart differences in winter distribution of these scales, our model can be used to estimate dynamic pa- breeding populations. We examined winter resighting rameters influencing temporal habitat use and can be data from plovers uniquely marked in Eastern Canada easily extended to accommodate additional scales. Our (NL, QC, PE, NB, NS), the U.S. Atlantic (MA, RI, NY, extension of the multi-scale model allows us to better NJ, NC), and the Great Lakes from Nov 2013 through understand the dynamic processes influencing the dis- Feb 2017. Sixty-two percent of Great Lakes birds seen tribution of nomadic and is well-suited for addressing in winter, concentrated in the U.S. Atlantic (NC, SC, ecological questions within the theory of hierarchical GA, FL Atlantic), compared to about 20% of the other habitat selection. populations. U.S. Atlantic breeders (68%) and those from Eastern Canada (56%) were most often found in the Caribbean (the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Cuba), The Evolution of Tarsal Spurs in Galliformes while only 4% of Great Lakes birds were seen there. The remaining observations of marked birds were in Emily V Griffith Florida Gulf (and 4% of Great Lakes birds from AL to Rebecca Kimball TX). While 74% of uniquely marked Great Lakes adults have known wintering locations, this is true for only Animal weaponry has long been of interest to biol- 34% of those from Eastern Canada and 25% of U.S. ogists. While most birds lack structures that likely Atlantic breeders. This may suggest unknown winter- evolved specifically as weapons, birds in the order Gal- ing locations elsewhere in the Caribbean. liformes (guineafowl, pheasants, partridges, etc.) are unique in possessing tarsal spurs. These horn-like struc- ture located on the back of the tarsus vary vastly in size, Response of nomadic grassland birds to temporal shape and number between species; and although spurs variation in habitat conditions are known worldwide for their role in male-male com- petition (see: cockfighting) spurs are also present in the Adam W Green females of many species - for unknown reasons. Al- David C Pavlacky though several papers have proposed hypotheses about T L George tarsal spurs, this study is the first to examine spurs in a phylogenetic context. Using data collected from mu- Grasslands are dynamic ecosystems and species that seum skins and literary sources, our results thus far sup- use these habitats must respond to changing conditions. port the hypothesis that tarsal spurs originate from a Many species have evolved nomadic behaviors to take common ancestor in both males and females, and that advantage of sites these changing conditions. Distribu- there has been a rapid loss of tarsal spurs in females tion models are increasingly being used to understand whereas males have largely retained them. Further, how landscape changes are affecting the spatial and we have begun to analyze the correlation of spur pres- temporal distributions of plants and animals, yet they ence and other characteristics, such as mating system, only describe patterns, not the processes resulting in parental care mode, nesting habitat, and dimorphism in those patterns. We extended the Bayesian multi-scale a phylogenetic framework in order to explore why tarsal

51 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 spurs may have evolved. Initial analyses have suggested of spawning capelin (Mallotus villosus) provides an in- some correlated traits for male spur presence; however, flux of abundant prey partway through the breeding sea- thus far there are no clear correlates with the presence son, transforming prey availability from low to high. of spurs on females of a species. How this, and other This study aimed to examine the impacts of capelin findings, contradict previous hypotheses about spur ori- availability on the diet of common murres (Uria aalge) gin and function will be discussed further, along with and razorbills (Alca torda). Diet was estimated during future directions for research on this subject. both prey periods using stable isotope analysis (15N, 13C) of blood plasma and red blood cells (RBC) to ex- amine different temporal scales of diet relative to prey availability. The arrival and spawning of capelin corre- Unexpected conspecific Leucocytozoon infection in sponded with an increase in trophic level (15N) for both woodpeckers and passerines species and tissues. Niche breadth (standard ellipse area), also narrowed, but to varying degrees. Short-term Tierra C Groff dietary niche (plasma; 1-3 days) narrowed from 3.17 to Teresa Lorenz 0.222 for common murres and from 4.66 to 0.372 for Ravinder Sehgal razorbills, suggesting an increased reliance on one or few prey types. Longer-term dietary niche (RBC; 2- Haemosporidians, protozoan blood parasites that cause 3 weeks), showed a less dramatic narrowing of niche malaria-like disease, have been studied in many wild from 0.66 to 0.112 for razorbills, and a much smaller bird populations throughout the world but no basic change from 0.16 to 0.152 for murres, suggesting the prevalence studies have been done on woodpeckers in dietary niche of murres is smaller regardless of prey the Western United States. One genus of haemosporid- availability, whereas razorbills appear to shift from a ian parasites that is commonly found in woodpeckers more generalist diet to a specialist diet, corresponding is Leucocytozoon, which is spread by blackflies. It with the arrival of capelin. These findings suggest that was previously thought that species of Leucocytozoon capelin is an important resource and that both species are order-specific. Here we test the hypothesis that take advantage of the influx of this nearby highly abun- woodpeckers, which share habitats with many passer- dant prey. ine birds, are exposed to and harbor their common blood parasites. Blood samples were taken from 138 individuals, both juveniles and adults, of six different species of woodpeckers. Analysis of the mitochon- Parasitic Indicators of Foraging Strategies in Wad- drial cytochrome b gene and the morphology of infected ing Birds-A Great Blue Heron Case Study white blood cells indicates these woodpeckers are in- fected with lineages closely related to L. fringillinarum, which had previously only bee found in Passeriformes. Sarah E Gumbleton Four distinct lineages were found in juvenile and adult David W Kerstetter Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus), in one juvenile Christopher A Blanar Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) and in Amy C Hirons one juvenile White-headed Woodpecker (Picoides albo- vartus). This is the strongest conclusive evidence of a Feeding ecology and trophic interactions of great blue haemosporidian in the genus Leucocytozoon infecting herons were explored through a combined analysis birds from different orders. of stable isotope profiles and endoparasite communi- ties. Stable isotopes broadly characterize the feeding preferences and geographic information of individuals, while parasite communities reflect long-term trends in Dietary niche dynamics of two alcids in northeastern diet, feeding ecology, movements, and environmental Newfoundland under varying prey availability changes. We obtained deceased birds from four South Florida wildlife rehabilitation organizations. Stable ni- Julia E Gulka trogen (15N) values for pectoral muscle tissue, repre- Gail K Davoren senting a timescale of approximately 24 days, ranged from 8.54 to 13.48; x SD (): 11.08 1.23, while sta- Breeding seabirds are spatially constrained within lim- ble carbon (13C) values for muscle tissue ranged from ited range of colonies and thus are strongly influ- -28.15 to -11.66; x SD (): -19.57 5.47. Of the 30 enced by prey abundance, distribution, and predictabil- birds dissected, 26 contained parasites. Host biomet- ity. In northeastern Newfoundland, inshore migration rics, stable isotope values (analyzed together), and the

52 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book parasite community were analyzed at phylum resolu- Does diet composition or habitat biogeochemistry tion. Stable isotope values were significantly correlated drive mercury concentration in a threatened wet- with biometrics (rho=0.203; p=0.003). Parasite com- land bird? munity structure and composition were not significantly correlated with host biometry (rho=0.024; p=0.353) or Laurie A Hall stable isotope profile (rho=0.067; p=0.109). ANOSIM Isa Woo was then used to examine the differences in biometrics, Susan E De La Cruz stable isotope profile, and parasite community structure Mark Marvin-DiPasquale among sampling locations. Great blue heron biometrics David P Krabbenhoft did not vary significantly among locations (R=0.068; p=0.277). However, there was a significant difference Methylmercury (MeHg) is a globally pervasive contam- in stable isotope profiles (R=0.495; p=0.001), largely inant with known toxicity to birds. Variation in MeHg driven by variation in carbon rather than nitrogen. This concentrations among individuals of the same species result, combined with a lack of variation in community may be driven by variation in the biogeochemical path- structure of trophically acquired parasites, suggests that ways involved in MeHg production or by differences variation in stable isotope profile is being driven by dif- in diet composition among individuals. We examined ferences in feeding location rather than diet. diet composition, trophic structure, and MeHg biomag- nification in the food web of a state-threatened, wet- land bird, the California black rail (Laterallus jamaicen- sis coturniculus), along with 13 measures of sediment Forest Bird Initiative: Keeping Birds and People on biogeochemistry, to determine whether differences in Common Ground MeHg concentrations among rails from three adjacent wetlands were driven primarily by differences in diet Steve E Hagenbuch or habitat biogeochemistry. Black rails were dietary generalists with similar diets among wetlands (percent The forested landscape of the northeast US provides similarity indices > 72%). The trophic structure of the breeding habitat for some of the greatest number of black rail food web was also similar among wetlands, bird species in the country. Many are listed as pri- with trophic magnification slopes for MeHg ranging ority species by Partners in Flight, National Audubon from 0.07 to 0.15. We identified four sediment mea- Society, and others. In Vermont 80% of the state’s surements that were significantly related to MeHg con- 4.46 million acres of forestland is controlled by pri- centrations in taxa at the base of the black rail food web: vate landowners. With nature protection listed in the acid volatile sulfur concentration (p = 0.002), microbial top three reasons for ownership, private landowners are sulfate reduction rate (p = 0.008), MeHg production key to successful forest bird conservation in the region. potential rate (p = 0.026), and percent of total Hg as In 2006 Audubon Vermont developed its Forest Bird MeHg (p = 0.014). Among these, the microbial sulfate Initiative program to engage landowners, foresters, and reduction rate and percent MeHg differed significantly other land managers in understanding the importance of among wetlands (all p < 0.05). Given the similarities the region’s forestland to bird conservation and promote in diet composition, trophic structure, and MeHg bio- forest management that creates or enhances habitat for magnification among wetlands, we concluded that vari- priority species. The national award winning Foresters ation in habitat biogeochemistry and associated sedi- for the Birds project was developed in partnership with ment MeHg production was the primary driver of dif- the VT Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation in ferences in MeHg concentration among rails from dif- 2008 providing foresters with tools and resources to in- ferent wetlands. tegrate timber and habitat on lands they manage. More recently a market-based approach to bird conservation, the Bird-Friendly Maple Project, has been developed in partnership with the State of Vermont and the Vermont Insights into the Black Box of Long-Distance Migra- Maple Sugar Maker’s Association. To date these in- tion Revealed by Emerging Tracking Technology novative programs, projects, and partnerships have led to engagement of over 100 foresters, direct technical Michael T Hallworth assistance to nearly 500 landowners and maple syrup Nathan W Cooper producers, and improved management for priority bird Emily B Cohen species on over 290,000 acres of forestland. T S Sillett T B Ryder Peter P Marra

53 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Understanding of long-distance migration has increased Species Distribution Model using those cover classes to rapidly since the emergence of miniaturized tracking identify probable hot spots where conservation efforts devices but knowledge gaps still exist especially for might be more successful. We then ground-validated small migratory songbirds. We compiled tracking data the model and detected Streaked Horned Larks at addi- from 11 long-distance Neotropical migratory songbird tional locations, including areas that had not been for- species to test several assumptions of what are generally mally surveyed for the species. The usefulness of our considered as truth and to determine whether there are model lies in : 1) providing a direct answer to a simple migratory behaviors that hold across species. We found question (where should we work?), 2) rapid develop- several patterns that emerged and that applied across ment and 3) its simplicity in addressing the question of species after controlling for phylogeny. First, migra- how should we approach this? tion duration is shorter and airspeed (m/s) is faster af- ter controlling for wind generated flow-assistance dur- ing spring. However, species appear to use time mini- Characterizing adult and juvenile use of red-pine mization strategies in both seasons. Second, departure dominated plantations in Wisconsin’s population of dates determine arrival in the subsequent season during Kirtland’s warblers both spring and fall which is affected by latitude. Third, loop migration is not universal within or across species, Ashley M Hannah some individuals’ exhibit loop migration while others Kim Grveles do not. Lastly, individuals undertake riskier migratory Sarah Warner behaviors (energetically costly) over ecological barri- Davin Lopez ers during spring compared to fall and when behind in Christine Ribic their annual program regardless of season. The patterns Anna Pidgeon we found are nearly ubiquitous across the long-distance Neotropical migratory songbirds studied here suggest- Federally endangered Kirtland’s warblers are habitat ing there are general rules’ of migration. specialists with 99% of the population breeding in jack pine plantations in Michigan. Due to successful man- agement the population has exceeded the recovery goal Modeling transitory habitat in a dynamic agricul- and Kirtland’s Warblers have dispersed to areas outside tural landscape for the Streaked Horned Lark of Michigan for breeding. In Wisconsin, breeding has occurred since 2007 in red pine-dominated stands, not Christopher M Hamilton typically a focus of conservation plans. We investigated Brooke L Bateman the breeding ecology of Kirtland’s Warbler in Wiscon- sin from 2015-2017. During the three breeding sea- Land managers are often asked to take on-the-ground sons, we monitored 43 nests. In 2017 six fledglings actions based on scientific research, but are provided were tracked daily using radio-telemetry. Vegetation little practical guidance on how and where to take ac- was characterized at male territories, nests, fledgling tion. To see if simple modeling efforts provided in locations, control points, and nearby comparable but easily-digested information could direct conservation unoccupied stands. Nest success varied among years actions, we developed a basic model predicting habi- (0.2 to 0.85). Occupied stands had higher cover of pine tat use for the threatened Streaked Horned Lark (Ere- litter, grass litter, bare ground, blueberries, hazelnut, mophila alpestris strigata) in the Willamette Valley of and woody debris, while unoccupied stands had higher Oregon. The Streaked Horned Lark is a subspecies of cover of broadleaf litter, sedge and forbs. Male territo- the Horned Lark which inhabits the Puget trough and, ries had lower cover of bare ground, woody debris, and like its conspecifics, prefers sparse, short-stature vege- sedge, but higher cover of pine litter than control points. tation for nesting and foraging. The core of the remain- Nest microsites had greater cover of low tree branches ing population, and focus for recovery of the lark, is in and litter, and lower cover of bare ground than con- the Willamette Valley which is largely in agricultural trol points. Fledglings were found in areas with taller use. Agricultural land-use is assumed to be attractive to trees, greater cover of litter and trees, and lower cover the lark because it often provides the habitat structure of bare ground, grasses, sedges, and forbs than con- they seek. Based on this assumption, we created a habi- trol points. Fledglings used larger areas (14 ha) than tat selectivity index for the lark using NASS crop cover breeding males (2.9 ha). This study contributes insights and breeding bird survey data from 2008. The index that will be useful for fine-tuning management actions identified several strongly positive and negative asso- and increasing efficacy of habitat management for this ciations with crop/cover classes. We then developed a conservation-reliant species.

54 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Meredith J Bashaw James W Rivers The skull and brain in birds and their relatives re- veal a deep evolutionary and developmental rela- Rearing environments can shape offspring phenotype tionship across taxa and depend on the types and magnitude of stressors young experience during development. How- Michael D Hanson ever, little is known about how brood size, a key compo- Matteo Fabbri nent of rearing environment for many taxa, influences Nicolas´ Mongiardino Koch the way in which the physiological stress response de- Adam C Pritchard velops, and how development may vary between sym- Mark A Norell patric, closely related species. Using free-living, box- Bhart-Anjan S Bhullar nesting populations of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bi- color) and Violet-green Swallows (T. thalassina), we Brain enlargement in the early history of birds in- evaluated how brood size influenced stress axis func- volves extensive modification of the bones in the ar- tioning, growth rates, and survival of nestlings. Specif- chosaur skull roof. While this correspondence sug- ically, we tested whether experimentally manipulated gests a deep evolutionary and developmental linkage brood sizes resulted in changes to corticosterone con- between the archosaurian brain and surrounding skele- centrations in offspring, if changes in corticosterone tal structures, this relationship has not been formally traded off with growth, and how these measures var- addressed in most recent studies focusing on the oth- ied between two related species when they experi- erwise well-understood dinosaur-bird transition. We enced identical rearing environments. Nestlings of conducted a 3D morphometric analysis on a dataset both species experienced elevated concentrations of of brain, endocast, and skull landmarks from a phylo- corticosterone when raised in enlarged broods relative genetic sequence of taxa extending from living birds, to control and reduced broods, but neither measure- through coelurosaurs, early dinosaurs, non-dinosaurian ment traded off with growth or was linked to survival. archosaurs, to stem diapsid reptiles. We also included Against our predictions, we found marked divergence developmental series composed of embryos of a bird, in the magnitude of the corticosterone stress response Gallus, a non-avian archosaur, Alligator, and a non- between species, with greater stressor-induced corticos- archosaurian reptile, Anolis, to test for early ontoge- terone concentrations in the Violet-green Swallow. Our netic and heterochronic relationships between the skull study showed that corticosterone responses can vary and brain. The results demonstrate a statistically signif- between even closely related species experiencing the icant correspondence between the forebrain and frontal same environments. We conclude that corticosterone bone, and the midbrain and parietal bone. In embryos, appears to play a key role for balancing energetic de- the primordia for these skeletal elements correspond di- mands that arise in the face of nestmate competition rectly to the respective brain regions, with a slight de- in Tachycineta swallows, and that elevated concentra- coupling of this relation occurring in coelurosaurs in tions of corticosterone may sustain offspring survival late ontogeny. Avialans and deinonychosaurs exhibit during challenging environmental conditions, such as a strong paedomorphic signal involving brain enlarge- when brood competition is high. ment, demonstrating the importance of heterochrony in the origins of the avian skull. Our study contradicts the hypothesis suggested in some developmental stud- ies that the avian skull roof is restructured relative to Selection of nest-site aspect and vegetation structure other reptiles and composed of the parietal and post- results in cooler microclimates for Gray Vireo (Vireo parietal bones. Instead, the bones of the avian skull roof vicinior) nests are conservative in their composition, arising from os- sification centers homologous with the frontal and pari- Jonathan P Harris etal bones of other reptiles. Scott T McMurry Loren M Smith

Brood size differentially affects the nestling stress Ecologists have recognized that species in arid sys- response in sympatric swallows, but does not impact tems respond to thermal landscapes. This has been growth or survival shown in terms of nest-site selection of ground nesting avian species, although little has been done to demon- Braelei M Hardt strate thermal components of selection for cup-nesting Daniel R Ardia species. The goal of this study was to determine the role

55 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 of nest-site aspect and vegetation structure on the mi- by Yuma Ridgway’s rails will help inform land manage- croclimate of vireo nests on Kirtland Air Force Base in ment and permitting decisions in the region, especially New Mexico. We placed temperature data loggers in 47 at solar facilities that may need to account for their im- vireo nests, along with paired locations at the opposite pact to this endangered species. aspect of the nest and in adjacent trees with the same aspect as the nest, to determine the influence of nest aspect and vegetation structure on microclimate. Tem- perature was recorded every 30 minutes for seven days after nesting completion. We compared average tem- Michael G Harvey peratures at each 30-minute time interval from 0700h to 1900h. On average, temperatures for all data loggers between 0700h and 1100h were similar. However, be- tween 1130h and 1530h, nests were approximately 2C cooler on average than for locations with differing veg- Ecological and biogeographical drivers of diver- etation structure (adjacent trees). Lastly, from 1630h to sification in New World suboscine birds (Aves; 1900h, nests were approximately 45C cooler than loca- Tyranni) tions with opposite aspects of the nest tree. These find- ings suggest that vireos may be selecting nest-sites with Michael G Harvey aspects that take advantage of morning and mid-day so- Gustavo Bravo lar radiation, and cooler afternoon temperatures, result- Santiago Claramunt ing in minimal daily variation in microclimate. More Graham Derryberry data are needed to determine if these trends are consis- Elizabeth P Derryberry tent across years with high thermal variation. Robb T Brumfield

The Neotropics harbor the highest avian diversity in the world, in large part due to the radiation of New World Are solar facilities in the southwestern U.S. a threat suboscine passerines (Aves; Tyranni). The mechanisms to Yuma Ridgway’s rails? responsible for the origins of the roughly 1,300 species of suboscines are unclear, but could be determined Eamon J Harrity by comparing speciation rate variation across the su- Courtney J Conway boscine phylogeny with variation in potential causes of diversification. We first estimate speciation rates across the suboscine phylogeny using alternative approaches. Yuma Ridgway’s rails (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis) We then test for associations between speciation rates are federally endangered marsh birds endemic to wet- and broad ecological and biogeographic traits of species lands throughout the Lower Colorado River basin. The using a simulation-based, semi-parametric approach. In U.S. population has declined in recent years for un- addition to traits, processes like the rate that newly known reasons. Yuma Ridgway’s rails depend on wet- formed species occur in sympatry could limit diversi- land habitat patches that are separated by large expanses fication rates. We develop a novel probabilistic method of non-habitat, primarily agricultural lands or desert. and use it to assess variation in the rate that species Yuma Ridgway’s rails are thought to be largely non- evolve to occur in sympatry across suboscines. We then migratory, but recent rail mortalities at solar energy fa- compare rates of sympatry evolution to speciation rates. cilities suggest that these rails fly over desert regions We find mixed evidence for links between speciation during dispersal or migratory movements. Efforts to rate variation across suboscine and ecological and bio- prevent future mortalities and potentially mitigate the geographical variables. We do not find strong support effects of solar facilities require information on disper- that the rate of evolution of sympatry is linked to speci- sal and migratory behavior of these rare birds (infor- ation rates. These results suggest that there is no single mation that is currently lacking). We attached solar explanation for the proliferation of suboscine birds, but satellite transmitters to Yuma Ridgway’s rails in 2016 instead that distinct factors contribute to species diver- and 2017 to document dispersal behavior and 3 of the sity in different suboscine groups. radio-marked rails moved as far as 250km south to es- tuaries along the Gulf of California. These movements are the first documented records of rails moving from the U.S. to Mexico. Additional information on the dis- Loggerhead Shrike Predation on Dunes Sagebrush tance, direction, and phenology of dispersal movements Lizards in Southeastern New Mexico

56 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Charles D Hathcock lite and SNP loci and estimated gene flow among pop- Michael T Hill ulations using genetic differentiation, migration rates and estimates, and parentage assignment. Across anal- Predation of Dunes Sagebrush Lizards (Sceloporus yses, we found evidence for asymmetrical movement arenicolus) by Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovi- from Fort Hood to other central Texas sites, suggest- cianus) is a relationship that is not well understood. ing that there are source-sink dynamics. Secondly, we The goal of this project was to determine if preda- used gravity models to elucidate landscape features that tion rates of Dunes Sagebrush Lizards by Loggerhead may influence gene flow. Our models indicated that Shrikes had a larger impact on the lizard in areas that agriculture impedes gene flow while wetlands associ- were fragmented by oil and gas development. We de- ated with riverine systems facilitate gene flow. Rapid ployed motion activated game cameras at shrike nests habitat fragmentation in central Texas may be an ever- to determine what prey was being fed at the nests, growing threat to connectivity, but riverine systems quantified the amount of time shrikes spent hunting could act as corridors between populations. Lastly, from power lines or other anthropogenic perches, and we used a spatially-explicit individual-based model to collected shrike pellets to look for the presence of assess Black-capped Vireo population viability given Dunes Sagebrush Lizard scales. The results from the 5 projected land-use scenarios. The present research power line surveys indicate that Loggerhead Shrikes helps elucidate the movements and factors influencing hunt from anthropogenic perches upwards of 50% of dispersal of Black-capped Vireo populations in hopes the time. Results from the camera data indicate that of informing conservation efforts for the endangered lizards make up approximately 10% of the prey items species. being taken to the nest by Loggerhead Shrikes. The difference in lizard captures between fragmented and unfragmented habitat was not statistically significant. The pellet and camera analyses determined that Dunes Tracking the movements of juvenile Wood Thrush Sagebrush Lizards were only being predated by Log- (Hylocichla mustelina) at local and national scales gerhead Shrikes in areas where the lizard occurred in to uncover the ’black box’ in juvenile dispersal high densities. These results indicate that Loggerhead Shrikes do predate Dunes Sagebrush Lizards and these Sue M Hayes predation rates are higher in areas of high lizard density Bridget Stutchbury where effects from habitat fragmentation have not yet B Boyd impacted Dunes Sagebrush Lizard populations. The survival of juvenile songbirds has been an under- studied area in population dynamics of songbirds be- Elucidating Black-capped Vireo movement ecology cause of the difficulty in tracking their movements once in central Texas using genetics and modeling they leave the natal territory and no longer require parental care. My research is focused on the question Samantha S Hauser of how forest fragmentation affects survivorship, dis- Lauren Walker persal and the on-set of fall migration in juvenile Wood Paul Leberg Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina). I am testing if there are negative carry-over effects for Wood Thrush originating Dispersal between isolated populations is critical to a from small forest fragments that put them at a disad- species future, especially those threatened by habitat vantage compared to offspring originating from larger fragmentation. The Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atri- fragments. This study is unique as it has only recently capilla) is an endangered migratory passerine that has been made possible to execute through the innovation been threatened by habitat fragmentation and brood of the automated long-distance radio telemetry collabo- parasitism. It has been suggested that there may be rative Motus Wildlife Tracking System. This system source-sink dynamics in central Texas through indirect is built on an array of >300 receiver towers that al- methods, but genetics provides an opportunity to study lows researchers to track tagged wildlife movements dispersal directly. Our goal was to understand Black- over larger spatial scales. Using long-life radio-tags, capped Vireo dispersal in central Texas adjacent to Fort I am able to detect and track tagged juvenile Wood Hood, which houses the largest and most stable popu- Thrush dispersal movements at a spatial and temporal lation of Black-capped Vireos. Movement ecology in scale that has never been done before. Initial results in- this area is crucial to understand for effective conserva- dicate that using the Motus towers in addition to man- tion. We genotyped 343 individuals using microsatel- ual radio-tracking, provide very different results than

57 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 relying solely on manual methods. Fledgling mortal- Patricia J Heglund ity rates were 66% but combined with Motus tower de- Brian Loges tections, mortality rates fall to 28%. First year results Jana Newman using the combined tracking methods indicate that if the fledglings can reach independence the juvenile pre- Wetland managers typically count waterbirds and share migration survival rates are 94% while return rates to the numbers locally with the public but the effort any their natal area are 46%. one manager puts towards consistent surveys is sub- ject to changing budgets, staff, and competing priori- ties. In addition, managers have not had a straightfor- Growing up in a noisy world: can grassland song- ward means for comparing results from one manage- bird nestlings cope with oil development? ment area to another nor have they had the ability to clearly link waterbird abundance to their management Alexandra L Heathcote actions. Understanding where along a flyway more Nicola Koper habitat is needed, and when it is needed, as well as what management actions are successful has been hindered In recent decades oil and gas development and the as- by this lack of consistency, the inability to compile and sociated infrastructure has increased in central North analyze data from many areas and to broadly share re- America; fragmenting the landscape, reducing habi- sults.The vision of the Integrated Waterbird Manage- tat suitability and introducing anthropogenic noise to ment and Monitoring (IWMM) initiative is to support a the soundscape. The non-lethal effects of human dis- landscape where non-breeding waterbirds have the right turbance may be contributing to the rapid decline of habitat in the right places at the right time. Therefore, grassland songbirds. Physiological mediators, such as the IWMM initiative has developed standard monitor- corticosterone, are increasingly being used to measure ing protocols that track management actions, habitat an organism’s ability to respond to and cope with en- conditions, and bird abundance and are supported by vironmental and anthropogenic disturbance. Chronic a publicly available database. The IWMM initiative disturbances on the landscape may impact corticos- provides for consistency in monitoring, compiling of terone levels in altricial nestlings, potentially influ- the results management, and the sharing of information encing growth rate, fledgling success, or adult be- needed for managers to learn and make better decisions. haviour. To determine how anthropogenic disturbance and chronic noise impact the development of the stress response in chestnut-collared longspur (Calcarius orna- A novel virus associated with beak deformities in tus) nestlings, we measured basal and acute plasma cor- wild birds ticosterone levels. We isolated noise from the associ- ated infrastructure by broadcasting screwpump record- Caroline Van Hemert ings on the short- and mixed- grass prairies of south- Maxine Zylberberg eastern Alberta using solar-powered playback units in Colleen M Handel addition to sampling nestlings at sites with active screw- Lisa M Pajot pump leases. Our results indicate that basal corticos- Joseph L DeRisi terone is lower in nestlings close to real infrastructure but not active playback sites, suggesting that the physi- Avian keratin disorder (AKD) is an emerging avian cal footprint of oil development and the associated dis- disease responsible for debilitating beak overgrowth turbance has a greater impact on nestlings’ corticos- that interferes with a bird’s ability to feed and preen. terone levels than noise alone. Surprisingly our results Over the past fifteen years, we have documented high show that nestlings with lower basal corticosterone are prevalence of AKD in Black-capped Chickadees and heavier indicating that the effect of disturbance might Northwestern Crows in Alaska, which exceeds all pub- not be negative. Disentangling the effects of noise from lished rates of gross abnormalities in wild birds. Addi- anthropogenic disturbances will aid land managers in tionally, similar reports from throughout North Amer- the difficult task of mediating human impact on declin- ica and parts of Europe suggest that AKD may occur ing species during vulnerable stages of their life history. across a broad geographic area and affect many dif- ferent species. We previously detected a novel picor- navirus, Poecivirus, in a small cohort of Black-capped Putting the Right Habitat, in the Right Places, at Chickadees with AKD. To test for an association be- the Right Time: The Integrated Waterbird Manage- tween AKD and Poecivirus infection, we screened 124 ment and Monitoring Initiative individuals for Poecivirus and found that it was present

58 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book in 29/29 (100%) of individuals with AKD, but only 9/95 Heather A Herakovich (9.5%) of individuals with apparently normal beaks. Holly P Jones We subsequently initiated a captive experiment to deter- mine whether infection with Poecivirus causes clinical Agriculture conversion of tallgrass prairie has severely signs of AKD in nave Black-capped Chickadees. Re- fragmented the landscape and many grassland birds are sults from this experiment indicate that birds exposed now in decline due to this loss of habitat. Restoration to Poecivirus have an increased probability of devel- projects have sought to increase the quality and size oping AKD-like beak deformities. Preliminary genetic of prairie fragments, hypothetically increasing breed- analyses also suggest a common cause of beak deformi- ing habitat for these birds. Bison are now being reintro- ties across multiple species. Taken together, this body duced to prairie restorations as a management tool to in- of evidence supports the hypothesis that Poecivirus is a crease habitat heterogeneity. The goal of our study was strong candidate etiological agent of AKD in wild birds. to understand how the immediate impact of bison influ- ences nest survivorship of all grassland nesting birds at Nachusa Grasslands in Illinois. We hypothesized that Genome-wide analysis of differentiation and intro- Daily Survivorship Rate (DSR) would be lower in ar- gression in Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds eas with bison grazing, because of increased trampling, dislodging, decreased vegetation height, and potential Elisa C Henderson increase in nest parasitism. We measured nest survivor- Alan Brelsford ship, parasitism, fire frequency, and vegetation charac- teristics around nests at six sites from 2014-2017. We Hybridization is common among avian species and un- found 210 nests of fourteen different species. DSR derstanding how gene flow contributes to the process of was calculated for all species and for Field Sparrows speciation is a central issue in evolutionary biology. Ge- using RMark and compared using AICc for 16 differ- nomic studies of hybrid zones can help shed light on the ent variables that could affect nest survivorship. We mechanisms of speciation. These studies often uncover found that bison presence and parasitism did not influ- heterogeneous patterns of genetic differentiation, but ence survivorship of nests. Vegetation density around the interpretation of these patterns remains controver- the nest was the only variable that explained DSR for sial. Do regions of high differentiation contain barrier all species, but none explained DSR of Field Sparrow loci that reduce gene flow between the species, or do nests. Three years post reintroduction may be too soon they reflect low variation resulting from within-species to see an influence of bison grazing in a tallgrass prairie selection? Here, we document patterns of genetic dif- restoration site. However, any decrease in the vegeta- ferentiation (FST) and signatures of introgression be- tion density at this site by bison grazing and trampling tween two hybridizing bird species, the Anna’s Hum- may indirectly decrease the DSR of these nesting birds mingbird (Calypte anna) and the Costa’s Hummingbird in the future. (Calypte costae). We ask whether introgressed regions, identified by a sliding-window ABBA-BABA test, are associated with high or low differentiation between the Conservation of Henslow’s Sparrow in the Chicago two species. We collected whole-genome sequence Metropolitan Area: An Area With Surprisingly data from sympatric Anna’s and Costa’s populations in Good Long-term Potential southern California and from an allopatric Anna’s pop- ulation in northern California. We found that introgres- James R Herkert sion occurs between Costa’s and Anna’s throughout the genome, but less frequently on the Z chromosome than Henslow’s sparrow is a species of conservation con- on autosomes. A single large, continuous block of the cern that was once among the fastest declining song- genome with evidence of gene flow may indicate in- birds in North America. Populations rebounded in the trogression of an adaptive haplotype and/or a region of late 1980s and early 1990s following the establishment very low recombination. Introgressed blocks were as- of large areas of grassland as a result of the United sociated with high rather than low differentiation, sup- States’ Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). CRP is, porting the emerging consensus that high FST is an un- however, an ephemeral habitat that exists under 10-year reliable indicator of barrier loci. rental contracts. Therefore the long-term stability of the program, and therefore its habitat, is uncertain. As a result, long-term conservation of Henslow’s sparrow The effects of bison reintroduction on grassland may depend on areas capable of supporting the species nesting birds in tallgrass prairie in the absence of CRP. Recent analyses of data from

59 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 several sets of monitoring programs indicate that the indicate that ground-dwelling migratory songbirds are Chicago Metropolitan Area may be one area capable of competent carriers of the primary vector and causative supporting a large population in a post-CRP landscape. agent of Lyme disease, and likely play a significant role Monitoring data show that the Chicago regional popu- in its geographic expansion and increased prevalence in lation is increasing, with indications that it is increas- humans. ing more than other parts of Illinois. Monitoring data also show the presence of several large population cen- ters, and a relatively large concentration of persistent The response of birds to habitat restoration and en- populations. The area also contains a large habitat base vironmental flows in the Colorado River Delta, Mex- with more than 220,000 ha of protected land, and recent ico research has estimated that nearly three-fourths of the regional Henslow’s sparrow population occurs on pro- Osvel Hinojosa-Huerta tected lands. These features combine to provide a large geographic area where the prospects for long-term con- After decades of degradation in the Colorado River servation of the species appears bright. delta, the area experienced a recovery in response to inadvertent flows during the 1980s and 1990s. How- ever, the basin has endured a severe drought since 2002, Ground-dwelling songbirds as competent carriers and flows were drastically reduced. Since 2010, a se- and reservoirs of vector-borne disease (Lyme dis- ries of initiatives have been launched to restore key ri- ease) parian and wetland habitats, including the recovery of 540 hectares and the release of 195 million cubic meters Amanda J Hill during a 5-year period (2012-2017), as part of a bina- Christopher M Lituma tional agreement between Mexico and the U.S, known Matthew E Wilson as Minute 319. An average flow of 800 liters per sec- B J Meade ond in the Hardy River has also been maintained, dou- Brian M Hendricks bling the volume of water reaching the lower delta. To Lucas W DeGroote evaluate the effect of these efforts on birds we have maintained a monitoring program since 2002, includ- The One Health initiative, focused on increasing in- ing variable distance point counts at 192 sites and call- terdisciplinary collaboration between the fields of hu- response surveys for marshbirds at 410 survey points. man medicine, veterinary medicine, and environmental In response to the drought, between 2002 and 2013 the health, considers zoonotic diseases to be a primary con- diversity of birds decreased 55.8% and 34 species had cern due to their impact on both humans and animals. significant downward trends. After the environmental Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne zoono- flow releases in 2014, bird diversity increased 42%, and sis in the United States. It is spread among species the abundance of riparian landbirds and nesting water- through interactions between ticks and several hosts, in- birds increased (22% and 81%). In the lower Hardy cluding small and large mammals, birds, lizards, and River, the abundance of Yuma Ridgeway’s Rails has in- humans. Both Borrelia burgdorferi (causative agent of creased from just 4 detections in 2002 to 280 detections Lyme disease) and Ixodes scapularis (primary vector in 2016. The restoration efforts are successfully estab- for Lyme disease in the Northeastern United States) are lishing habitat for birds. This has been possible as a re- expanding their ranges. Our goal is to understand the sult of international policy, collaboration among water role that migratory songbirds play in the geographic users, market-based strategies, and community organiz- expansion of Lyme disease. We captured birds of 14- ing. target ground-dwelling species at banding stations in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia during the Spring and Fall of 2017. We removed ticks (nymphs) Mexican spotted owls and the Mescalero Apache from all infested birds and collected blood from a ran- dom sample of both infested and non-infested birds. We Serra J Hoagland used PCR to determine Borrelia burgdorferi presence in ticks and avian blood. The prevalence of ticks on birds Fostering successful partnerships that enhance tribal was 35.58% (n = 371). Of the 284 ticks removed from stewardship and sovereignty may offer opportunities to the infested birds, 25.35% were PCR positive for Bor- conserve bird populations given the inherent, deeply- relia burgdorferi. We detected Borrelia burgdorferi in rooted values of Indian people towards wildlife. The 7.87% (n = 178) of avian blood samples. These results Mescalero Apache people, like many Native American

60 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book tribes, exhibit remarkable resiliency and hold what re- and automate the generation of distributional informa- mains of their ancestral land with the highest reverence. tion across a species’ full range with moderately high Thus, their management practices reflect their cultural resolution. In our talk, we describe the characteristics norms related to ultimate respect and care for the envi- of the distribution model, and in particular how its de- ronment. In 2012, we created a partnership between the sign allows it to handle relationships between predictor US Forest Service, Northern Arizona University and the and response that vary through space and time (i.e. sta- Mescalero Apache tribe which resulted in a more robust tistical non-stationarity). We then describe data prod- understanding of the impacts of tribal forest manage- ucts that we produce from these models, and our devel- ment actions on the Mexican spotted owl (Strix occi- opment of a web-based tool, BirdVis, for exploring the dentalis lucida). Our partnership added more rigorous output from these models. demographic monitoring, habitat analysis and suitabil- ity models that have helped justify tribal management practices for a highly controversial species. This pre- sentation will 1) review current threats to the Mexican Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Program spotted owl; 2) describe the research and partnership that assessed habitat for the Mexican spotted owl on Alison G Holloran tribal and non-tribal lands where management practices differ and 3) highlight Native American conservation Audubon Rockies: Conservation Ranching Program ethics that sustain people and Mexican spotted owls. Our native grasslands are disappearing faster than any The Mescalero Apache tribe has been successful with other landscape in North America, these are working their unique forest management practices that sustain lands that are heavily depended upon for their economic Mexican spotted owls without compromising the eco- productivity. Grasslands support ranch families and re- nomic and social needs of the Mescalero Apache peo- gional agricultural economies. Since 85% of native ple where timber is one of the largest economies on the grasslands in the U.S. are privately owned, impactful reservation. Both the owls and the people have bene- and scalable grassland conservation requires innovative fited in that the tribes’ management practices reduces strategies that engage producers in land management wildland fire risk, which is currently the top threat to practices that support their bottom line while also main- the bird. taining healthy habitats for wildlife. Therefore, more than four years ago, in an effort to reverse the decline in grassland birds, Audubon began to explore an am- bitious new approach that seeks to create market-based Big Data beget bigger models: adventures in analyz- incentives for bird conservation on rangelands. Rather ing the output of species distribution models from than continue to accept the foregone conclusion that eBird data economic forces in agricultural markets will inevitably lead to further losses of grassland wildlife, Audubon Wesley M Hochachka sought to create markets that actually incentivize con- Daniel Fink servation practices by rewarding producers that adopt Tom Auer bird-friendly management practices on their farms and Alison Johnston ranches. Audubon has initiated a Conservation Ranch- Steve Kelling ing Program to coordinate market-based efforts around a bird-friendly habitat certification to enhance grass- Species distribution models can provide a far wider land bird conservation on private lands throughout the range of information than a simple description of where Great Plains. The program has worked with producers, species occur: they can also be used to estimate varia- state and federal agency partners, industry experts, and tion in occurrence rates and abundance within a distri- other NGOs to establish pilot sites in six states, building bution, habitat associations, and changes through time a framework that eventually will connect participating in all of these. The year-round data available from eBird producers to premium retail markets while conserving can be used to extract these insights from species dis- and restoring grassland bird habitat. tribution models across an entire continent and at any time of the year. However, analyses of these data also present challenges that include working with large vol- umes of raw data, and defining appropriate models to Chromosomal inversions and reproductive isolation account for complex and varying relationships between in an avian hybrid zone birds and their environments. We are developing a dis- tribution modeling workflow to tackle these challenges Daniel M Hooper

61 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Simon C Griffith notably narrow isthmuses, also structured some popu- Trevor D Price lations, albeit more finely than marine barriers. Bot- tlenecks influenced population structure and divergence Hybrid zones have long been recognized as powerful only on very small, isolated islands. Overall, complex natural laboratories of speciation as the genes involved topography plays a substantial role in generating popu- in reproductive isolation between hybridizing taxa are lation structure and recent divergence in Philippine bird directly exposed to selection in hybrids. And while populations. gene flow generally acts to homogenize differences be- tween incipient species it can, paradoxically, sometimes play a creative role in the speciation process by pro- Phylogeny of avian orders based on genome-wide moting the evolution of chromosome inversions that en- coalescent analysis of insertion/deletion mutations compass and keep together genes involved in hybrid (indels) loss of fitness. Using a combination of genomic and morphological analyses, we analyze the hybrid zone be- Peter Houde tween two subspecies of the long-tailed finch (Poephila Edward L Braun acuticauda), a songbird endemic to northern Australia Siavash Mir Arabbaygi that differ prominently in bill color: yellow in the west and red in the east. We find that the highly heteroge- Jarvis et al 2014 presented an interordinal phylogeny of nous landscape of genetic differentiation between sub- birds estimated using the MP-EST* multispecies coa- species is enriched on the Z chromosome and almost lescent (MSC) from 2022 binned gene trees built from entirely explained by chromosomal inversions. More- 14,446 exonic, intronic, and UCE loci. MSC analy- over, we find that the centers of bill color and genomic ses are a class of methods designed to overcome gene admixture are displaced by 350km, suggesting that the tree conflict accruing from the vagaries of segregation targets of reproductive isolation are largely independent and incomplete lineage sorting (ILS). While gene tree of this subspecies identifying trait. conflict may represent truly distinct evolutionary histo- ries of different genes, it may also result from incor- rectly reconstructed gene phylogenies. Gene phyloge- nies maybe particularly susceptible because there are How do geographic barriers structure population often insufficient phylogenetically informative charac- genomic variation in Philippine birds? ters in short, selectively constrained gene sequences to resolve all nodes in large phylogenies. Structural vari- Peter A Hosner ants (SV), like indels, could complement nucleotide Robert G Moyle data. Indeed, Jarvis et al 2014 presented a maximum likelihood analysis of concatenated indel data. We re- Biodiversity hotspots frequently feature complex land- analyzed 2,515 binned indel gene trees using the MSC scapes that provide ample opportunities for population ASTRAL program modified for binary indel data. We fragmentation, which may explain in part how biodiver- recover a well-resolved and strongly-supported phy- sity is concentrated therein. To understand the relative logeny that is highly congruent with that produced us- roles of permanent marine, periodic marine, and land- ing nucleotide sequence data. Interestingly, we detected scape barriers in structuring genomic variation, we se- high levels of gene tree conflict, especially on short in- quenced RAD markers from eight co-distributed Philip- ternodes. While this is consistent with ILS, we caution pine lineages, with each lineage containing multiple that the input data for ASTRAL consist of indel trees, close relative species or well-differentiated subspecies. which, like gene trees, may be poorly resolved. We en- We then inferred population structure with clustering vision methods by which indels may be filtered for reli- algorithms (fineSTRUCTURE, ADMIXTURE), and ability and treated as discrete character data rather than used downstream goodness of fit tests (BADMIX- tree data, circumventing a potential source of error in TURE) to examine complex population structure due the MSC approach. We conclude that indels and other to recent admixture, ghost admixture, and recent bot- SVs will provide valuable phylogenetic data that will tlenecks associated with geographic barriers. We then improve future phylogenomic analyses. examined spatial patterns in population connectivity with Estimated Effective Migration Surfaces (EEMS). Permanent marine barriers uniformly structured avian Plover paparazzi: using nest video cameras to esti- populations, whereas periodic marine barriers were id- mate survival and population size of breeding Piping iosyncratic and lineage specific. Topographic features, Plovers

62 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Kelsi L Hunt entific evidence of the impact of cat predation on bird Daniel Gibson populations grows, however, conservationists will look Daniel H Catlin increasingly to use national and international law. This Meryl J Friedrich survey explores potential legal theories available under Coral J Huber US law, including the ESA, MBTA, and various statutes James D Fraser governing public lands management. The survey will also explore legal approaches in other countries includ- Recently, wildlife camera technology and ecological ing Australia and New Zealand, and the potential role of modeling techniques have improved substantially. In international treaties such as the Convention on Migra- this study, we paired methods of nest camera video tory Species or the Convention on Biological Diversity. monitoring and modeling for a novel approach to es- Emerging from the survey is a potential strategy for ad- timate survival and population size of threatened Pip- dressing the gaps in the legal framework and strength- ing Plovers (Charadrius melodus) breeding on the Mis- ening the application of existing provisions. souri River. The objective of this study was to estimate shifts in breeding abundance in the absence of rigorous resighting efforts, following a ten-year demographic study. From 20152017, we placed small video cameras Afro-tropical lowland forests: cradles or museums at nests to determine whether the associated adults were of avian diversity? banded and, if so, to conduct resightings’ and record the unique band combination. Using the video data, we Jerry W Huntley estimated survival and population size using the Jolly- Gary Voelker Seber superpopulation and binomial band ratio models. During this study, we observed an increase in the num- Biologists have long been interested in characterizing ber of breeding individuals (N2015 = 455.75 39.65, the tropical regions of the world as ”cradles” or ”mu- N2016 = 527.71 34.98, N2017 = 595.11 62.90), which seums” in terms of their ability to create and structure was associated with a major habitat creating event. Ad- genetic diversity across a variety of species. This has ditionally, we found that mean apparent survival was certainly been true for avian species within the Guineo- 0.76 0.05, which was similar to previous estimates Congolian forests of tropical Africa. Over the past three from an extensive capture-mark-recapture study based decades, these forests were first described via morphol- in this system. Videography has been used to improve ogy as centers of avian diversification (cradle) and fol- resight rate, but our novel application of the Jolly-Seber lowed by their classification via molecular data as evo- model illustrates the 1) flexibility of both the model and lutionarily stagnant (museum). Using a two-part molec- the data; and 2) utility of integrating data sources to an- ular data set composed of 1) intensive sampling from swer ecological questions. Our approach is applicable three forest genera (Bleda, Criniger, and Sylvietta) and to other avian species, and could be used to estimate 2) widespread, shallower sampling from 75 species, we survival and breeding population size with relatively investigate the structure of genetic diversity across these low effort, when compared to traditional mark-resight species as well as the potential drivers for its creation field methods. and maintenance. We recover both extensive and deep genetic structuring for many species across the Guineo- Congolian forests and shallow structuring for many oth- National and International Legal Approaches to ers. Our data, both spatial and temporal, supports mul- Curbing Cat Predation tiple bouts of Plio-Pleistocene landscape fragmentation as a major mechanism for creating the structure and David B Hunter depth of genetic diversity patterns. Additionally, be- havioral characters regarding dispersal ability proved U.S. Federal legislation, particularly the Endangered to be crucial regarding the depth and discreteness of Species Act (ESA) and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act genetic spatial patterns. Ultimately, we conclude that (MBTA), clearly includes provisions that could respond the Guineo-Congolian forests have acted as both cra- to the threat of cat predation at least on threatened and dles and museums across our sampled species. endangered bird populations. Yet, with the notable ex- ception of the American Bird Conservancy’s lawsuit under the ESA, the legal responses have been limited. There appear to be significant political and cultural ob- An estimate of natural avian mortality in the Mojave stacles to using available legal strategies. As the sci- Desert

63 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Manuela M Huso false negatives are commonly addressed by occupancy Amy L Fesnock models and their variants, approaches that incorporate Linda Allison both false negatives and false positives have been more challenging to develop and apply robustly. In this talk, I Avian fatalities discovered at industrial-scale solar fa- will discuss our recent work linking ecological models cilities in the southwestern US have led to concern for this problem with work in machine learning on clas- about the potential impact of this growing industry on sification problems with class-conditional noise. Our avian species. Annual fatality estimates can exceed approach is a generalization of several existing mod- 1000 per square mile and these facilities often cover els and focuses on leveraging covariates of false neg- several square miles. Yet it is unknown whether mor- atives and false positives that are distinct from the co- tality measured at solar facilities is elevated relative variates driving species occurrence. I will describe the to naturally-occurring (background) avian mortality in conditions under which the parameters of our proposed these desert habitats. Our objective was to provide model are identifiable, simulation experiments, and an a rough estimate of background mortality in the Mo- analysis of data from the eBird citizen science project. jave Desert to provide context with which to evaluate Our results are promising when sufficient data (such as mortality at solar facilities. We conducted searcher- large citizen science datasets) are available for model efficiency and carcass-persistence trials to estimate de- fitting. tection probability and effective search interval. We searched for avian carcasses March - May, 2017 along 4,848 km of transects, 20 m wide. Our total search Bridging the gap between science and avian conser- area comprised 97 km2. We found evidence of 6 car- vation: Lessons learned on Integrating research into casses: 1 adult and 1 juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, 1 rock management actions wren, and 3 feather spots. For each size class, we es- timated median mortality (95% credible limits) for the Charles van Riper III searched area during the effective search interval then James D Nichols extrapolated to mortality per square mile for a full year. Carena J van Riper Preliminary results suggest background mortality to be William P Stewart 0.28 (95% CI: 0.03, 1.35), 1.7 (95% CI: 0.1, 5.4) and 13.7 (95% CI: 4.6, 32.2) birds per square mile for large, Science and avian conservation management are based medium and small birds, respectively. Our preliminary on hypotheses about how systems work (science), and estimates of background mortality are one or two or- more specifically how they respond (management). A ders of magnitude less than rates published in publicly key step in this process entails the comparison of available reports from solar power facilities. model-based predictions with what actually happens in the system, as observed via a manager’s monitor- ing program. We provide examples of an approach Methods to correct for species labeling errors in cit- to conservation that better integrates science into the izen science data manager’s decision process. Under this recommenda- tion, context and direction in investigations are pro- Rebecca A Hutchinson vided by the decision making process, by embedding Liqiang He science within this process to reduce uncertainty and Sarah C Emerson thereby increase management effectiveness. An inte- grated decision making framework begins with the de- Citizen science data on species occurrences pour in velopment and articulation of: (1) management objec- daily across vast spatial scales, far outpacing the rate tives, (2) potential management actions, (3) models pro- of data collection that could be achieved by expert ob- jecting avian response to management, (4) in the case servers alone. These data have great potential to in- of multiple models, credibility measures that reflect form questions about the ecology of species communi- the relative degrees of confidence in the different mod- ties and what actions may prevent population declines els, (5) monitoring protocols, and (6) a decision tree as climate and land use change. However, labeling er- for identifying a recommended action. Some of these rors in these data challenge our ability to infer aspects components (e.g., potential monitoring) are largely the of species’ ecology and the likely effects of manage- purview of managers, whereas others are primarily the ment actions. Since volunteers have variable levels of concern of scientists (e.g., models and monitoring anal- expertise, citizen science data may contain both false yses). But a key point is that all components require positives and false negatives in species reports. While input and interaction by members of both groups. In

64 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book sum, we will demonstrate that science can play an im- Tropical mountains have more bird species than any portant role in avian conservation management by re- other region on earth. One reason for this high di- ducing the uncertainty that impedes management deci- versity is that communities change dramatically from sions and their effectiveness. Similarly, management the lowlands to mountaintops as species drop out and can play an important role in the conduct of science by are replaced by others. Our research aims to under- providing information from monitoring treatments that stand the factors that restrict species to narrow eleva- enhances future conservation actions. tional ranges on tropical mountainsides and to examine the patterns and correlates of species turnover with el- evation. We draw upon multi-year datasets from two Neotropical gradients in Costa Rica and Peru, which are global diversity hotspots and centers of avian en- demism, to compare and contrast drivers of species Alex E Jahn ranges and community change and forecast how these regions will shift in future climates. We show how bird species may have different responses to climate change, which are in part reflected by their current distribu- Drivers of molt-migration in intra-tropical migra- tion, habitat affinity and the strength of biotic interac- tory birds tions. Cloud forest endemics, in particular, are likely to be among those most threatened by continued warm- Alex E Jahn ing. The strength of competitive interactions, and the Andre´ C Guaraldo dominance of low-elevation species may facilitate up- Maggie MacPherson slope range shifts, further constraining high elevation Thomas B Ryder cloud forest species to shrinking ranges on mountain- tops. Upslope shifts in key nest predators will likely The timing of breeding, molting and migration is still threaten nave high elevation avian communities. Trop- poorly known for many birds that breed in the Neotrop- ical mountains have been targeted as regions where cli- ics. However, a growing body of knowledge suggests mate change will have large impacts on plants and an- that molt-migration is likely widespread in passerines imals. This research helps to fill important knowledge that migrate within the Neotropics. We studied migra- gaps for tropical bird communities while focusing our tion and molt timing of intra-tropical migratory Fork- conservation targets for these biodiversity hotspots. tailed Flycatchers (Tyrannus savana) breeding in Brazil and whether molt overlaps with fall migration, as in congeners breeding in North America. Geolocator data Influence of Spawning Capelin on Marine Predator from flycatchers captured in Brasilia and So Paulo in- Diet and Food Web Structure in Coastal Newfound- dicated that flycatchers stopover in Mato Grosso do Sul land State, Brazil for a prolonged period during fall migra- tion. To investigate further, we captured flycatchers Edward J Jenkins during the period of stopover in Mato Grosso do Sul. Of Gail Davoren two adults and two juveniles captured, one adult female was symmetrically molting the first primary feather, The marine predator community of coastal Newfound- suggesting that some Fork-tailed Flycatchers undertake land is altered in the summer when the breeding seabird fall molt-migration. Further research on molt dynamics assemblage is supplemented by migratory non-breeding across a wide range of taxa is imperative to appreciat- species. This change coincides with the arrival of ing the conditions under which a given molt strategy capelin (Mallotus villosus), the dominant forage fish evolves, the tradeoffs between molt strategies and other species, which migrates inshore to spawn during July. life history strategies, and the challenges to survival that To investigate the impact of this annual pulsed re- birds face throughout the year. source on both species-level diet and food web struc- ture, we tissue sampled multiple predator species when capelin biomass was low (pre-arrival) and high (post- Exploring abiotic and biotic drivers of avian distri- arrival) for stable isotope analysis. Breeding seabirds butions and community turnover across Neotropical included Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica), razorbills mountains (Alca torda), common murres (Uria aalge), Leach’s storm-petrels (Oceanodroma leucorhoa), northern ful- Jill E Jankowski mars (Fulmarus glacialis), while non-breeding species

65 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 included great shearwaters (Ardenna gravis), sooty (September-April) seasons. We used a Bayesian hierar- shearwaters (A. grisea), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), chical modelling framework that accounted for individ- and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Sta- ual and temporal effects on selection coefficients. Met- ble isotope ratios (15N, 13C) in blood (seabirds), rics of forest structural conditions were generated using skin (whales) and muscle (fish) were analysed us- light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data acquired be- ing Bayesian mixing-models (MixSIAR) to quantify tween 2007 and 2015. Identifying differences in these species-level dietary composition, and community met- species’ use of canopy conditions or understory vege- rics were used to examine changes in community-level tation can help land managers recognize specific for- trophic diversity. When capelin biomass switched from est structural conditions that benefit Spotted Owls the low to high, the proportion of capelin in the diet in- most. creased for most predator species, resulting in a de- crease in trophic diversity among marine predators (i.e. higher dietary overlap among species). Therefore, find- ings indicated a community-level dietary shift, signi- Wood Thrush movements within the breeding sea- fying an alteration in energetic pathways within the son: Implications for availability for survey in dis- coastal food web. Our results emphasize the importance tance and occupancy sampling of capelin as a prey resource for seabirds and a key part of the food web of coastal Newfoundland, highlighting Vitek Jirinec the necessity for sustainable management of capelin in Matthias Leu the future. Distance and occupancy sampling are common meth- ods of estimating population parameters in birds. Due to imperfect detection of cryptic and mobile species, Seasonal Resource Partitioning between Northern researchers often conduct repeated visits to field sites Spotted Owls and Barred Owls in the Oregon Coast to estimate detection probability and adjust density and Range occupancy accordingly. However, whether birds remain in their home ranges across the survey period and thus Julianna MA Jenkins are available for survey is usually not verified. In this Jonathan T Kane study, we asked whether male Wood Thrush (Hyloci- Van R Kane chla mustelina) remained available for survey across a Damon B Lesmeister point count period spanning one month of the breed- Jake Verschuyl ing season. We radio-tagged 39 individuals near 39 J David Wiens point count stations in coastal Virginia in the summer of 2013 and 2014, and conducted simultaneous teleme- Populations of the federally threatened, Northern Spot- try and point count surveys (8-min variable distance ted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) have declined con- counts; three visits per year) in June of both years. We siderably since population monitoring began in 1985. found that 46% of birds switched home ranges at least Increased competitive interaction with Barred Owls (S. once, typically following nest failure. Birds moved a varia), historically absent from the Pacific Northwest, (mean SE) 21 3 days after capture (range: 5-43 days), is increasingly considered a primary threat to North- and traveled up to 4 km to establish new home ranges. ern Spotted Owls. In areas of sympatry, both species Accordingly, study birds were often detectable at mul- utilize and benefit from resources associated with high tiple point count stations. Across 117 point count sur- cover of old conifer forest. However, there is un- veys, the Wood Thrush was available for survey and certainty in their partitioning of forest areas at finer detected at 43% of counts, available but undetected at scales, particularly with regard to forest canopy struc- 34%, unavailable but detected at 4% (detection of other ture and understory vegetation. Telemetry data on 41 individuals), and unavailable and undetected at 18% of northern spotted owls (93 seasonal home ranges) and counts. Our results indicate Wood Thrush home ranges 38 sympatric Barred Owls (105 seasonal home ranges) to be dynamic during the breeding season, which could were compiled for two sites in the Southern Coast lead to inflated population parameters in both survey Ranges of Oregon from 2007-2009 and 2012-2014. designs. We used discrete-choice models of resource selection to compare alternative hypotheses about the influence of topography, forest structural conditions, and forest cover on species-specific patterns of resource selec- Call of the Wild: Using Natural Sounds Recordings tion in the breeding (March-August) and nonbreeding to Give Voice to Avian Conservation

66 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Jacob R Job however, the presence of male helpers had a stronger impact than the presence of female helpers. The num- Audubon’s 2015 Birds and Climate Change Report’ re- ber of extra-pair young sired by dominant breeding vealed that over three hundred North American bird males decreased as the number of male helpers in- species are threatened by climate change. While the sci- creased. In variegated fairy-wrens there is less repro- entific community has rallied around this issue, broader ductive promiscuity in the presence of helpers, espe- engagement with the general public is needed for po- cially males. I hypothesize that reproductive promiscu- litical action to support scientific endeavors. To bet- ity is an alternative reproductive strategy utilized when ter connect the public with the climate imperiled avian help at the nest is unavailable, and nest success is ex- community, in 2015 I created the Birds of Rocky Moun- pected to be low. tain National Park’ audio recording project, using nat- ural sound recordings as a potentially powerful emo- tive and conservation force. The project goal is to de- liver high quality audio recordings of bird species and Evaluation of Southwestern Willow Flycatcher soundscapes at risk to people across the country in or- Breeding Records Along Southern Range Boundary der to raise awareness and increase support for their conservation. Recordings are now widely accessible Glenn E Johnson on the park’s website, and with the help of a team Charles van Riper III of undergraduate students, have been turned into sci- ence communication products that engage the public. Throughout the 20th century, Southwestern Wil- Due to overwhelming positive feedback surrounding low Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus) declined the project, it has since expanded to include other na- across their range in the southwestern United States, tional parks. This has increased the reach of this mes- resulting in a listing as federally endangered in 1995. saging to millions of people, illustrating the power of We reviewed late-spring and summer records of Willow focused messaging and natural sounds as effective con- Flycatcher from the southern portion of the generally- servation tools. agreed upon summer range of extimus, i.e. south of 34 degrees north latitude within the area in North America where specimen examination and/or genetic analyses Cooperative breeding in the variegated fairy-wren: has verified the subspecies. We considered descriptions is promiscuity an alternative strategy in the absence of nesting confirmed, questionable (i.e. possible but ev- of help at the nest? idence lacking/inconclusive), or migrant. After exclud- ing currently active breeding sites in Arizona (e.g., con- Allison E Johnson fluence of San Pedro and Gila Rivers) and sites where well-documented breeding populations were extirpated Reproductive monogamy is expected in cooperatively (e.g., Tucson), we evaluated 97 records from 43 locali- breeding species, as it increases the inclusive fitness ties. Of these records, 28% were confirm-able breed- gained by helpers. This expectation generally holds true ing records (verified nest descriptions or specimens), for cooperatively breeding birds, but fairy-wrens are a 57% were likely migrants (no evidence of breeding pre- striking exception. Fairy-wrens exhibit a range of re- sented, and not within mid-June to mid-July), and 14% productive promiscuity, with extra pair sires account- were questionable (incorrect assumption of breeding ing for up to 76% of young across species. Here I ex- based on date, specimens later determined to be other amine helping behavior and reproductive promiscuity Empidonax species, etc.). We found evidence of a rel- in the variegated fairy-wren. Between 2012 and 2015 atively large number of confirmed nests (n = 20) from I observed provisioning behavior (n = 35 nests), mea- the upper San Pedro River in southeastern Arizona, the sured nest success (n = 220 nests), and quantified pater- majority of which are historical records (n = 17) not nity (n = 121 nests) for variegated fairy-wrens in South specifically known to contemporary workers, whereas Australia. More male helpers provisioned than female evidence was lacking for purported E. t. extimus breed- helpers, and male helpers provisioned at a higher rate ing localities further south in latitude (i.e, Texas and than female helpers. Nests were more likely to fledge northwestern Mexico). when male helpers were present. Extra-pair paternity occurred in 54% of nests and 39.8% of all offspring were sired by extra-pair males. The presence of both male and female helpers correlated positively with the Declining old-forest species as a legacy of large trees percent of within-pair young sired by breeding males, lost

67 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Gavin M Jones poorly understood. Our research examines whether ju- John J Keane venile body condition and wing development at fledg- Rocky J Gutierrez´ ing carryover and influence patterns of post-fledging M Z Peery survival within and among altricial songbird species. Our initial efforts focused on a single species, the Dick- Global declines in large old trees from selective logging cissel (Spiza americana), where we documented pre- have degraded old-forest ecosystems, which could lead to post-fledging carryover effects on fledgling survival to delayed declines or losses of old-forest-associated for wing development and body condition during the wildlife populations (i.e., extinction debt). We ap- early part of the post-fledging period. Survival bene- plied the declining population paradigm and explored fits of each trait were conditional upon cause-specific potential evidence for extinction debt in spotted owls sources of mortality; individuals in better body con- (Strix occidentalis) in the Sierra Nevada, California, dition were less likely to die from exposure, whereas USA. We tested hypotheses about the influence of those with more developed wings were less likely to be forest structure on territory extinction dynamics us- preyed upon. Thus, our findings provided some of the ing detection/non-detection data from 1993 to 2011 first evidence linking development of juvenile pheno- across two land tenures: national forests, which expe- typic traits to survival against specific sources of post- rienced extensive large tree logging over the past cen- fledging mortality in songbirds. Subsequently, we have tury, and national parks, which did not. Large tree/high broadened our study to explore inter- and intraspecific canopy cover forest was the best predictor of extinc- variation inand relationships amongage-specific mor- tion rates. Owl territories with more large tree/high tality (nest and post-fledging survival), nestling wing canopy cover forest had lower extinction rates, and this development and body condition, fledgling locomo- forest type was raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$4 tor (flight) ability, and other life history characteristics times more prevalent within owl territories in na- for a grassland-shrubland songbird community (>20 tional parks (x=19% of territory) than national forests species) in east-central Illinois, USA. Preliminary re- (x=4% of territory). As such, predicted extinc- sults from our research suggest that interspecific vari- tion probability for an average owl territory was ation in juvenile development during the nesting stage raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$2.5 greater in na- culminates in a gradient of expressed phenotypic traits tional forests than national parks, where occupancy was at the point of fledging, which carryover and drive declining (<1) and stable (=1), respectively. Large patterns of post-fledging survival within and among tree/high canopy cover forest remained consistently species. low, but did not decline, during the study period on na- tional forests while owl declines were ongoingan ob- servation consistent with an extinction debt. We pro- Maintaining critical habitat for birds at the Salton vide evidence suggesting past logging of large old trees Sea may have contributed to contemporary declines in spot- ted owls, and suggest that protections for remaining Andrea L Jones large old trees and promoting their recruitment in the Katie Krieger future will be critical for biodiversity conservation in Leonardo Salas the world’s forests. W D Shuford Daniel S Cooper

Does variation in nestling wing development and The Salton Sea is one of the most critical inland wetland body condition drive post-fledging survival within habitats along the Pacific Flyway. Recent declines in and among songbird species? water levels from agriculture-to-urban transfers of Col- orado River entitlements will accelerate in 2018, affect- Todd M Jones ing waterbirds and creating public health issues caused Michael P Ward by air-borne dust from the exposed playa. The State of Thomas J Benson California recently initiated a Salton Sea Plan to man- Jeffrey D Brawn age habitat and dust mitigation over time in the con- text of reduced water input. To inform that process, Phenotypic traits developed in one life history stage we quantified the types and extent of habitat associ- can carryover and affect survival in subsequent stages. ated with bird populations at the sea. We developed For songbirds, carryover effects from the pre- to post- habitat suitability models for 18 indicator bird species fledging period may be crucial for survival but are that represented five habitat types: playa; mudflats and

68 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book shallow water; mid-depth water; deep water; and per- (Ammodramus savannarum) and eastern meadowlark manent vegetated wetlands. We used data from eBird (Sturnella magna) occurred more often on CRP than and the Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey to estimate the agricultural lands. Five of the 11 grassland obligates, probability of presence of the indicator species. We de- the horned lark (Eremophila alpestris), lark bunting, fined thresholds for preferred habitat and summarized grasshopper sparrow, western meadowlark (S. neglecta) the extent of preferred habitat under baseline (1999) and dickcissel (Spiza americana) occurred more often and current (2015) conditions to provide essential con- on native than introduced CRP plantings. Derived esti- text for decision-making. Approximately 58,000 acres mates of area occupied indicate the core LPCI conser- of preferred habitat were available to waterbirds in both vation practices are able to increase the extent of oc- years, despite changes in the locations of habitats as the currence for several declining grassland obligates in the sea receded. Four factors appeared to be strong drivers southern Great Plains. of habitat use patterns: amount of shallow water, sed- iment composition, amount of open water, and prox- imity to river mouths. It is our hope that this project will help the State develop and implement a Salton Sea Genomic approaches to understanding speciation in Management Plan that sustains desired habitat quantity Jamaican-endemic streamertail hummingbirds and, hopefully, functionality for avian species as the sea recedes. Caroline D Judy Gary R Graves Robb T Brumfield

Effectiveness Monitoring to Evaluate Contributions The Jamaican streamertail hummingbirds (Trochilus of Lesser Prairie-Chicken Conservation to Biodiver- polytmus and T. scitulus) represent a potential rare ex- sity in the Great Plains ample of avian in-situ speciation to occur on a small oceanic island. These spectacularly plumed island en- David C Pavlacky Jr demics form a narrow hybrid zone where their ranges Adam W Green meet in eastern Jamaica. Streamertail hummingbirds Anne M Bartuszevige are highly volant, yet bill color, the secondary sexual Rich Iovanna ornament that distinguishes the taxa, changes from ruby Christian A Hagen red (T. polytmus) to jet black (T. scitulus) over less than a few kilometers. Previous work to identify targets of Long-term population declines have elevated the re- selection and reconstruct the evolutionary history for covery of the grassland avifauna to among the high- these young lineages has been hampered by the lack of est conservation priorities in North America. We divergence at the majority of loci examined, including evaluated the ability of conservation practices for the the mitochondrial control region, three independently lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) to segregating nuclear introns, and six microsatellite loci. increase the site occupancy of grassland birds. We Here, I use a genotyping-by-sequencing dataset (6,451 studied core practices under the Lesser Prairie-Chicken SNPs) to resolve the structure of the hybrid zone and Initiative (LPCI), including private lands enrolled in test the prediction that it is a tension zone,’ maintained prescribed grazing and the Conservation Reserve Pro- as a balance between selection against hybrids and dis- gram (CRP). We developed control-impact designs in persal into the zone. Using a combination of multi- tandem with the Integrated Monitoring in Bird Con- variate and population genetic techniques, I recovered servation Regions (IMBCR) program, and Hierarchi- signal for two genetic clusters that match species def- cal Bayes multi-species occupancy models to evaluate initions, and clinal variation in admixture assignments the effectiveness of conservation practices relative to across the island. The range of admixture assignments IMBCR reference regions. We hypothesized the oc- (0.03 - 93%) in the hybrid zone populations supports cupancy of grassland obligates would be greater on the hypothesis that hybrid zone individuals represent a lands enrolled in conservation practices than reference spectrum of parental types, F1 hybrids, and advanced regions. In addition, we predicted the occupancy of backcrosses. I discuss the potential drivers of this un- grassland obligates would be greater on native than in- usual in-situ speciation event in the larger context of troduced CRP plantings. Two of the 11 grassland ob- island diversification patterns. ligates, Cassin’s sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) and lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys), showed greater occupancy on LPCI grazing lands than reference grass- lands. The Cassin’s sparrow, grasshopper sparrow Feral Cats and One Health

69 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Anne Justice-Allen In cooperatively breeding animals, the degree of ge- David Jessup netic relatedness among group members often deter- mines the extent of cooperation, competition, and re- National Geographic has declared 2018 The Year of productive sharing within a group. According to repro- the Bird’ and paraphrasing Thomas Lovejoy noted ”It ductive skew theory, reproductive sharing should occur you take care of the birds, you take care of most of most often in kin-based groups wherein male breeders the big problems of the world”. Cat advocacy groups gain inclusive fitness benefits from offspring sired by claim that feral cats, community cats’, and outdoor relatives. Male breeders are expected to share paternity owned cats, are not a serious threat to bird (and small with same-sex group members when the fitness costs animal) populations. This, despite very strong agree- of losing parentage does not exceed the benefits of co- ment among essentially all studies as to the negative operation. We tested the hypothesis that group mem- impacts of free-living cats on both local and regional bers gain parentage depending on their relatedness to bird populations. For the last 15-20 years the veteri- the same-sex breeder and level of helping in the tropical nary profession has been promoting One Health’. Al- chestnut-crested yuhina, Yuhina everetti. We studied a though definitions and applications vary, the concept marked population at Kinabalu Park, Malaysian Bor- is that animal health, human health and environmen- neo; 2009-2015. Combining behavioral and molecular tal health are inextricably bound together. That when data, we provide a first description of their social and conflicts arise, the best solutions are those optimizing genetic mating system. Breeding groups consisted of a all three, and that human health professionals, animal breeding pair and up to 12 group members (mean SD = health professionals, and ecologists and environmen- 4.15 3.22, n = 39 groups). The sex ratio of group mem- tal scientists should work together to find solutions and bers was strongly biased toward males (83.8%), based compromises. Strongly endorsed by the AVMA, One on molecular sexing. Group members assisted with Health has become so important that most veterinary incubation, brooding, nestling provisioning, and more schools now have a One Health institute, program, or rarely, nest building (60% of 65 breeding pairs had at professorship. But, many veterinarians and veterinary least one helper). We genotyped 384 offspring and can- schools also embrace, participate in, or endorse TNR’, didate parents (breeding pairs and helpers) from 116 trap-neuter-re-abandonment (although they call it re- broods at eight microsatellite loci and present results for lease) as a tool for managing feral cats. This despite few genetic relatedness among group members, parentage, in any examples of TNR actually resulting in stable or and kinship. We discuss how the degree of genetic re- declining feral feline populations over any meaningful latedness between breeders and helpers within a group landscape or time period. Is it possible to support main- explain patterns of cooperation in parental duties and taining cats outdoors (TNR) and also optimize human reproductive sharing. health, animal health and environmental health (prac- tice One Health) ? Agriculture erases climate-driven β-diversity in Neotropical bird communities

Daniel S Karp Luke O Frishkoff Conclusion: Sara A Kaiser Alejandra Echeverri Pedro Juarez Pedro Juarez Kai M Chan

Within-group relatedness and patterns of coopera- Earth is experiencing multiple global changes that will, tion and reproductive sharing in the cooperatively together, determine the fate of many species. Yet how breeding chestnut-crested yuhina biological communities respond to concurrent stressors at local to regional scales is largely unknown. In partic- Sara A Kaiser ular, understanding how local habitat conversion inter- Thomas E Martin acts with regional climate change to shape patterns in Juan C Oteyza -diversitydifferences among sites in their species com- Julie E Danner positionsis critical to forecast communities in the An- Connor Armstad thropocene. Here, we study patterns in bird -diversity Robert C Fleischer across land-use and precipitation gradients in Costa

70 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Rica. We mapped forest cover, modeled regional pre- forest fragmentation and habitat loss, and also illus- cipitation, and collected data on bird community com- trates how patterns of diversity and community com- position, vegetation structure, and tree diversity across position may shift in important ways time. 120 sites on 20 farms to answer three questions. First, do bird communities respond more strongly to changes in land-use or climate in northwest Costa Rica? Sec- ond, does habitat conversion eliminate -diversity across Call Development in Grasshopper Sparrows climate gradients? Third, does regional climate control how communities respond to habitat conversion and, if Manpreet Kaur so, how? After correcting for imperfect detection, we Bernard Lohr found that local land-use determined community shifts along the climate gradient. In forests, bird communi- The songs and other vocalizations of adult Grasshopper ties were distinct between sites that differed in vegeta- Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) have been well tion structure or precipitation. In agriculture, however, studied but little is known about the early vocalizations vegetation structure was more uniform, contributing to that are critical to the survival of chicks from hatching 7-11% less bird turnover than in forests. Additionally, to post-fledging. In the field, we recorded vocalizations bird responses to agriculture and climate were linked: of wild Grasshopper Sparrow nestlings from hatching agricultural communities across the precipitation gradi- (day zero) until fledging (day eight or nine) and mea- ent shared more species with dry than wet forest com- sured how the early vocalizations change as nestlings munities. These findings suggest that habitat conver- grow into mobile, full-sized juveniles similar in size sion and anticipated climate drying will act together to to adults. We also recorded the vocalizations of cap- exacerbate biotic homogenization. tive reared chicks from shortly after hatching (day three onwards) through the post-fledging period until they were fully independent of adults (day 23). We mea- Avian diversity in a fragmented Neotropical land- sured four variables in this study, the frequency, dura- scape: 2003 - 2017 tion, frequency modulation (FM), and amplitude modu- lation (AM) of nestling calls. Results showed that over Jordan Karubian the nestling period calls followed a similar progression Luke Browne in wild and captive chicks, with calls becoming longer Fernando Castillo in duration, higher in frequency and more complex in Luis Carrasco terms of FM and AM. By day 10, after leaving the nest, Scott Walter chicks developed a new vocalization, most like an adult disturbance call. This change may signal the transition Understanding the effects of habitat loss and fragmen- of fledgling calls into adult vocalizations. tation on avian diversity and community composition is challenging because effects are likely to be heteroge- neous across guilds and contexts, and there is limited understanding of how patterns may change over time. Landscape heterogeneity explains taxonomic, not We assessed avian response to forest fragmentation in functional or phylogenetic, bird diversity across a working landscape in northwest Ecuador to gain a agricultural landscapes better understanding of these dynamics. We evaluated richness, diversity, and community composition of un- Alison Ke derstory bird species in fragments vs. continuous for- Muzi Sibiya est, and compared changes over time over a 14-yr pe- Chevonne Reynolds riod. Our findings suggest that patterns of diversity and Robert A McCleery community composition in fragments vs. continuous Ara Monadjem forest vary among guilds, as does the relative impact Robert J Fletcher of different environmental variables. Similarly, we ob- served substantial variation among species and guilds There is an ongoing need to integrate agricultural pro- in the magnitude and direction of change over time in duction with wildlife conservation to maintain biodiver- fragments, though overall there was a general trend of sity, especially in developing countries. The landscape steady declines in fragments relative to continuous for- heterogeneity hypothesis presents a potential means est. This study highlights the variety of responses that for promoting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. avian species and guilds may exhibit in the context of However, the importance of landscape heterogeneity

71 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 relative to alternative biodiversity-generating hypothe- habitat availability to enable precise delivery of habi- ses is poorly understood, particularly the relative impor- tat investments. Second, we developed a flexible habi- tance of different components of landscape heterogene- tat procurement market in which farmers are awarded ity. We investigated how non-breeding bird taxonomic, contracts through a reverse auction and paid to cre- functional, and phylogenetic diversity responded to two ate targeted bird habitat at times and places when it components of landscape heterogeneity, composition is needed most. Third, we implemented a comprehen- and configuration, and compared the importance of the sive monitoring program to quantify the benefits of our landscape heterogeneity hypothesis relative to the habi- program. We demonstrated that temporary habitat pro- tat amount hypothesis and vegetation structural het- vides significant benefit for birds, especially during pe- erogeneity hypothesis. To do so, we conducted point riods of habitat scarcity, and can be more cost-effective counts at 80 plots across 16 landscapes during June than permanent protection. These approaches and tools July 2016 in northeastern Swaziland, a sub-tropical sa- combined have resulted in over 100,000 hectares of vanna. We used linear mixed-effects models to com- habitat delivered, in partnership with over 200 farmers, pare the effect of each component of landscape het- demonstrating the large-scale applicability of these ap- erogeneity on non-breeding bird diversity, and to com- proaches. pare the relative importance of landscape heterogeneity to the habitat amount and vegetation structural hetero- geneity hypotheses. We found support for a positive Dietary overlap and differences among coexisting, effect of landscape heterogeneity over the alternative food-limited birds in relation to available prey and biodiversity-generating hypotheses for only taxonomic foraging behavior diversity, and found a positive effect of habitat amount on phylogenetic diversity. In agricultural mosaics in Cody M Kent subtropical savannas, conservation value may be cre- Thomas W Sherry ated if landscape compositional heterogeneity is incor- porated with large areas of habitat in land planning. Studies of niche partitioning based on diet have a long history in ornithology, and ecology generally. However, most of these studies are based on dietary proxies, such as foraging behavior, and fail to ensure that these di- BirdReturns: delivering dynamic cost-effective etary proxies lead to differences in resource use. Fur- habitat for migratory birds in agricultural land- thermore, studies of actual diets rarely explicitly test scapes what phenotypic differences (e.g. behavior, morphol- ogy, etc.) lead to the measured differences in diet. Here T R Kelsey we combine foraging behavior, available prey, and diet Greg H Golet in a niche partitioning framework. Working on four Mark D Reynolds species of coexisting wintering warblers in Jamaica, we quantified the use of three substrates by foraging birds With large-scale loss of natural habitats, birds now de- (bark, leaves/branch tips, and airspace), and measured pend on farmlands as habitat in many regions globally, the abundance of different arthropod taxa on each of creating important opportunities to collaborate with these substrates. We combined these two data sets to farmers. However, conservation on agricultural lands generate expected diets for each species. In addition, has many challenges. Agriculture and birds are spa- we obtained observed diets from each species with the tially and temporally dynamic and knowledge of where use of an emetic. Overall, we found generally high lev- and when birds need habitat the most can be scarce. els of dietary overlap between species, largely driven Habitat management can also be costly and out of sync by universally high consumption of Formicidae. De- with farming activities. Thus, to achieve high conser- spite these high overlaps, we also detected distinct dif- vation benefit with limited funding, we need to apply ferences in diet between all warbler species. Impor- the best information about when and where to create tantly, we found that our expected diets strongly pre- habitat, as well as create dynamic and cost-efficient dicted observed diets and performed better than several modes of implementation. Building off a collabora- other potential models. Finally, we found that differ- tion with farmers, agencies and NGOs, we developed ences in expected arthropod consumption between bird BirdReturns, a program designed to dynamically de- species based on substrate use predicted differences in liver quality habitat for migratory wetland birds by rent- observed arthropod consumption. Overall, these find- ing habitat on farms. First, we combined high resolu- ings indicate that despite high levels of dietary over- tion spatial and temporal maps of bird abundance and lap and likely interspecific competition, evolved differ-

72 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book ences in foraging behavior directly generate differences Eileen M Kirsch in resource use allowing for coexistence. Michael Wellik Robert Diehl Manuel Suarez Richard Sojda Threatened birds, dynamic habitats and distur- Wendy Woyczik bance processes: conservation ecology in one of the worlds most understudied savanna ecosystems Horicon Marsh is the largest cattail marsh in the con- tiguous United States, providing important habitat for Jo Kingsbury Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) during fall roost- G M Davies ing and migration staging. Sandhill Cranes make daily Chris Tonra flights from the marsh to feed in near-by agricultural Ross Macleod fields, and pastures. Eighty-six commercial wind tur- bines were erected 3.2 km northeast of the marsh in In the Beni Savanna’s of Bolivia vegetation dynam- areas Sandhill Cranes are known to use. During fall ics are driven by complex interacting environmental migration 2009 and 2010 we tracked Sandhill Crane and agricultural disturbance processes, including flood- movement aloft from the roost to feeding areas includ- ing, fire and cattle grazing. In turn, the distribution ing areas in the wind turbine development. We also of bird communities is shaped by how these processes mapped the distribution of feeding cranes in this land- influence prevailing vegetation composition and struc- scape using roadside surveys during fall migration. We ture. We explore how the distribution and habitat use observed that cranes typically flew lower than 250m of avian grassland specialists is influenced by habi- above ground level and 68% of recorded flights in the tat structure and disturbance history along the cerrado- turbine area were at altitudes within the rotors swept grassland gradient, focuing on three key conserva- zone (42-119m AGL). Flights that occurred within 77m tion species, Alectrurus tricolor (cock-tailed tyrant), of a wind turbine were either above or below the ro- Coryphaspiza melanotis (black-masked finch), and Em- tor swept zone. In 2009, a wet year with delayed crop berizoides herbicola (wedge-tailed grass-finch). Our re- harvest, 45% of the feeding flocks were within in the sults indicate: i) Cock-tailed tyrants specialize on spe- turbine area: however, in 2010, a dry year when crops cific disturbance-sensitive micro-habitats, while black- were harvested early, only 12% of feeding flocks were masked finch and wedge-tailed grass-finch are gen- in the turbine area. Sandhill Cranes can see and avoid eralists but track food resources that may be influ- turbine rotors during diurnal feeding flights, although in enced by the timing and severity of disturbance pro- this landscape cranes may not venture near turbines un- cesses; ii) Black-masked finch and cock-tailed tyrants less foraging opportunities are limited by delayed crop have greater sensitivity to agricultural disturbances than harvest. the more common wedge-tailed grass-finch a factor likely contributing to their currentglobal decline; iii) Prescribed burning is integral for the conservation of Legal considerations for addressing feral and free- avian communities within this region, but scale, tim- ranging cats at the State level ing and frequency are likely important considerations due to their influence on key habitat resources; and Lane S Kisonak iv) Management within protected areas that aims to re- tain a range of post-burn stages in a shifting mosaic Several state fish and wildlife agencies have adopted could help to support wider avian communities. Our regulations, and several state legislatures have passed study develops a better understanding of how distur- statutes, to address the presence of domesticated ani- bance processes influence biodiversity in this under- mals (including feral and free-ranging cats) on agency studied region. Our results will be critical for strength- lands managed for conservation of native wildlife. ening management protocols in protected areas like the However, many of these provisions are unclear in their Barba Azul Nature Reserve, and more sustainable ap- reach, and many states have no explicit cat policy at proaches to agriculture in the wider Beni region. all. A multi-disciplinary workgroup coordinated by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies exam- ined delegations of authority to municipalities, rules to prevent the spread of cat populations and control ex- Flight behavior of Sandhill Cranes (Grus canaden- isting populations, and prohibitions on bringing cats sis) in the vicinity of wind turbines onto state lands (including applicable penalties). We

73 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 also examined Trap/neuter/vaccinate/release (T/N/V/R) present a framework to integrate data from this study programs. The workgroup conducted a survey of state with simulation tools to predict changes in songbird agency attorneys, wildlife managers, and law enforce- communities in response to climate change and fire ment personnel, to determine which provisions are rou- regime scenarios. tinely put to use. Our findings indicated that many per- sonnel were not fully familiar with the relevant sources of law or engaged in the free-ranging cat issue area. Be- cause this issue is gaining salience within the broader Effects of supplemental feeding on gut microbiota legal community (a section of the American Bar As- and parasite resistance in Eastern Bluebirds sociation passed a resolution in August advocating for T/N/V/R programs), lawyers outside of state agencies Sarah A Knutie may influence how science is used to balance conser- vation concerns with animal welfare interests. Novel Supplemental feeding of birds by humans can affect forms of litigation may develop as the issue gains a host-parasite interactions. For example, increased food higher profile among NGOs. availability can have both a positive and negative ef- fect on parasite resistance in the host. These interac- tions could be mediated by the host’s gut microbiota be- Resilience and resistance of songbird communities cause studies have found that host diet can affect their to wildfire in the northern boreal forest gut microbiota and gut microbiota can affect the im- mune system. In this study, I determined the effects Michelle Knaggs of supplemental feeding on interactions between East- Samuel A Hache ern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) and their parasitic nest flies Scott E Nielsen (Protocalliphora sialia) in northern Minnesota. Specif- Erin M Bayne ically, I tested whether experimental manipulations of Rhiannon F Pankratz mealworm availability and parasite abundance affect Diana Stralberg gut microbiota and the antibody-mediated immune re- sponse in Bluebirds. I found that supplemental feeding Climate change is expected to substantially alter fire of Bluebirds dramatically reduced parasite abundance regimes in northern boreal ecosystems by increasing compared to unsupplemented birds, which was medi- fire frequency and severity. However, the resistance and ated by the antibody response. The effect of the treat- resilience of songbird communities breeding in these ments on gut microbiota will also be discussed. These regions remain largely unknown. This information is, results suggest that supplemental feeding of bluebirds however, required to help anticipate the effects of cli- can improve the health of the birds by increasing their mate change and inform conservation strategies. In resistance to parasites. this study, we quantified the response of a songbird community to wildfires in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Specifically, we estimated abundance of 50 songbird species in stands 1, 2, 3-10, 11-30, 31-50, Breeding season prey selection trends by the Lit- and < 50 years post-disturbance, and 45 species in tle Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) in coastal south unburned controls and stands burned at low, medium, Florida and high severity in 2014. We then tested for ef- fects of time since disturbance, burn severity, and land Emilie RT Kohler cover (uplands vs. peatlands) on species richness, com- Dale E Gawlik munity composition, and functional diversity to assess Marisa Martinez the resilience/resistance of the songbird community. Stephanie S Romanach Species richness in stands 3-50 years post-disturbance was higher (8-35%) than unburned controls. There Little Blue Herons (Egretta caerulea, hereafter heron) were significant burn severity land cover interaction ef- are reportedly generalists that eat insects, crustaceans, fects on species richness and community composition. and fish; however, the proportions of prey items may Functional diversity decreased significantly with burn shift spatially from freshwater to marine systems or severity (p ¡ 0.004), but not in response to time since temporally between breeding and non-breeding peri- disturbance. Overall, the songbird community showed ods. Identifying prey species preferences for herons relatively high resilience and to a lesser extent resis- in coastal areas is an important step in understanding tance to wildfires in northern boreal regions. We also how the foraging habitat of this species may be affected

74 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book by environmental stressors. We investigated prey selec- study to better monitor nesting behavior. Future efforts tion by herons in Great White Heron National Wildlife will include a continuation and expansion of the Smart- Refuge, in the lower Keys of Florida during 2016 and box pilot study and examination of nest box contents 2017. In 2016, we sampled prey communities at 74 to better understand the species and potentially provide locations along mudflats near low tide using a 1-m2 insights to their decline. throw trap to measure the available prey community. To assess prey selection we compared these samples with 53 samples of stomach regurgitate from 26 heron nests Autumn social familiarity preferences predict re- with chicks 1 to 4 weeks in age. Gulf toadfish (Opsanus productive output in Brown-headed Cowbirds beta) occurred in 57% of nests, and contributed to 38% (Molothrus ater) of the diet and 12% of the available prey community. While shrimp (Penaeus spp. and Alpheus spp.) were Gregory M Kohn the most abundant taxa in throw traps, contributing to 23% of the available prey community, they occurred in Fissionfusion dynamics create social instability, as indi- 89% of nests and 39% of the boluses. Herons did not viduals must adjust to changes in group size and com- select for crabs as they made up 45% of the available position. In many social species, group changes are as- prey biomass, but were only found in 1% of boluses. In sociated with increases in aggression, stress responses, addition to estuarine species, herons also consumed ter- and individual mortality. It has been hypothesized restrial prey suggesting foraging habitat is not exclusive that fissionfusion dynamics select for strong bonds that to tidal flats and underscoring their characterization as provide a predictable social environment across group a generalist. changes. I explored whether social networks remain predictable across periods of social instability in brown- headed cowbird, Molothrus ater, flocks, and whether Effects of Land Management Type on American such networks predict later reproductive output. During Kestrel (Falco sparverius) Occupancy and Recruit- autumn, the organization of female social networks re- ment mained predictable across a series of introductions with novel flocks. Females formed sub-group communities Allison K Kohler of familiar conspecifics within the larger group. Here Mary R Sellars they were able to maintain individual relationships with Erik R Olson familiar group members despite large-scale group per- Thomas C Doolittle turbations. During the spring, I found that strength of Brian Heeringa autumn familiarity preferences were the only predic- tor of female reproductive output. Female cowbirds The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) is the small- that sustained the strongest familiarity preferences laid est falcon species in North America. F. sparverius more eggs than other females. These findings sug- has experienced drastic population declines in recent gest that familiarity preferences have a cascading in- decades, although the causes for the declines are un- fluence on later reproductive performance, and that the known. To examine the effects of land manage- social dynamics of fissionfusion groups select for a ment on F. sparverius nest box occupancy and recruit- familiarity-based social organization. ment, we installed 52 nest boxes on private agricultural lands and public lands within the Moquah Barrens of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. We docu- Physiology and behavior of grassland songbirds ex- mented high F. sparverius nest box occupancy rates in posed to oil wells and anthropogenic noise 2015 (54.5%), 2016 (60.0%) and 2017 (53.8%) relative to the national average (37.7%). Nest box occupancy Nicola Koper on public lands was higher than occupancy on private Paulson Des Brisay lands across all years and this difference was statisti- Alexandra Heathcote cally significant. Although we observed a 70% female- Christoph Ng biased sex ratio in 2015 across our study site, the ratio Claire Curry is becoming less female-biased over time. It is possi- M Warrington ble that F. sparverius exhibits a density-dependent sex ratio. 141 nestlings and 26 adults were banded thus far New oil wells are continually being developed across for the project with only one adult recapture in 2016. In the Northern Great Plains, but the reasons for their gen- the summer of 2017 we implemented a Smart-box pilot erally negative effects on grassland songbirds, and the

75 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 extent to which they might thus contribute to declines ing population trends. Overall, Vermivora exhibited a of this species group, are not well understood. We broad range of migration strategies. Blue-winged War- assessed effects of oil infrastructure, and its noise, on blers generally migrated earlier than Golden- winged stress physiology and how this might interact with re- Warblers in spring and fall, travelled shorter distances productive behavior in Savannah sparrows, chestnut- between breeding and nonbreeding sites, and showed collared longspurs, and Baird’s sparrows. In several less variation in route use. Fall migration took longer cases basal or acute stress responses by parents were than spring migration in both species of Vermivora. higher near oil wells. This might partially explain why Fall migration routes around the Gulf of Mexico were parental care at nests, such as incubation and nest at- population-specific, whereas spring migration routes tentiveness, were consistently lower near infrastructure. were variable within and among species and popula- Male Savannah sparrows with territories near wells tions. We tracked 6 individual Vermivora over 2 annual were also younger, suggesting that more experienced cycles and found the timing of migration was highly re- males consider these sites to be poor quality. Several ef- peatable, although individuals used different routes in fects of the presence of oil wells were indirectly caused different years. Our results suggest that Vermivora from by roads, which were correlated with both higher acute declining populations tended to travel greater distances stress responses by some adult females, and declines in during migration than those from stable or increasing care of offspring by female parents. Surprisingly, how- populations. Identifying the effects of factors occurring ever, stress levels are lower in nestlings near oil wells, throughout the annual cycle on the population trends of a characteristic correlated with heavier, higher-quality migratory species can identify limiting factors and lead nestlings and thus unlikely to indicate negative impacts. to more effective conservation. Cumulatively, our data suggest that parental condition and parental care are both compromised in the presence of oil wells and associated infrastructure. This seems not to negatively impact nestling size or stress levels, Cats are always scary: corticosterone response to but is correlated with decreasing numbers of fledglings live predator presentation in captive house sparrows per nest near roads, which may ultimately impact pop- ulation trends. Aurelia C Kucera Britt J Heidinger

Exposure to stressors activates the vertebrate stress axis Range-wide migration patterns in Vermivora war- (hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis), and the ensuing blers release of the stress hormone corticosterone causes physiological and behavioral responses that enhance an Gunnar R Kramer individual’s immediate survival, but also lead to long- David E Andersen term fitness consequences. Field studies often use max- David A Buehler imal circulating corticosterone as an indicator of an in- Petra B Wood dividual bird’s stress responsiveness, but less is known Sean M Peterson about real-time corticosterone response to ecologically Justin A Lehman relevant stressors like predators. We exposed captive house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to two live preda- Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chyrsoptera) and tors to address the following questions: Is an individ- Blue-winged Warblers (V. cyanoptera) are Neotropical- ual’s magnitude of corticosterone response similar for Nearctic migrants experiencing varied regional popu- both predators? Do birds habituate to predator presenta- lation trends that have recently been linked to strong tion? Is maximal corticosterone indicative of response migratory connectivity and historical forest loss at to predators? We measured circulating corticosterone population- specific nonbreeding areas. Preliminary using ELISA in response to predator presentation. We evidence also suggests populations of Vermivora may found that sparrows did not habituate to predator pre- exhibit different migratory strategies (e.g., different sentation, and that individual birds had a correlated re- routes, timing) but the extent to which these differ- sponse to both predators. Additionally, maximal cor- ences are associated with population trends is cur- ticosterone was indicative of an individual’s rank re- rently unknown. We used geolocators to track annual sponse to predator presentation. movements of 70 individual Vermivora from 24 North American breeding locations from 2013-2017 and in- vestigated whether potential differences in population- specific migration ecology may be linked to breed- Identifying the genetic control and role of pleiotropy

76 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book in melanin pigmentation with the Eastern Screech- coastal sage scrub vegetation, the gnatcatcher has de- owl clined in response to habitat loss and fragmentation, exacerbated by catastrophic wildfires. We undertook Sarah M Kurtis two inter-related investigations to examine post-fire re- Jonathan Schmitt covery of gnatcatchers and their habitat, and to docu- Rebecca T Kimball ment the status of gnatcatchers throughout their Califor- Scott V Edwards nia range to establish a baseline for future trend analy- ses. We used GIS to develop a habitat suitability model Melanin pigmentation can have many direct influences for California Gnatcatchers using PRISM (climate, to- on fitness and is considered a very important adap- pography) covariates, and selected over 700 sampling tive trait in birds. However, published correlations be- points in a spatially balanced manner. Bird and vege- tween variation in coloration and several other traits tation data were collected at each point between March support pleiotropy of melanin-based genes, particu- and May in 2015 and 2016. Presence/absence of gnat- larly in owls. Despite correlated patterns of coloration catchers was determined during three visits to points, gene expression differences between plumage morphs using area searches within 150 x 150 m plots. We used and knowledge of melanin production factors influenc- an occupancy framework to generate Percent Area Oc- ing multiple pathways, no one has identified the ge- cupied (PAO) by gnatcatchers, and analyzed PAO as nomic region(s) responsible for these phenotypic as- a function of time since fire. At the regional scale in sociations in owls. The Eastern screech-owl (Megas- 2016, 23% of the points surveyed were occupied by cops asio: Strigidae) provides an ideal model to address gnatcatchers, reflecting the effect of massive wildfires this issue with color polymorphism governed largely in the last 15 years. Similarly, PAO in the post-fire by Mendelian inheritance and associated with oxygen subset of points was 24%, with the highest occupancy uptake. Whole-genome resequencing was performed in unburned (last fire <2002) habitat. Positive predic- on 24 samples (10 red, 10 gray, and 4 brown morphs) tors of occupancy included percent cover of Califor- collected from the U.S. Midwest during 2004-2014. nia sagebrush, California buckwheat, and sunflowers, Candidate pigmentation genes especially those with while negative predictors included laurel sumac and to- suggested pleiotropic effects such as agouti, POMC, tal herbaceous cover. Our findings indicate that recov- PCSK1/3, PCSK2, SLC7A11I, and SLC45A2 will be ery from wildfire may take decades, and provide infor- mapped from the published spotted owl (Strix occiden- mation to speed up recovery through habitat restoration. talis: Strigidae) reference genome to the resequencing data to assess whether color variation is explained. Af- ter mapping all raw data, pairwise fixation index be- tween plumage morphs will be calculated to identify Contrasting responses of neighboring piping plover other potential functional loci. We expect polymor- populations toward habitat creation, conservation, phism to be explained either by a single genomic re- and potential disturbance gion involved melanin production and other biologi- cal pathways or by tight linkage between two or more Eunbi Kwon genes with distinct biological functions, such as with Chelsea E Weithman a chromosomal inversion. Genomic confirmation of Daniel H Catlin pleiotropy in melanin pigmentation genes could pro- Sarah M Karpanty vide reason to rethink the theorized adaptive roles of James D Fraser coloration in birds. The southernmost breeding population of federally threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus) nests Regional Occupancy and Post-fire Recovery of Cal- on the Outer Banks, NC, where they share the beach ifornia Gnatcatchers in Southern California with more than two million tourists each summer. At two neighboring national seashores, Cape Hatteras and Barbara E Kus Cape Lookout, the annual counts of breeding pairs Kristine L Preston showed a linear decrease by -87% and -62% respec- Alexandra Houston tively from 19892002, but subsequently recovered to 4 and 7.5 times larger than its historic low population The California Gnatcatcher, a federally threatened size by 2012. To identify factors correlated with pop- species, is the flagship species for regional conserva- ulation changes at both seashores, we tested the ef- tion planning in southern California. An inhabitant of fects on the population size of 1) climatic condition

77 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 at both wintering and breeding locations, 2) reproduc- two polygamous species and the Central Arctic popu- tive output at the seashore and the surrounding region, lation of semipalmated sandpiper, tended to be more 3) management practices (i.e., protection from off-road mistimed than others also showed significant popula- vehicles [ORV] and predator control), 4) the number tion declines over the past 30-years. Desynchronization of park visitors, and 5) a stochastic, habitat-creating of phenology can be costly to reproductive success and hurricane event. The number of park visitors showed recruitment. Our results showed a significant species- the strongest, negative correlation with breeding pair specific effect on the extent of phenological mismatch counts at both seashores. This effect disappeared when and suggest that phenological mismatches may help ex- protection buffers from ORV traffic were implemented plain variation in the population trends of sympatrically for nests and chicks, and after a habitat creating storm, breeding species. but only at Cape Lookout where human-use was much lower and natural storm overwash was allowed to occur. Breeding pair counts also were greater following higher reproductive success the previous year or following a warmer winter in the Bahamas where the two popula- tions winter. Our study shows the potential negative hu- Katie LaBarbera man impact on the long-term growth of a marginal pop- ulation, and the effect of localized management prac- tices and habitat in regulating those effects. Measuring Winged Warbler (Vermivora sp) Occu- pancy as a Function of Landscape Structure at Mul- Monogamous shorebirds breed earlier and match tiple Spatial Scales in the Champlain Valley of Ver- with food peak better than sympatrically breeding mont polygamous shorebirds Steven A Lamonde Eunbi Kwon Lisabeth Willey Emily L Weiser Richard B Lanctot Despite widespread acknowledgment of the importance Stephen C Brown of multiple spatial scales in species conservation, few River Gates studies employ scale-optimization methods to identify H Grant Gilchrist biologically justified scales at which an ecological pro- cess or pattern occurs. Depending on the spatial scale Responses to climate change can vary across trophic of observation, patterns in habitat selection and avail- levels, leading to a temporal decoupling of trophic inter- ability can appear dramatically different. Thus, em- actions or phenological mismatch.’ Phenological shifts pirically identifying the appropriate scale(s) at which of food peaks are shared among sympatric species that habitat selection occurs can improve the analytical raise their offspring on similar diets. However, differ- strength and ecological interpretability of habitat selec- ent life history traits can constrain changes in breed- tion models. Scale optimization is especially critical ing timing leaving some species more prone to a mis- for gaining a better understanding of ecological patterns match with a food peak than others. We monitored 3180 in threatened species. Golden-winged Warblers (Ver- nests of six shorebird species that breed sympatrically mivora chrysoptera) are sharply declining due to habi- at ten coastal Arctic sites in North America, and esti- tat loss and hybridization with Blue-winged Warblers mated the extent of the phenological mismatch between (V. cyanoptera), and previous research indicates land- invertebrate prey and shorebirds at both an individual scape characteristics, including forest cover, act as im- nest level and at the population level. Across sites and portant determinants of breeding winged-warbler dis- years, three polygamous species (Pectoral Sandpipers, tribution. During the 2017 breeding season, 89 points Red Phalaropes, and Red-necked Phalaropes) initiated were sampled across the Champlain Valley ecoregion their clutch significantly later than three monogamous of Vermont, USA, yielding observations of 11 Golden- species (Western Sandpiper, Dunlin, and Semipalmated winged Warblers, 21 Blue-winged Warblers, and 10 hy- Sandpipers). Laying order of six species was positively brids. Optimum scales of habitat selection were identi- correlated with the extent of phenological mismatch at fied by comparing the AIC of models built over a va- the individual nest level, and two of the three polyga- riety of spatial scales, ranging from half-territory to mous species and Dunlin were significantly more mist- nine-times dispersal distance (50m to 120km). Each imed with local food peaks than the other species. The scale was placed into a competing generalized linear

78 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book model predicting either Golden-winged, Blue-winged, Reed J Turner or hybrid Warbler occupancy from percent forest cover Scott R Loss derived from classified LandSat imagery. Scales and habitat associations were then compared between phe- Collisions with buildings are a major source of human- notypically pure adults and hybrids. By incorporat- caused bird mortality that largely impact migratory ing these optimal scales into current forest management species. Most studies of bird-building collisions have practices, land managers in the Champlain Valley can assessed building or landscape-related factors that are better assist Golden-winged Warbler recovery. positively correlated with mortality, such as glass area, proximity of windows to vegetation, and the amount of surrounding greenspace. However, very little research has investigated factors causing temporal variation in Broad-scale occupancy monitoring of the threatened bird-building collisions, and in particular, there is no Mexican Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) published research that rigorously quantifies the role of weather conditions in influencing collision rates of mi- Wendy E Lanier grating birds. During spring and fall migration, we hy- Jennifer A Blakesley pothesize that more collisions are expected under two scenarios: when conditions for migration are favorable, Population monitoring is a critical element of many im- and hence more birds are moving (e.g., clear conditions, periled species’ conservation strategies. However, de- favorable tailwinds, and/or after the passage of a cold signing and implementing a monitoring plan that is ef- front); and when visibility is poor, potentially causing fective and efficient across the range of a species can be migrating birds to fall out (e.g., fog and/or low cloud very challenging. We designed a landscape-scale oc- ceiling). To assess the effect of weather on collisions, cupancy monitoring program for the federally threat- we used counts from daily carcass surveys conducted ened Mexican Spotted Owl (MSO) through a partner- during spring and fall migration of 2017 at 21 buildings ship with the Southwestern Region of the U.S. Forest in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, and we com- Service. We used potential vegetation cover types and piled hourly weather data from the Minneapolis-Saint a geospatial model to define a sampling frame for MSO Paul weather station. We found that weather variables so that survey effort would be focused in areas of po- such as wind direction affected collision mortality, and tentially suitable MSO habitat. We have conducted 2 that the weather variables predicting collision rates var- broadcast surveys per year at each of 200 randomly se- ied between spring and fall migration. Understand- lected sampling units across Arizona and New Mexico ing the effect of specific weather conditions on bird- in 2014-2018. We analyzed the data under a multistate building collisions will allow the use of weather fore- occupancy modeling framework. Using this model we casts to predict when major collision events will occur, were able to estimate the site occupancy probabilities and will therefore allow for preemptive actions to be for MSO in 2014-2017 as well as the probability that taken to reduce collision mortality. an occupied site contained a pair of MSOs. The proba- bilities of overall occupancy and conditional occupancy by pairs of Mexican Spotted Owls show similar trends. Both increased from 2014 to 2015 then held stable from A community-based approach to conserving the 2015 to 2017. Under this design we are able to esti- island-endemic Calayan Rail mate occupancy probability with enough precision to closely monitor trends in > 80% of MSO population in Cynthia A Layusa the United States. This framework may be adapted for Jameson B Reynon monitoring Mexican Spotted Owls in additional areas Albert G Guimayen of their range. Carl H Oliveros

Local communities are valuable partners in bird re- search and conservation, especially of species in un- The role of weather in bird-building collisions in a derstudied, remote small islands. In 2007, we estab- downtown area of a major U.S. city lished a community-based conservation program to in- crease local involvement in biodiversity monitoring and Sirena Lao environmental campaigns on Calayan Island, a remote Abigail W Anderson island in the northernmost Philippines. We trained lo- Robert B Blair cal volunteers and field guides in conducting the an- Joanna W Eckles nual population census of the Calayan Rail, a species

79 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 endemic to the island presently classified as vulnera- Sarah M Legge ble by the IUCN. The surveys, conducted between 2007 John C Woinarski and 2017 employed the playback method in established points along existing trails around the island. The sur- Due to Australia’s long isolation, much of its biota is veys aimed to estimate the population and area of occur- endemic. There are no native felids. Cats were intro- rence of the rail. Survey results estimated the rail’s area duced to Australia in 1788 and by the 1880s their range of occurrence at 57.5 km2, while individuals counted encompassed the entire mainland and large islands. Cat ranged from 200-300 individuals per year. The surveys density is now highest on islands and in arid areas after showed a fluctuating abundance, and a patchy distribu- good seasonal conditions. We calculated that there are tion of the Calayan Rail, showing the vulnerability of 2.8 million feral cats in Australia, and 3.9 million pet the species. Apart from field surveys, the volunteers cats. This is appreciably fewer than for the US. Feral have been active in local conservation efforts from con- cats (and the introduced red fox) were a major cause ducting environmental education campaigns in their lo- of the extinctions since 1788 of 30 Australian endemic cal communities to the protection of the island’s desig- mammals; but impacts on birds are less well resolved. nated wildlife sanctuary. Our work illustrates the ben- From many cat dietary studies, we calculated that an efits of a community-based conservation program as an individual feral cat kills 129 birds annually; 316 mil- effective approach to bird research and conservation in lion birds are killed annually by feral cats and 61 mil- small islands. lion by pet cats; and >98% of these are native birds. Highest per-cat kill rates are on islands and in arid ar- eas. This overall toll comprises about 4% of Australia’s bird population. 338 Australian bird species are known The Audubon Christmas Bird Count: Over 100 to be cat-predated. Species that nest and roost on the years of Citizen Science data informing conservation ground, weigh 60-300 g, and occur in open habitats are and management most likely to be cat-eaten. Management of feral cats is recognised by Australian governments as a high pri- Geoffrey S LeBaron ority, and generally receives strong community support, although with some vocal opposition. Management in- Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count (hereafter CBC) is a cludes broad-scale poisoning, eradication from islands, community science bird census program that has been establishment of predator-proof exclosures, and encour- continuously conducted for 118 years. From its origins agement of cat-owners to neuter and contain their pets. as a citizen science activity to promote conservation of These actions are providing some benefits, but cat man- birds, the cumulative results have become one of the agement remains challenging. two most important sources of data for the study of bird distribution and population trends across North Amer- ica. While the CBC was begun as a conservation ac- tivity, from the beginning effort data were collected in addition to the avian results. The evolution of the em- Sarah M Legge bracing of such citizen science data sets was long in coming, but in the past few decades the CBC, and by default other citizen or community science data sets, have become widely utilized by the scientific commu- nity as a valuable source of information for study. This Social and Ecological Influences on Repertoire Size presentation will explore the acceptance of the Christ- Across Birds mas Bird Count by the ornithological and conservation communities as a crucial resource, and document some Gavin M Leighton of its many uses in past, present, and future ornithologi- cal studies and conservation efforts. Also discussed will Delimiting the evolutionary forces that influence vo- be the growing set of tools utilizing CBC data that are cal complexity has been a somewhat intractable prob- becoming available to the conservation science commu- lem for biologists. However, avian lineages represent nity. an opportunity to understand the evolutionary drivers of repertoire size since avian repertoires have been recorded and estimated for many species. We compiled a dataset of several hundred avian species from over 50 Cats in Australia: numbers, management and im- families to ask whether social or ecological variables pact on birds predict repertoire size. Repertoires were acquired from

80 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book multiple sources, including both primary literature and Christopher A Lepczyk secondary literature. Using macroevolutionary analy- sis, we find evidence that both social variables (particu- Free-ranging cats pose significant conservation chal- larly cooperative breeding) and ecological variables in- lenges to wildlife and ecosystems as well as problems fluence avian repertoire size. The influence of social for human health. A leading place where the free- variables on repertoire size suggest that social complex- ranging cat problem is being met with is Hawaii, where ity influences the evolution of vocal complexity, though cats depredate a wide variety of fauna, including endan- the direction of causality remains unclear. These results gered seabirds and forest birds, and been responsible represent the first large-scale tests of variables that in- for the spread of diseases. In addition, free-ranging cats fluence repertoire size in birds. Given these results we are considered a public nuisance, particularly on pub- suggest new avenues forward for understanding vocal lic lands, where subsidized in colonies can be found. complexity in birds, and consequently, the evolution of Research and management in the state has identified a communicative complexity in animals. number of key issues, management options, and poten- tial solutions to the issue of free-ranging cats, which can be used as a guide both in the state and elsewhere. An Comparing Demography of Sympatric Scaled and overview of these issues and ongoing management and Gambel’s Quail Populations in Response to Weather policy items will be discussed. in the Chihuahuan Desert

Elizabeth A Leipold Backyard habitats: The next frontier in bird conser- Scott A Carleton vation William R Gould Susannah B Lerman Quail populations in the Southwest have been declining Mark Goddard since the 1960s with possible causes including habi- Peter P Marra tat loss, degradation, and droughts. Previous research Karen Ikin in the Southwest has also indicated a possible link be- tween the timing and duration of seasonal rainfall pat- Habitat loss resulting from urban development is rec- terns and population size of scaled and Gambel’s quail ognized as one of the greatest threats to bird popula- species. We investigated the effects of precipitation and tions and biodiversity on a global scale. Nonetheless, temperature on demographic rates for sympatrically oc- the resulting yards and gardens embedded within the curring populations of scaled and Gambel’s quail on the urban matrix cover roughly 40-50% of urban areas, and White Sands Missile Range in the Chihuahuan Desert thus have the potential to contribute to bird conserva- of New Mexico. The White Sands Missile Range has tion. Although individual yards result in small frag- been closed to grazing for nearly 60 years and thus ments of non-cohesive parcels, collectively individual provides a unique opportunity to study the effects of households and their associated management decisions weather on demography without the confounding ef- have a significant role to play by providing bird habi- fects of cattle grazing. For two breeding seasons, scaled tat and reducing hazards. The presentation will review and Gambel’s quail were trapped and tracked using research on how birds respond to these novel ecosys- VHF transmitters to study adult survival, nest success, tems, highlight the conservation challenges for coordi- nest site selection, brood success, and brood habitat se- nated management, and provide suggestions on how to lection. Survival and nest success data was analyzed us- increase implementation through effective policies and ing program Mark and the RMark package in Program incentives. Backyard habitats also have implications for R. We will present our preliminary results for adult sur- human well-being since people have their primary in- vival and nest success, as well as descriptive statistics teraction with the natural world in their backyards and on nest site selection. By learning more about scaled neighborhood parks. Increased exposure to and experi- and Gambel’s quail, we hope to fill some of the current ences with birds and other forms of nature are vital for gaps in our understanding of their ecology, which will physical and mental health, increasing scientific liter- in turn assist in more informed management decisions acy, and can serve as precursors for pro-environmental for these species. behaviors such as supporting bird conservation initia- tives and further enhancing habitat. Given that more than half the world lives in urban and urbanizing areas, Hawaii as a case study in free-ranging cat problems coupled with the considerable spatial extent of yards, and solutions in the United States developing and promoting land-use plans for private

81 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 yards that incorporate bird conservation goals will de- apparent ecosystem services, however, we have lim- velop a humanity for habitat’ ethos, ultimately benefit- ited knowledge of the economic benefits of the services ing both birds and people. and the ways in which humans may interact with natu- ral systems to enhance the services. In our multi-year, multi-disciplinary project we have investigated the de- terrence of crop pests in fruit production regions of Testing for ecological speciation across an eleva- Michigan by the American kestrel, Falco sparverius. tional gradient in New Guinea forest kingfishers We installed nest boxes in orchards to attract kestrels. Using transect surveys we determined that nest boxes Ethan B Linck increased kestrel presence in local areas. Based on Benjamin G Freeman observations of kestrels and fruit-consuming birds in John P Dumbacher orchards, and macroeconomic analyses, we estimated John Klicka that, if all sweet cherry farmers in Michigan attracted kestrels to their orchards with nest boxes, state income Speciation across elevational gradients due to disrup- would increase between $2.4 and $2.6 million, and be- tive natural selection is widely discussed as a possible tween 52 and 55 jobs would be created, over five years. explanation for congeneric elevational replacements in Consumer surveys indicated consumers were willing to tropical mountain bird communities. To date, phylo- pay more for fruit produced using kestrels as a pest genetic comparative methods have provided little em- management technique, indicating farmers could ben- pirical support for this hypothesis, suggesting instead efit from informing consumers about their pest man- that allopatric divergence followed by secondary con- agement practices. Preliminary results from our farmer tact and upslope or downslope displacement predomi- surveys suggest that the timing of required activities is nates. However, few studies have used genome-wide a key influence on whether farmers employ particular data to explicitly test for ecological speciation between pest management strategies and that those farmers in- elevational replacements known to be each other’s clos- terested in using natural predators tend to use other con- est relatives. Here, we ask whether natural selection servation practices as well. Our results indicate that en- drove speciation in sister New Guinea kingfishers with hancing agricultural landscapes to increase their attrac- parapatric elevational ranges, Syma torotoro and S. tiveness to natural predators increases predator pres- megarhyncha. We integrate multiple types of data to ence in local areas, has local and regional economic evaluate predictions of phylogenetic relationships, phe- benefits, and is appealing to consumers. notypic patterns, and demographic history under alter- nate speciation scenarios. We describe the genomic landscape of divergence, and test for architectural fea- tures putatively contributing to reproductive isolation. Long-term patterns in breeding phenology and pro- Our study sheds light on reasons for the relative rar- ductivity of Flammulated Owls in a changing cli- ity of speciation with gene flow in birds, and expands mate our understanding of the origin of species in a poorly- known biodiversity hotspot. Brian D Linkhart

Many studies have now linked changes in climate to al- terations in phenology, distribution, and demographic Ecosystem services provided by American kestrels performance of birds across taxa and geographic re- in fruit crops: farmer, consumer, and economic per- gions. While the past decade has witnessed an in- spectives creased focus on effects of climate change on raptors throughout the world, relatively few studies have fo- Catherine A Lindell cused on raptors compared to other taxa in North Amer- Stephanie Shwiff ica, and how changes in climate have affected their de- Megan Shave mographic performance. I examined the long-term pat- Christopher McClure terns in breeding phenology and reproductive perfor- Philip Howard mance of Flammulated Owls (Psiloscops flammeolus) Julie Elser in central Colorado from 1981-2017, in an attempt to elucidate the relationship between breeding parameters Ecosystem services are distinguished from ecological and climatic factors. Data from 205 nests revealed that functions by the benefits humans derive. For many Julian dates of incubation onset, which decreased by

82 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

0.15 d/yr, were negatively correlated with mean tem- perature for the month of May, a time period coincid- ing with the onset of territory defense, courtship, and Relationship of conservation practices to priority incubation in the owls. Number of fledglings/brood grassland bird occupancy in the Central Hardwoods also was negatively correlated with onset of incuba- Bird Conservation Region tion, and with January-to-June precipitation, which de- clined by nearly half over the study period. The mean Christopher M Lituma number of fledglings/brood declined by more than 35% Cara J Joos in years when January-to-June precipitation fell be- David A Buehler low 10 cm (2.1 + 0.1 fledglings/brood vs 1.3 + 0.3 fledglings/brood), and this decline in productivity was Avian species in the eastern United States that require associated with increased nest predation by Red Squir- grasslands for nesting continue to exhibit substantial rels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). No changes in den- population declines despite numerous state, federal, and sity of breeding pairs were detected. Further study is private conservation efforts. Our objectives were to needed to reveal how changes in climate may affect de- determine if presence of, amount of, or distance to a mographic parameters of raptors and mediate interac- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) prac- tions across trophic levels in ecosystems. tice at a survey point were related to species occu- pancy and determine the relative importance of con- servation practices in explaining avian occupancy com- Female competition facilitates hybridization in sex- pared to other covariates. We surveyed for 9 grass- role reversed jacanas land bird species using roadside 5-min point-count sur- veys in 37 counties in the Central Hardwoods Bird Sara E Lipshutz Conservation Region from 20092012. We modeled Elizabeth P Derryberry land cover in conjunction with NRCS conservation practice information within a 200-m buffer of each Mating behavior between recently diverged species in point using a multi-season robust-design occupancy secondary contact can either impede or promote re- model. Land-cover covariates were most important productive isolation. Traditionally, researchers fo- in models for species occupancy. For every species cus on the importance of female mate choice and except Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor), addition male-male competition in maintaining species barriers. of conservation covariates to best-supported land-cover However, female-female competition is taxonomically models improved occupancy model fit, though effects widespread and yet little is known about its role in the of conservation practices on occupancy were gener- speciation process. Here, we investigate how female ally weak. Dickcissel (Spiza americana) occupancy competition compares to male competition as a proxi- was 4% greater for points with conservation within mate mechanism of hybridization. We examine a hy- 200 m than points without conservation. Northern brid zone between sex-role reversed, Neotropical ja- bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) occupancy declined cana species, Jacana spinosa (Northern Jacana) and J. by raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$9% when the jacana (Wattled Jacana), in which female-female com- closest conservation practice was 2 km away compared petition is a major determinant of reproductive success. to being located at the point. Conservation occurred We find that females of the more aggressive and larger minimally throughout landscapes (46% of points), and species, J. spinosa, disproportionately mother hybrid conservation effects were masked by variation in land- offspring, potentially by monopolizing breeding terri- cover conditions. If conservation cost-share programs tories in sympatry with J. jacana. We also find asym- are contributing significantly to priority grassland bird metric introgression of female body mass, a predictor population recoveries, then species occupancy should of territorial status and reproductive success, relative to respond positively to overall amount or proximity of the genetic center and width of the hybrid zone. We conservation on the landscape. conclude that sex-role reversed females appear to be- have like their male counterparts in traditional hybrid zones by facilitating hybridization.

The recent expansion of Fox Sparrow breeding range into the northeastern United States

Sara E Lipshutz John D Lloyd

83 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) is a relatively abundant between songs of the two Caribbean subspecies, espe- breeding species in southeastern Canada, although gen- cially in the frequency of the last note, which was sig- erally found only in krummholz, taiga, and other envi- nificantly higher in Hispaniolan songs than in Puerto ronments infrequently visited by people. In the adja- Rican songs. These results suggest that further work in- cent northeastern United States, Fox Sparrow is known vestigating the songs of other Caribbean subspecies of largely as a passage migrant. Historical descriptions of this bird would provide additional interesting contrasts the avifauna of this region do not identify Fox Sparrow to the songs of North American subspecies, including as a breeding species. However, anecdotal reports from comparisons of the more complex ”warble” song. the past 20 years suggest that Fox Sparrow has rapidly expanded its breeding range into New England. I eval- uated the status of Fox Sparrow via a qualitative review of the region’s ornithological literature coupled with a Identifying error in forest bird landscape capability quantitative analysis of changes in the incidence of Fox models Sparrow occurrence on eBird checklists. It appears that the species established breeding populations in Maine Zachary G Loman during the early 1980s and since then has quickly ex- Daniel Harrison panded its range east and south. In appropriate habi- William V Deluca tat krummholz forest or young stands of regenerat- Cynthia S Loftin ing balsam fir it is now commonly found during the Brian W Rolek breeding season throughout northern Maine and New Petra B Wood Hampshire. This represents a remarkable but generally unrecognized southward range expansion of a typically Habitat models typically incorporate remote-sensed in- boreal species. The drivers of range expansion are un- formation and are parameterized with species occur- clear, but may involve the substantial increase in the rence data. Models, including the Landscape Capa- extent of young balsam fir stands regenerating after the bility models (LC), provide a continuous surface cor- most recent spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumifer- related with some measure of animal use across land- ana) epidemic. scapes. How to best apply models depends on rele- vant ecological scales at which animals choose habi- tat. Forest structure influences bird habitat selection, Do Grasshopper Sparrows have a Caribbean ac- and at fine scales may limit capability of models to cent? predict broader patterns of animal occurrence. We sought to test how prediction errors from LC mod- Bernard Lohr els used to predict three songbird species’ abundances were influenced by point-scale forest structure. We The structure of the primary territorial (”buzz”) song used 10-minute point counts from 592 points in Maine, of Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) Vermont, and New Hampshire during 20132015, and consists of several brief introductory notes followed 110 points from West Virginia. We developed a hi- by a longer, rapidly amplitude-modulated ”buzzy” se- erarchical model of LC as a predictor of point-level quence, followed in turn by a final short note. I com- abundance with scale-dependent covariates. We used pared the songs of North American subspecies with two a distance sampling approach, and used latent indica- subspecies from the Caribbean: A. s. borinquensis, tor selection to determine form of LC data best used found on Puerto Rico, and A. s. intricatus, found on for prediction. In a second tier, we compared residu- Hispaniola. While all songs maintained the same basic als between corrected point abundance estimates and structural framework, Caribbean songs differed from the LC point predictions with forest structure metrics. mainland North American songs in several ways. Typi- We used Bayesian model selection to derive inclu- cally, Caribbean songs contained only two introductory sion probabilities for each variable. We repeated this notes rather than four, and had a less discrete transi- process for Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia novebora- tion between song sections. The acoustic frequency of censis), Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca), and the first note was higher in Caribbean than in main- Ovenbird (Seirurus aurocapillus). Point-level struc- land songs, and the introductory portion of the rapidly tural information did not influence model predictions of amplitude-modulated sequence was significantly longer Blackburnian Warbler abundance, whereas forest struc- in Caribbean songs. While Caribbean songs were more ture increased overall model fit from R2 =0.620.71, consistent than North American songs within popula- and marginally from R2 = 0.690.71, for Northern Wa- tions and subspecies, there were also subtle differences terthrush and Ovenbird respectively. Even within tax-

84 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book onomic family, incorporating finer-scale habitat knowl- recognized that Oscine Passerines exhibit vocal learn- edge improved predictive model application. ing ability, but to what degree different species rely on learning by imitation for normal development of spe- cific song features has not been assessed. Using a novel technique to make published spectrograms available for A review of the impacts of free-ranging domestic quantitative analysis, I compare isolate song with tu- cats on North American wildlife tored song in 23 species using 3 different song features that reflect different aspects of neuromuscular control Scott R Loss of production (i.e., rhythm, syllable morphology, and Peter P Marra syntax). My results show that there is significant inter- specific variation in the manner in which isolate song The domestic cat is one of the most widespread and differs from normal song, which suggests that the ge- environmentally damaging invasive predators on earth. netically encoded template varies in specificity by song Free-ranging domestic cats have contributed to at least features and across taxa. The analysis of variation in the 63 vertebrate extinctions worldwide, and cat predation genetic coding of these components allows a deeper un- is the single greatest source of direct human-caused bird derstanding of the selective pressures that have shaped mortality in North America. Cats are estimated to an- the evolution of song in passerines. Substantial differ- nually kill 1.34.0 billion birds in the United States and ences between species show that more comparative data 105348 million birds in Canada. Beyond these mas- are needed to gain a full understanding of variation in sive fatality counts, cats are also capable of impacting vocal learning in passerines. birds and other wildlife at the population level. Nu- merous observational studies illustrate associations be- tween cat populations and wildlife population abun- dance, population dynamics, and extinction probabil- The role of domestic cats in the admission of injured ity, and experimental evidence supports that cat preda- birds to rehabilitation and rescue centers tion can cause wildlife population declines. In addi- tion to predation, cats can affect wildlife populations Kerrie Anne T Loyd through disease and fear-related effects, and beyond re- David L McRuer ducing wildlife population sizes, cats can suppress pop- Sonia M Hernandez ulations below their respective carrying capacities and alter demographic processes such as sourcesink dynam- Free-roaming domestic cats are a primary threat to ics. Further research is needed to assess variation in songbirds in urban and suburban areas. We used a population-level vulnerability to cats among species of database of records from wildlife rescue and rehabili- birds and other wildlife, and estimates of cat population tation centers to examine nationwide patterns of avian abundance, especially for unowned feral and semi-feral injury and mortality. I will share results of a retrospec- cats that cause the greatest bird mortality, are needed tive analysis of cat impact on songbirds collected over a to better predict impacts and inform cat management 4 year period from facilities across the US and included and wildlife conservation. Cat population management in the WILD-ONe database managed by the Wildlife should be based on the overwhelming body of scientific Center of Virginia. I will also summarize cat-related evidence illustrating the substantial impacts of free- statistics from 10 years of records at the Wildlife Cen- ranging cats on North American wildlife. ter of Virginia. Domestic cats were responsible for 8% of wildlife rehabilitation center admissions across the US and 14% of bird admissions over 10 years at the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Nationwide, birds were Novel analysis of isolate song reveals interspecific 4 times more likely than mammals or reptiles to be variation in learned components admitted for rehabilitation due to cat attack and 78% of these did not survive. Eighty percent of cat-related Jay W Love avian cases at the Wildlife Center also ended in death or euthanasia. Species most vulnerable to cat attacks Studies of avian vocal development in the absence are those common to urban and suburban areas (includ- of exposure to conspecific song have been conducted ing American Robin, Mourning Dove, White-winged widely in Passerines. Individuals raised in such con- Dove and Northern Cardinal). Passerine and columbine ditions develop so-called isolate song that can be seen birds are the most frequent victims but birds represent- to represent an expression of the genetically encoded ing diverse orders were recorded as injured by domes- song template. In part due to these studies, it is widely tic cats (including Accipitriformes, Strigiformes, Galli-

85 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 formes, Anseriformes, Piciformes, Apodiformes). We Bruce E Lyon hope the baseline information offered by our analy- Daizaburo Shizuka sis of the WILD-ONe database will inspire discussion by urban/suburban communities and ultimately, result Parental choice can favor ornamental traits in off- in management actions to reduce animal injuries and spring just as mate choice favors adult sexual orna- losses due to domestic pets. ments. Previous plumage manipulations revealed that parental choice favors the extraordinary fluorescent na- tal plumage of American coot chicks, but why parents show this preference in the first place is unclear. To Latitudinal variation in nest microclimate explains address this question we explored patterns of natural variation in hatching success, nestling growth, and variation in coot chick color. Within families, later- nestling survival in burrowing owls hatched chicks had redder plumage and beaks (mea- sured by chroma and hue). This pattern is notable be- Carl G Lundblad cause previous experiments showed that parental pref- Courtney J Conway erence for colorful plumage benefits only later-hatched chicks. Conspecific brood parasitism is common in Climate change might impact wildlife population dy- coots and chick color could allow parasites to exploit namics via numerous direct and indirect mechanisms host parental preference for ornamental plumage. How- that may not be captured by simple climate envelope ever, brood parasitic chicks tend to be less colorful than models. Our objective was to evaluate whether ther- non-parasitic chicks, not more colorful, a pattern that mal conditions in nest burrows affect Burrowing Owl may reflect the fact that parasites are nesting females (Athene cunicularia) reproductive success. The egg vi- who lay the first eggs in their laying sequence parasit- ability hypothesis predicts that owls in warmer burrows ically. Natural variation in chick coloration also pre- must either begin incubation before their clutches are dicted chick survival, but the patterns did not follow complete, and therefore risk increased nestling mor- the hatch order survival patterns found in the earlier ex- tality associated with asynchronous hatching, or de- perimental study. We discuss the implications of these lay incubation until their clutches are complete and patterns for the alternative hypotheses that chick col- risk embryo mortality caused by thermal intolerance. oration is selected for by within family effects versus We used infrared video cameras and temperature log- fitness from brood parasitism. gers to document fecundity, incubation behavior, hatch- ing patterns, hatching success, nestling growth, and nestling survival of 5 Burrowing Owl populations span- ning a latitudinal gradient from southeastern Califor- Seeking the Knowledge-Action Boundary: Decision nia to northeastern Oregon. Owls in warmer burrows: Analysis for Collaborative Conservation 1) laid smaller clutches, 2) suffered increased hatching failure, 3) initiated incubation earlier, relative to egg- James E Lyons laying (presumably an adaptation to maintain egg via- bility), 4) hatched their clutches more asynchronously, Implementation of meaningful bird conservation is be- 5) had more extreme within-brood size hierarchies, and set with challenges, including but not limited to: mul- 6) suffered greater nestling mortality. Furthermore, tiple decision makers and stakeholders with different nestling size 10 days post-hatch was negatively asso- value systems; uncertainty about complex ecosystems ciated with average burrow temperature during the egg- and their dynamics as a result of changing climate and laying period. Our results emphasize that climate en- land use practices; limited budgets for research and velope models are not enough; we need to document monitoring; and overlapping or unclear jurisdictional the impacts of climate change on avian reproductive be- boundaries of decision makers. Structured Decision havior and life history traits because some birds may Making and Adaptive Management, two types of de- not merely shift their distribution as the climate warms. cision analysis, provide a collaborative framework for Moreover, reproductive success in Burrowing Owls is conservation that can transform controversial and com- constrained by thermal conditions at temperatures that petitive scenarios with multiple stakeholders into one are unlikely to approach the thermal tolerance of adults. of shared learning while achieving multiple objectives. The steps in an effective decision analysis include a clear articulation of stakeholder objectives, considera- tion of an array of creative and attractive alternatives, Ornamental chick coloration in American coots: se- evaluation of alternatives with the best available sci- lection within or between broods? ence, transparent trade-offs among objectives, and pur-

86 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book poseful monitoring of outcomes. We highlight practical contrast to previous authors, we found colonies on mul- tools and techniques for each step in decision analy- tiple trees and signs of solitary nesting behavior. To the sis, including how to build a stakeholder value model, best of our knowledge, Caracas shows the largest num- identify research priorities using a value of information ber of Crested Oropendola colonies recorded for any analysis, and ensure that research and monitoring will site, conforming an exciting scenario to unravel ecolog- inform conservation action. Structured Decision Mak- ical and behavioral aspects for this taxon. ing and Adaptive Management provide a clear process for not only engaging stakeholders and the public in successful bird conservation but also showing bird con- Natal dispersal of Aplomado Falcons under drastic servation scientists how to engage with the knowledge- habitat loss in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico action boundary and maximize the impact of their re- search. Alberto Macias-Duarte Jose A Alvarado-Castro Oscar G Gutierrez-Ruacho Carmen I Ortega-Rosas Jose R Rodriguez-Salazar James E Lyons The study of natal dispersal (movement of wandering individuals from their birthplaces to their first breeding locations) in endangered species may potentially reveal A city of Oropendolas: A characterization of Psaro- mechanisms of habitat selection and help to identify colius decumanus nesting colonies in an urban land- critical habitat suitable to protection. In this regard, scape the Chihuahuan Desert population of the endangered Northern Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis septentri- Fernando Machado-Stredel onalis) is currently threatened by the extensive conver- Ana M Fernandes sion of breeding habitat from open desert grasslands Fernando Riera to irrigated farmland in Chihuahua, Mexico. However, Jorge L Perez-Em´ an´ why the species has not been able to occupy apparently- available breeding habitat in the Chihuahuan Desert of Cities are novel ecosystems that represent an opportu- Mexico and southwestern United States remains a mys- nity to tackle biological inquiries on bird populations. tery. In this regard, we tracked the movements two The Crested Oropendola, Psarocolius decumanus, is a wild Aplomado Falcon (female and male) in Chihuahua widespread Neotropical passerine that exhibits social from their fledgling stage to demise or first reproduction nesting behavior in isolated trees, occurring in clearings using Argos 5g-PTT satellite transmitters deployed on of agricultural areas and forest edges. In the present May of 2015. Falcons dispersed from their natal ter- study, we aimed to characterize Crested Oropendola ritory about 100 days after fledgling. These falcons colonies in Caracas, Venezuela. This city has more wandered around breeding territories (delineated by a than 350 bird species, and constitutes a mosaic of dis- long-term demographc study), either intact or converted turbed areas and secondary forest patches. During to farmland. However, these falcons occasionally ex- 2017, we determined the number of complete nests on plored areas outside the core breeding areas, only to re- each colony, and compared their median and mean sizes veal potential breeding habitat being converted to farm- according to nesting tree characteristics, presence on land. The male falcon unsuccessfully nested with an parks and roads, amount of vegetation, and type of pre- unbanded female in his second year, only 15 km away dominant buildings in a 100m radius area. We found from its natal territory and in a breeding territory vacant 32 colonies with 245 nests (mean= 7.7, SD= 3.3, me- since 2000. Our telemetry data suggest that suitable dian= 7.5), with a mean minimum distance of 1.3km Aplomado Falcon breeding habitat, in spite of its appar- between them. Colonies reported elsewhere (n= 25; ent availability, is actually limited to central Chihuahua eBird) showed a wider size range but were not signifi- and its current loss rate seriously questions the potential cantly larger (mean= 13.4, SD= 11.6, median= 9; W= recovery of the species in the Chihuahuan Desert 311.5, p > 0.1). Although colonies associated to roads showed significantly larger sizes than colonies without association, the rest of the selected habitat descriptors Biological control of tamarisk reduces bird abun- were uncorrelated with size, which suggests that prefer- dance, density and richness: Implications for south- ences for nesting sites might be variable. Moreover, in western riparian habitat and management

87 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Sean M Mahoney habitat selection patterns. We used triangulation and vi- Matthew J Johnson sual observation to directly and indirectly assign 14,491 Jennifer A Holmes locations to land cover type. We then used GIS to com- pare habitat use to habitat availability at the local (home Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) are among the most success- range) and regional (study area) scales. Throughout the ful non-native invasive plants in southwestern United two-year monitoring period, birds of both sexes primar- States riparian systems and tamarisk control has be- ily used managed seasonal wetlands and agricultural come a high management priority in the southwest. In wetlands used to produce taro, and preliminary analyses 2001, the tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) indicated that Hawaiian Ducks selected for managed was released as a biological control agent to control wetlands and taro over all other cover types, and man- tamarisk. Since 2001, tamarisk leaf beetles have spread aged wetlands over taro. Use of nine other cover types throughout the southwest including riparian habitat pre- (e.g., upland, unmanaged emergent wetland, forested viously thought to be inhospitable. The primary effect wetland) was considerably lower, but for some individ- of tamarisk leaf beetles on tamarisk is defoliation, and uals, use of these habitats was common. This study pro- this can potentially change habitat structure and insect vides evidence for the value of protected and managed food base for riparian nesting birds. Unfortunately, lit- wetlands for the endangered Hawaiian Duck. tle information is available on how birds respond to the tamarisk leaf beetle and the changes it causes to riparian areas, but these data could be important for management purposes. During the summer of 2013 Creeper Genomics and 2014 we used point counts to quantify avian abun- dance, density and richness in areas that varied in the Joseph D Manthey amount of native vegetation and tamarisk defoliation along the Virgin River. We found bird abundance, den- The Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) is a sity and richness were positively correlated with per- widespread and forest-associated North American centage of native vegetation cover and were negatively songbird. It has several geographically-structured correlated with percentage of tamarisk defoliation. Our clades across its range. The deepest divergences are be- results highlight the need for active restoration in ar- tween northern and southern populations, with the geo- eas where tamarisk defoliation has occurred to maintain graphic split in the southwestern USA at approximately bird abundance, density and richness along riparian sys- 32 degrees in latitude. These two main lineagesthe tems in the southwest. northern americana group and the southern albescens groupexhibit interesting patterns of genome-wide ge- netic variation. In previous studies using reduced- representation genomic sequencing, larger chromo- somes showed relatively higher genetic differentiation Annual habitat selection of the endangered, island- between lineages and lower genetic diversity within lin- endemic Hawaiian Duck on Kauai eages. However, given a low density of genetic markers in the previous studies, we were unable to identify Christopher P Malachowski underlying processes causing the observed patterns. Bruce D Dugger Here, using whole-genome shotgun sequencing data, I Michelle H Reynolds characterize genome-wide patterns of variation in the Kimberly J Uyehara Brown Creeper, and assess the underlying population genetic processes responsible for the observed patterns. Hawaiian Duck (Anas wyvilliana) is a non-migratory Additionally, I compare genome-wide evolution in the and federally endangered species that has experienced two Brown Creeper lineage relative to an outgroup range contraction and population declines during the Certhia species from Europe. past century, partially due to habitat loss. One objective for Hawaiian Duck recovery is to establish a protected and managed network of core and supporting wetlands; however, protecting and managing appropriate habitat Isolation and gene flow affect the diversification of a is contingent upon understanding patterns of habitat use South Pacific bird: the Foulehaio honeyeater com- and the selection process throughout the annual cycle. plex During November 2012 December 2014, we captured, radio-tagged, and monitored 117 Hawaiian Ducks (nfe- Xena M Mapel male = 50, nmale = 67) on north Kauai to assess annual Alice Cibois

88 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Tejashree H Modak color dataset for the clade, including over than 3,000 Robert G Moyle specimens. We found that for each plumage patch in Alivereti Naikatini each sex, there is overwhelming support for models of Joshua O Seamon directional evolution versus models of undirected evo- lution, and for models with multiple adaptive peaks cor- Islands are natural barriers that prevent gene flow be- responding to habitat types versus models with only tween populations and promote allopatric diversifica- one adaptive peak. The adaptive peak of brightness is tion. Birds in the South Pacific are an excellent model lower (that is, corresponds to darker plumage) for for- to explore the interplay between isolation and gene flow est than nonforest taxa, which, from the perspective of due to the region’s extensive archipelagos and rela- sensory ecology, is consistent with a selective pressure tively well characterized avian communities. The Wat- for the maximization of crypsis rather than of conspicu- tled Honeyeater complex (Foulehaio spp.) comprises ousness. For the ventral plumage there was support for three allopatric taxa that are widespread and common a model in which the rate of evolution is faster in forest across Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and Wallis and Futuna. Pre- than nonforest lineages, while for the dorsal plumage vious work using mitochondrial DNA found three well- there was support for a model in which the rate is the differentiated lineages that are up to 8% diverged, but same across habitats. That is consistent with an im- questions remain about what, if any, genetic structure portant role of sexual selection in driving ventral color exists within the nuclear genome of Foulehaio. Here, in forest taxa, as well as with natural selection driving we explore patterns of gene flow within and between adaptation to multiple forest microhabitats. these lineages using a dataset of ultraconserved ele- ments (UCEs). We sampled 134 individuals (132 in- group plus two outgroup taxa: Xanthotis provocator and Gymnomyza viridis) from 21 islands across the en- Made in the shade: How Bird Friendly R is good tire range of Foulehaio. Our 95% complete datamatrix for people and biodiversity comprised 1,341 UCEs (mean contig length = 1,077 bp; total alignment = 1.4 Mb) from which we called SNPs. Peter P Marra We used tree-based and population genetic approaches in a multispecies coalescent framework to study pat- Since the early 1990s, researchers at the Smithsonian terns of gene flow within Foulehaio. We found strong Migratory Bird Center have been studying avian com- support for three lineages of Foulehaio, each pertain- munities in the biologically rich mid- elevations of ing to previously identified mitochondrial lineages (F. southern Mexico, Guatemala and Peru. SMBC scien- carunculatus, F. procerior, and F. taviuensis). There is tists documented the attraction that shade coffee can minimal gene flow between these lineages, supporting have for both resident and migratory birds. SMBC cre- treatment as three species; however, we detected inter- ated the Bird Friendly shade certification that delivers esting patterns of gene flow between populations of F. consumers a seal and set of strict criteria based on sci- carunculatus, the most widespread taxon from Eastern ence and years of thoughtful planning that links con- Fiji to Samoa. servation to the marketplace in coffee’s rural-to-urban pathway. In this way, SMBC has brought conservation to the marketplace, allowing consumers to make a bird Fifty Shades of Brown: evolution of plumage bright- friendly choice when it comes to coffee. Since it’s in- ness in a large clade of Neotropical passerines ception, the BF program has grown many-fold, incor- porating growers, importers and roasters in its efforts. Rafael S Marcondes Sales increased more than 64% between 2012 and 2016. Robb T Brumfield Today, more than 2,000 growers of Bird Friendly coffee worldwide produce over 1.2 million pounds of coffee The evolution of bird color has long fascinated ornithol- beans. The BF program’s rigorous criteria, deemed the ogists, but most research in that area has focused on gold standard for shade by many coffee experts, iden- ornamental coloration. Less attention has been paid to tifies certified organic farms with those shade charac- the evolution of non-ornamental plumage colors, even teristics that maintain a forest-like cover for migrant though they predominate in most bird species. Here, songbirds like warblers, thrushes, tanagers and orioles, we use phylogenetic comparative methods to study the among many others. It’s an effective model for produc- evolution of plumage brightness in the Furnarii, an eco- ing food for people while still protecting biodiversity. logically very diverse clade of more than 600 species of tropical passerines. We generated a nearly complete

89 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Patterns of Borrelia burgdorferi prevalence in vestigated strategies exhibited by western populations Northern Illinois birds of Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) at the land- scape scale. We used data from 69 long-term bird band- James S Marshall ing studies in southern Oregon and northern Califor- Cassidy Hanson nia to detect where and when individuals were breed- Sean M Beckmann ing and molting. Specifically, we compared strategies and site fidelity between breeding and non-breeding in- Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme dividuals across the study area. Our results suggest that borreliosis, has a well-established transmission cycle Swainson’s Thrush can molt at both breeding and non- involving Ixodes tick vectors and mammalian hosts. breeding sites, with a lower number of individuals cap- Research indicates that birds also carry B. burgdorferi, tured molting at breeding sites. The prebasic molt oc- but their role in the transmission cycle, if any, is poorly curred later at non-breeding sites, and individuals cap- understood. Northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin tured molting at non-breeding sites had a longer length are contemporary hots spot for Lyme borreliosis in hu- of stay (average of 15.54 days) than non-molting indi- mans, with a corresponding high incidence of infection viduals (4.94). We found that some molting individu- in local rodent populations. This study sought to de- als exhibited site fidelity between years at non-breeding termine if there is a corresponding high incidence of in- sites. Our results suggest that Swainson’s Thrush are fection in local bird populations. Data collected in 2016 locally adapted and capable of exhibiting a diversity of indicated a prevalence of nearly 50% in all birds sam- strategies, from molting on a breeding territory to ex- pled. Although we expected ground-dwelling species hibiting site fidelity to non-breeding molting grounds. to experience greater exposure to ticks and therefore higher incidence of bacterial infection, the prevalence did not differ significantly between canopy and ground- Rapid phenotypic & trophic change in Horned Lark dwelling species. Additional samples were collected in (Eremophila alpestris) after conversion of the Col- 2017 to determine if the same high prevalence contin- orado desert to agriculture ued with similar patterns, if infected birds from 2016 recaptured in 2017 still carried the bacterium, and if Nicholas A Mason we could identify specific B. burgdorferi strains in birds Phil Unitt from both years. These results allow us to begin to com- Jed P Sparks pare bacterial populations in birds versus mammals to give us a better picture of where birds fit in the trans- Humans are modifying our planet’s ecosystems with mission cycles of Lyme borreliosis. We can also begin increasing frequency and intensity. Exploring popula- to look for trends in prevalence. tion responses to anthropogenic modifications of natu- ral habitat provides insights into how species persist in the Anthropocene. Here, we leverage natural history Use of non-breeding sites for prebasic molt by the collections to document rapid phenotypic and trophic long-distance migrant Swainson’s Thrush change within a native bird population following 80 years of agriculture in the Colorado Desert of south- Pedro VR Martins eastern California. By comparing spectrophotometric Luiza Rodrigues measurements of Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) Robert I Frey specimens collected in the Imperial Valley from 1918 C J Ralph to 1934 to those collected from 1984 to 2014, we found John D Alexander that more recent birds have darker backs, napes, and Jaime L Stephens crowns. This dorsal darkening may have resulted from a shift in selective pressures for camouflage induced In North America, most birds perform their annual pre- by land use: previously, the lark population nested on basic molt immediately following breeding. Migra- light-colored desert flats, whereas contemporary larks tory behaviors present additional temporal constraints occupy darker soil associated with agricultural fields. for birds, which have presumably given rise to differ- Furthermore, stable isotope analyses suggest contem- ent strategies for completing their prebasic molt prior porary larks occupy a lower trophic level than histori- to the onset of winter. These strategies include molt- cal larks and that this shift is in the opposite direction ing before departing the breeding grounds, at one or of baseline isotope changes in the region. Various eco- multiple sites along the migratory route, or after ar- logical and evolutionary processes could underlie these riving on the wintering grounds. In this study we in- observations: adaptation via hard sweeps or soft sweeps

90 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book and/or introgression may have contributed to this in- Logan M Maxwell stance of rapid phenotypic and trophic change follow- Jennifer Walsh ing the rise of agriculture in the Imperial Valley. Brian J Olsen Adrienne I Kovach

Interspecific matings often produce offspring that ex- Urban intensity influences white-winged dove abun- hibit differential fitness to parental taxa. In addition dance and survival across the Texas to genetic incompatibilities that may decrease survival, hybrids may be less adapted to specialized habitats or Heather A Mathewson inferior mate competitors, yielding negative fitness con- Conor McInnerney sequences. In recently diverged taxa in secondary con- Jared Hall tact, behaviors including assortative mating may min- Shaun Oldenburger imize hybridization and reinforce species boundaries. Mike Frisbie Saltmarsh and Nelson’s sparrows are sister species en- T Wayne Schwertner demic to tidal marshes; they interbreed where they co- occur in a 200 km hybrid zone along the northeastern Effective management of game species requires an un- Atlantic coast. Previous work showed that first gen- derstanding of abundance and survival of the species. eration hybrids occur in low frequency across the hy- In Texas, white-winged doves are an important game brid zone and assortative mating occurs in the south- species and they have undergone a range expansion, ern range. However, it is unclear to what extent inter- with increased prevalence in urban areas. Texas Parks specific pairings occur in sympatric populations of sim- & Wildlife added this dove species to statewide band- ilar abundance and if hybrids have reduced fitness. We ing and surveys in the 2000s. We used these long-term examined these questions using demographic and ge- data sets to determine subpopulations across Texas, and netic data from the center of the hybrid zone. To de- to evaluate factors influencing abundance and survival. termine female fitness, we modeled nesting success in We used a Multi-Response Permutation Procedure in R relation to genotypic, environmental (tidal water level), using banding and recovery locations to determine sub- and nest structure characteristics. We determined the populations in Texas. We used the unmarked’ package hybrid index of adults (n = 203) and the paternity of in R to examine detection probability and abundance offspring (n = 281), to characterize male reproductive of dove at the city level and Program MARK to exam- success, using a panel of SNPs (ddRAD Sequencing). ine recovery and survival. We used Akaike’s Informa- Fitness differed among pure and hybrid individuals of tion Criterion to evaluate candidate models represent- both sexes. Hybrids had higher reproductive success ing our a priori hypotheses. We hypothesized that eco- than Nelson’s sparrows, but lower than Saltmarsh Spar- logical factors, geography, or human-associated factors rows. Differences in fitness were attributed to nest would influence abundance and survival. We identi- structure/timing adaptations in females, and mate com- fied four subpopulations across the state, not including petition in males. Further, interspecific matings were East Texas. Abundance changed with Ecoregion, in- rare, supporting that assortative mating may be main- creased with urban greenspace and human population taining species boundaries. size, and decreased with drought and latitude. Urban intensity and the size of the urban center influenced sur- vival. Our results suggest that cities that have increased greenspace, providing habitat for doves within a city, Integrating remote sensing and citizen science to predict higher abundances and survival. Although dove study the colonization of urban environments by a density was highest in their native South Texas range, returning avian predator abundance is higher in central and north-central Texas where mid-level urban centers are dense. Weather was Jennifer D McCabe less important for abundance or survival. Our study in- Benjamin Zuckerberg forms our understanding of abundance and survival of He Yin doves. Jen Cruz Volker Radeloff Anna Pidgeon

Fitness consequences of hybridization in Saltmarsh Urbanization causes the simplification of animal com- and Nelson’s sparrows munities dominated by exotic and invasive species with

91 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 few top predators. However, recently many preda- size. To investigate the role of nesting delay in nesting tors have become increasingly common in urban envi- success and productivity, in 2010 we conducted a ma- ronments. One such predator that is recovering from nipulative experiment with Black-tailed Gnatcatchers decades of widespread population declines are accip- (Polioptila melanura; BTGN) and Verdins (Auriparus iter hawks. Using data from Project FeederWatch, a na- flaviceps; VERD). Following a wet winter, we delayed tional citizen science program, we quantified 20 years clutch initiation dates for treatment pairs to match first- of changes in the colonization dynamics of accipiter egg dates that we observed during droughts in 2006 and hawks in Chicago. Using dynamic occupancy mod- 2007. Nest initiation date had a significant negative ef- els and satellite observations, we found that prey avail- fect on nest survival of both species. Treatment pairs ability (backyard birds) and urban features (tree canopy were unable to overcome the lost period of high produc- cover and imperviousness) mediated hawk colonization tivity in early spring, and had lower productivity than and persistence. Hawks were less likely to colonize control pairs over the entire breeding season. As nest sites with high impervious surface and more likely to predation and Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) persist in landscapes with higher prey biomass. Fur- parasitism were the most common causes of nest fail- thermore, accipiter hawks represent a potentially novel ure, we conclude that the impacts of climate change- predator influencing the behavior of urban birds. As caused drought on annual reproductive output in the hawks become established in city environments, we Sonoran Desert will be further compounded by para- would expect that susceptible prey species adjust to sitism and predation for BTGN and by predation for increased predation risk through anti-predator behav- VERD. iors such as flocking or higher vigilance. To test this, we developed a playback experiment allowing citizen scientists to quantify the behavioral responses of birds Biogeography and trait evolution of the pantropical to vocalizations of accipiter hawks. In the winter of avian order Coraciiformes 2016/17, we distributed 10 Hawk-kits to citizen scien- tists in Chicago. During the playback experiment, flock Jenna M McCullough sizes decreased, birds increased their vigilance and de- Robert G Moyle creased foraging during predator calls. The implica- Brian T Smith tions of returning predators in urban environments is Michael J Andersen of critical importance to conservation biology, and inte- grating remote sensing observations and citizen science Factors ranging from large-scale environmental change allowed for an unprecedented investigation of predator to local resource competition can drive diversification colonization. within groups of organisms. Determining the drivers of diversification requires the reconciliation of biogeogra- phy with niche and trait evolution in a phylogenomic Drought-caused delay in nesting and its facilitation framework. Though the avian order Coraciiformes of parasite- and predator-mediated variation in re- (kingfishers, motmots, bee-eaters, and allies) has radi- productive success ated into assemblages with diverse ecologies and mor- phological characteristics, the group lacks a coherent Christopher L McCreedy species tree in which to study the evolutionary dynam- Charles van Riper III ics and disparate species richness of the order. This study investigates species-level diversification dynam- Climate models are nearly unanimous in their predic- ics using the first species-level, time-calibrated phy- tions for increased drought frequency in southwestern logeny of Coraciiformes. We used ultraconserved ele- North America, and delays in nest initiation due to ments (UCEs) and high-throughput sequencing to pro- drought may influence nesting success and productivity duce a 75% complete matrix of over 3,061 loci totaling for many Sonoran Desert bird species. In southeastern 1.6 Mb. Our dataset comprised all 177 extant species California and western Arizona in 20042009, we found currently recognized by the IOC checklist (v 7.1). We negative correlations for 13 of 13 species between nest recovered a time-calibrated species tree based on stem- initiation date and rainfall accumulation during the pre- and crown-group fossils of rollers, todies, motmots, and ceding 4-month winter rainy season. Nesting was de- kingfishers. We used BioGeoBears to investigate the layed over 3 weeks for some species during droughts biogeographic origins of the group since its divergence in 2006 and 2007. From 20042009, we found a signif- from Piciformes during the Eocene, as well as to ex- icant negative effect of nest initiation date on nest sur- plore patterns of global colonization. To better under- vival probability for the four species of greatest sample stand trait evolution of bills (a trait intimately tied to

92 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book a species’ niche) within the order, we discuss morpho- The diversity of passerine nests have long interested or- metric analyses of linear bill measurements. Finally, nithologists. Despite the great diversity of forms, this we review novel species limits revealed by our analy- diversity can be categorized into three main types - hole sis and discuss the extent of selective forces that have (or cavity) nests, domed nests, and open cup nests. Here shaped diversification dynamics within Coraciiformes. we investigate the macroecology of passerine nest type in light of the macroevolution of the same. Specifically, we investigate the relative prevalence of nest type use along latitudinal and elevational gradients, the probabil- Gray-cheeked Thrush decline in Newfoundland: as- ity of transitioning to nest types along these gradients, sociations with habitat, forestry practices, and the and the association of nest type with body mass evo- introduction of red squirrels lution for 3,112 passerine species. Our results under- score the extent to which the diversity of dome-nesting Jenna P McDermott species is concentrated in the lowland tropics, and the Darroch M Whitaker success of open cup-nesting clades at high latitudes. We Ian G Warkentin find little evidence, though, for the role of these gradi- ents in altering transition probabilities to different nest The Gray-cheeked Thrush is a Neotropical migrant types. Lastly, we find a strong negative relationship be- that breeds across the northern boreal forest. Once tween body size and latitude for cavity-nesting species widespread and abundant on Newfoundland, it has de- while accounting for phylogenetic effects, a pattern that clined by as much as 95% since 1975. We hypothe- runs counter to the body size latitude association in sized that the introduction of red squirrels to the is- Bergmann’s rule. This relationship is not seen in dome land may have driven this decline but, prior to this or open-cup nesting species. We suggest that latitudinal study, there has been no formal comparison of the dis- variation in breeding season length may be a contribut- tribution of squirrels and thrushes or assessment of ing factor to this pattern. thrush habitat use across a broad elevational gradient. During 2016 and 2017 we surveyed 250 km2 in the Long Range Mountains, Newfoundland to delineate the Evaluating extinction probabilities and recovery ranges of both squirrels and thrushes and to better un- strategies for Maui Parrot Bill derstand the Gray-cheeked Thrush’s habitat associa- tions, especially in the context of harvested and pre- Conor P McGowan commercially thinned stands. Red squirrels occurred Hanna L Mounce at elevations up to 500m but were most abundant at Christopher Warren low elevations with numbers dropping off above 300m. Eben Paxton Thrushes were historically present at all elevations but James Groombridge now appear restricted to elevations above 325m and in- crease in abundance up to 500m elevation. While el- Forest birds in the Hawaiian archipelago have exhib- evation and squirrel presence influence the probability ited high extinction rates over the last century. Cap- of thrush occurrence, there are indications that Gray- tive propagation, reintroduction and translocation are cheeked Thrushes may avoid pre-commercial thinned conservation tools that may be used to manage and re- stands, and select regenerating coniferous stands, ma- cover some of the remaining endangered species. Pop- ture coniferous stands, second growth mixed stands, ulation viability analyses can be used to assess risks to and regenerating clearcuts. Our findings point to ben- vulnerable populations and evaluate the probability of eficial forest management practices for thrush recov- success and relative benefits of conservation strategies. ery planning, the importance of limiting further spread Here we present a population viability analysis to assess of squirrels across the Newfoundland archipelago, and viability for Maui parrotbill (Kiwikiu, Pseudonestor the need to make informed decisions before introducing xanthophrys), a federally endangered species on Maui, species to island ecosystems. Hawaii. To evaluate and compare management options involving captive rearing and translocation strategies we built a female-only age-structured, meta-population simulation model. Our model treated two extant pop- Pattern and paradox in passerine nest types ulations in the remote high elevation rain forests as in- dependent populations with limited immigration in be- Jay P McEntee tween. We further treated experimental captive and po- J G Burleigh tentially new wild populations on the leeward side of

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Maui as independent populations and translocation ac- and thus can illuminate important evolutionary pro- tions from existing wild populations to experimental cesses. Here, we take a novel approach to correlate populations were incorporated as specified immigration patterns of genome-wide divergence with degree of re- rates. We incorporated environmental stochasticities productive isolation among three closely related species into population vital rates and management actions (i.e., pairs within Cardinalidae (Aves: Passeriformes). These partial controllability). Our model indicates and pop- species pairs represent varying degrees of reproduc- ulation viability is low under all management scenar- tive isolation (hybridizing vs. non-hybridizing) and ios however a reintroduction strategy that incorporates different geographic relationships (allopatric vs. sym- minimal contribution from captivity and translocates patric). Our study provides empirical data to inform mostly wild individuals was found to be the most feasi- theory of genome-wide divergence by making compar- ble management option. Our model provides managers isons of 1) different geographic outcomes of specia- with benchmarks for fecundity and survival needed to tion, and 2) different levels of reproductive isolation ensure reintroduction success, and highlights the im- upon secondary contact. We first generated a refer- portance of establishing a new population in potentially ence genome for Passerina amoena. Our sequencing favorable habitat to ensure long-term persistence. generated raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$760 million reads; the resultant assembly is 0.92 Gb with a contig N50 of 62.7 kb. We Beyond bird counts: volunteer monitoring of shore- will align whole-genome resequencing data bird productivity along the US west coast (raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$1.5 billion reads) from 56 individuals of P. amoena, P. cyanea, Timothy D Meehan P. ciris, P. versicolor, Cyanocompsa parellina, and C. A L Harvey brissonii to this reference. P. amoena and P. cyanea Nicole L Michel hybridize extensively in the Great Plains, while P. ciris Gary M Langham and P. versicolor do not hybridize despite sympatry in Anna Weinstein Texas and Mexico. The Cyanocompsa species are com- pletely allopatric. We will quantify patterns of genome- Since 2012, Audubon California has coordinated a wide divergence for these species pairs and identify community science program focused on Black Oys- specific genomic divergence patterns associated with tercatcher productivity. To date, local volunteers have degree of reproductive isolation by comparing among identified and monitored over 500 nests along the Cal- species pairs. For example, comparing the location of ifornia coast, reporting annual nest success and pair divergence peaks between the hybridizing, sympatric productivity, along with nest characteristics and dis- species pair to those between the non-hybridizing, sym- turbance observations. These data have allowed spa- patric species pair will allow us to investigate how gene tiotemporal modeling, with the potential to identify lo- flow impacts patterns of genome-wide divergence. cal population sources and sinks, and local and land- scape drivers of productivity. In this presentation, we discuss organization of the program, qualities of Impacts of solar energy development on breeding the data, and insights from the latest modeling ef- birds of the Nutt Grasslands, NM forts. We also discuss efforts to deploy a user-friendly data collection app that streamlines volunteer data en- DeeAnne T Meliopoulos try and automates quality control. These developments Martha J Desmond could lower the effort and cost associated with program David Daniel administration, facilitating productivity monitoring by volunteers for other species along other costs. Solar energy is growing at unprecedented rates, yet its effects on wildlife remain largely unexplored. We ex- amined the influence of a solar facility on avian com- Genome-wide patterns of divergence in Passerina munities by comparing abundances within the facility and Cyanocompsa buntings and at different distances up to 1600 m from the fa- cility edge in the Nutt grasslands of south-central New Libby C Megna Mexico. We conducted point count surveys on cir- Matthew D Carling cular plots (n = 100) in 2014 and 2015, and evalu- ated relationships between avian abundance and dis- Recently, genomic datasets have been harnessed to elu- tance to solar facility, distance to other edges, vegeta- cidate the underlying genetic architecture of speciation tion parameters, and insect abundance using negative

94 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book binomial regression. Year had the strongest influence, cladogenetic events. In sum, we provide the first ex- with grassland-associated bird abundance significantly ploration of color variation and space in one of the increasing in 2015 (year with above-average precipi- most brightly colored groups of birds (the Loriini), and tation) compared to 2014 (drought year). Grassland- demonstrate the formative role that stochastic processes associated bird abundance relative to the facility shifted can play in trait evolution. patterns between years, producing a significant interac- tion between year and distance to facility. Conversely, columbids responded only to vegetation. Eurasian collared-doves and house finches were almost exclu- Prioritizing and Evaluating North American Grass- sively on the solar facility and increased significantly land Bird Conservation Efforts between years, suggesting that even developments in natural habitats can facilitate synanthropic populations. Nicole L Michel These results demonstrate the variability in interspecific Joanna Grand responses to a solar facility, highlighting the need for Chad Wilsey further research. We did not find strong overall impacts Gary Langham of the facility on grassland birds or specific species for pooled years. We detected different responses to the Grassland birds are facing numerous spatially-extensive facility among guilds and species and between years, and intensive threats across North America. In the face suggesting that: 1. climate conditions may interact with of these threats, similarly extensive and intensive efforts facility presence, 2. there is potential for a time lag ef- are needed to prioritize grasslands for conservation and fect, and 3. species vary in their responses to this type evaluate the success of management actions. Although of disturbance. many recognize the potential for market-based solu- tions to mitigate the continued degradation of healthy grassland habitat, future-proof decision-support tools to guide strategic targeting of grasslands for these pro- Color evolution in the lories and lorikeets grams is lacking. Here we present, first, a North Ameri- can grassland prioritization intended to complement the Jon T Merwin GPCAs with projected climate and land-use change im- Glenn F Seeholzer pacts on the full annual cycle of grassland birds, using Brian T Smith an optimization approach. Our results are being used to target private ranches for enrollment in Audubons Con- The extraordinary color variation of bird plumage is the servation Ranching program. Once enrolled, Audubon product of drift, natural selection, and sexual selection. works with provate ranchers to develop and implement Whereas most macroevolutionary research has focused bird-friendly habitat management protocols. In order on the role of natural selection, drift and sexual selec- to evaluate the impact of management on the grassland tion likely play a more important, but less studied, role bird community, we developed a multispecies metric in the origins of brilliantly colored and patterned groups quantifying changes in composition and resilience of of birds. One such group is the nectar feeding lorikeets bird communities over time. The Bird-Friendliness In- and lories (Loriini) that have radiated across the Aus- dex consists of four components: abundance estimates; tralasian region. The high color variation and complex- conservation weighting; a functional diversity metric ity of color patterns of this clade serves as interesting to incorporate resiliency of bird communities and their system for studying how plumage color has evolved in ecosystems; and a standardized scoring system to con- the absence of obvious adaptive explanations. To quan- trol for interannual variation caused by extrinsic factors tify and characterize plumage color, we photographed (e.g., climate). We present results from Audubon Con- 99 ingroup taxa using both visible-light and UV pho- servation Ranches enrolled during 2016-2017. tography of museum specimens. We measured color from 35 plumage patches from each specimen, plot- ted these measurements in tetrahedral color space, and explored the color space of individuals, clades, com- Integrating citizen science and structured data to in- munities and plumage patches. We found that while form conservation and management each patch had highly variable colors across the phy- logeny, some patches varied much more than others. Nicole L Michel We found that the evolution of individual color patches Timothy D Meehan was best explained by an evolutionary model where Chad B Wilsey rates of plumage color divergence accelerated during Gary M Langham

95 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Citizen science bird data are used to produce long- Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, for example, are sep- term trends and indices, but new structured citizen sci- arated by approximately 6.5 million years of evolution; ence protocols and methods for analytically integrating each is more closely related to quite dissimilar look- structured and unstructured data enable estimation of ing species than they are to one another. What has metrics such as occupancy and abundance. Citizen sci- caused these remarkable convergences in woodpecker ence data, and the metrics they produce, provide valu- plumage? We measured the plumage of all woodpecker able information for conservation and management. In species, and quantified to what degree habitat, climatic, this opening presentation for the citizen science sym- genetic, and social interactions have acted in concert posium, we provide an overview of how citizen sci- to shape woodpecker colors and patterns. We found ence data are used to inform conservation and manage- that all of these factors are relevant in shaping the way ment and review recent methodological developments species look. In accordance with Gloger’s rule, species enabling integration of structured data with unstruc- are darker in more humid regions. They are also less tured citizen science data. We present a case study patterned in such areas. Woodpeckers are brighter and in which we integrate citizen science data from two more heavily marked in open, arid, and seasonal en- sources, the North American Breeding Bird Survey and vironments. Moreover, certain species pairs appear to eBird, with structured point count data from the Inte- have converged in plumage above and beyond what grated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions pro- would be expected based on shared evolutionary his- gram, to develop density estimates for 37 grassland tory, habitat, and climatic preferences alone. We iden- and aridland bird species in the Northern Great Plains tify a number of such pairs (and trios), and propose of North America. These density estimates are com- that these remarkable instances of apparent mimicry are bined with conservation scores and functional diver- driven by the benefit to smaller species of fooling third sity estimates to produce a multispecies metric used parties into relinquishing resources they would other- to evaluate success of bird-friendly management prac- wise be able to defend. tices through National Audubon Society’s Conserva- tion Ranching program. We compare two methods of data integration, treating citizen science data as coequal (shared) or as a covariate in density estimation (corre- Phylogeny, taxonomy and geographic diversity of di- lation), and evaluate their effects on precision of den- urnal raptors sity estimates and the resulting composite metric. Data integration holds the potential to combine the statisti- David P Mindell cal rigor of structured data with the spatial extent of Jerme´ Fuchs citizen science data, improving precision, applicability, Jeff A Johnson and quality of information used to inform conservation and management. We present analyses of phylogeny and classification for diurnal raptors (Accipitriformes, Cathartiformes, Falconiformes). This includes equilibration of orders and families by age, and new supermatrix analyses of Woodpecker plumage evolution: convergence, published DNA sequences from 10 loci for Accipitri- mimicry, or neither? formes. We estimate that divergences within the fam- ily Accipitridae began around the Eocene/Oligocene Eliot T Miller boundary 34 million years ago (mya), with the split of Gavin M Leighton the Elanus/Gampsonyx clade from the other Accipitri- Alexander C Lees dae genera. Point estimates for ages of current Ac- Benjamin G Freeman cipitridae genera range from 2 to 20 mya. This fits Russell A Ligon a broad pattern of age inconsistency for avian gen- era. In our phylogenetic analyses of 33 of 51 (65%) Woodpeckers are diverse group of birds distributed currently recognized Accipiter species, the genus was across most of the globe. The 230 species exhibit a found to be non-monophyletic stemming from place- dizzying range of plumage colors and patterns. What ment among Accipiter species of eight other Accip- drives species to look the way they do? How are itriformes genera (Circus, Megatriorchis, Erythrotri- species’ plumages shaped by the habitats and climate orchis, Melierax, Urotriorchis, Micronisus, Kaupifalco, conditions they encounter? Moreover, there appear to Harpagus). Taxonomic revisions for Accipitridae gen- be a number of remarkable cases of plumage conver- era are warranted, but sampling of taxa remains incom- gence between rather distantly related woodpeckers. plete. Within Falconiformes, we suggest recognition

96 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book of Herpetotheridae based on similarity of age to Fal- conidae. Comprehensive assessment of within species Estimating Population Trends with Dynamic N- genetic variation has not been done for most diurnal mixture Models: When do Repeated Visits Count? raptor species, and has potential to reveal currently un- recognized species, especially for morphologically dis- Adrian P Monroe tinctive subspecies, geographically isolated populations Gregory T Wann and polytypic species. We also assess geographic dis- Cameron L Aldridge tribution of species richness (SR) and phylogenetic di- Peter S Coates versity (PD). Accipitriformes has its highest SR and PD Mark A Ricca measures in African East Sudanian savanna and Victo- ria Basin forest-savanna. Falconiformes has its high- Population monitoring is important for informing con- est SR and PD measures in South American Eastern servation, and N-mixture models increasingly are used Cordillera real montane forest and Northern Andean to account for variation in detection probability with pramo eco-regions. repeated counts when estimating population size and trends. However, simulations to evaluate efficacy of N-mixture models and inform survey effort (i.e., num- ber of repeated visits) typically do not consider sce- Male Song Behavior in a Black-Capped and Car- narios with systematic trends in detectability. As a olina Chickadee Hybrid Zone result, it is unclear how these models perform when trends in detectability confound inferences on popu- Katherine A Monroe lation trends, and conclusions regarding survey effort Robert L Curry may be overly optimistic. Here, we used GPS data from greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) to pa- Mate choice is a fundamental mechanism of hybridiza- rameterize simulations of the detection process during tion, and song is known to be important mate cue in lek counts, and then we compared estimates of popula- passerines. The Black-capped Chickadee (BCCH) and tion size (N) and trends (l) from state-space models with Carolina Chickadee (CACH) hybrid zone provides an either uncorrected peak counts or with N-mixture mod- excellent opportunity for investigating the role of song els that used repeated counts to account for detectabil- in hybridization, and the genetic basis of variation in ity (p). When p varied randomly each year, we found song production. We compared spontaneous and in- that although peak count models consistently underes- duced song production by male chickadees in the cur- timated N by >40%, estimates of l were accurate and rently mixed population at Hawk Mountain Sanctu- similar to estimates from N-mixture models. When p ary, Pennsylvania, to evaluate whether their vocal be- systematically declined across years, N-mixture mod- havior honestly’ reflects genotypes, and to ask how els estimated l with little bias whereas peak count mod- genotypes affect ability of males to produce different els strongly underestimated l. However, as the number songs. To assess each male’s repertoire (n = 17), we of sites with repeated visits decreased, absolute bias in combined recordings of male repertoires during males’ estimates of l from N-mixture models increased and re- dawn chorus using autonomous recording units (ARUs) sembled estimates from peak count models. We there- with two-speaker playback experiments that measured fore recommend that researchers evaluate population responsiveness to BCCH vs. CACH songs. We used trend models with systematic trends in p to better un- eight species-diagnostic SNP loci to characterize male derstand potential biases and inform survey design. genotypes. Overall, 89% of songs analyzed to date were BCCH; CACH and mixed songs (combining notes of both species) made up 5% and 6% of songs respec- Apparent buffering of population decline after habi- tively. Individual males sang 7% to 100% BCCH (mean tat loss in an endangered cooperatively breeding = 65% BCCH), with 10 males (59%) only singing songbird BCCH. Genotype scores (proportion of CACH alleles) ranged from 0 to 0.94 (mean = 0.65), and there was no Jennifer L Mortensen correlation with song repertoire (r = 0.18, p = 0.18). Helen J Temple These results reveal strong cultural lag in song pro- Robert L Curry duction in this rapidly moving hybrid zone, consistent J M Reed with our results from a more site 30 km south a decade ago but with greater genotypic resolution for individual Animal behavior can play a large role in shaping extinc- males in the present study. tion risk. It is well accepted, e.g., that some social be-

97 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 haviors can lead to increased risk when populations are treatment). For the control treatment, noise was played small (Allee effect). However, less appreciated is the re- at a time separate from song tutoring to control for the versed phenomenon, that some social behaviors might potentially stressful effects of noise-exposure. We find buffer small populations against extinction. Coopera- that noise-tutored males learn less-masked songs sig- tive breeding whereby some individuals forgo breeding nificantly more often, whereas control males show no to assist in rearing the next generation of young may be copying preference. Further, noise-tutored males repro- one such social behavior because (1) cooperation may duce songs at higher frequencies but lower vocal per- minimize density dependent feedback when adult num- formance than their tutor songs. This is the first ex- bers suddenly increase and (2) helpers are a pool of perimental support for cultural selection in response to potential breeders. Here we propose that cooperative anthropogenic noise. These results suggest how anthro- breeding buffers the short-term population dynamics of pogenic noise may impact cultural evolution by shift- the endangered White-breasted Thrasher (Ramphocin- ing the soundscape to higher frequency songs with ele- clus brachyurus) after habitat loss. We tested our hy- ments less masked by noise. We discuss the evolution- pothesis in the largest extant population, comparing de- ary implications of these findings for how birds cope mographic and behavioral data collected before, imme- acoustically in urbanized environments. diately after, and 5+ years after habitat loss. Consistent with our prediction, cooperative breeding increased af- ter habitat loss, driven by a shift from a population com- Discrepancy in the amount of wintering versus prised largely of pairs to one of trios. Peak group size breeding grassland bird publications: Using text occurred six years post-habitat loss and then declined analysis to quantify seasonal bias in life-cycle studies to pre-habitat-loss levels. Also as predicted, time since habitat loss was not an important factor in any of the John A Muller reproductive parameters measured; the temporal vari- Jeremy D Ross ables day of year and clutch age were the only pre- dictors with strong effects on clutch survival rates, as Field studies of obligate grassland birds disproportion- is found in many birds. These results suggest that an- ately underrepresent the wintering period of the life cy- thropogenic disturbance affects thrasher social organi- cle. This is despite increasing evidence that survival zation by directly influencing population density, and during the nonbreeding season has a strong influence that cooperative breeding appears to buffer population on the population trends of declining migratory species. responses to habitat loss. We used a combination of tools to quantify the numbers of breeding versus wintering-season studies. First, we used Web of Science to search and download all arti- Cultural selection as a mechanism of acoustic adap- cles pertaining to relevant search terms (e.g., grassland tation to city noise for songbirds birds, Savannah Sparrow, Sprague’s Pipit, etc.) and then ran a text analysis on the abstracts of those ar- Dana L Moseley ticles using packages tm and topicmodels in R to ex- Graham E Derryberry tract common words and trends. Second, we manu- Jennifer Phillips ally examined the last five years of articles in several Julie E Danner ornithological journals to derive a precise count of pa- Ray M Danner pers explicitly occurring during the breeding or winter- David A Luther ing season. We found that the ratio of breeding stud- ies to wintering studies was 5.4:1 using a text-analysis Anthropogenic noise imposes novel selection pressures, approach, which was only slightly different than our especially on species that communicate acoustically. manually assessment of ornithological journals (5.9:1). Many animals including insects, frogs, whales, and We present several reasons why the wintering period, birds now produce sounds at higher frequencies in which generally occupies a large part of the life-cycle, noise-polluted areas, but the mechanism is largely un- may be underrepresented in the literature, including: known. We hypothesize that cultural selection through ecological factors (e.g., species distribution, detectabil- preferential learning of vocalizations less masked by ity), observer factors (e.g., shorter daylength, weather noise is a mechanism to avoid noise interference. We aversion, equipment operation), and systemic factors test this hypothesis by raising nestling white-crowned (e.g., academic calendar, grant/report deadlines, ob- sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophyrs nuttalli) and expos- served holidays). We suggest possible ramifications of ing them to tutor songs either masked by anthropogenic this life-cycle bias and suggest possible approaches to noise (noise-tutored treatment) or not masked (control mitigate this imbalance.

98 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

jor neoavian subclades, such as Gruiformes. Pel- lornis mikkelseni represents an early gruiform-like- Testing the ancient Amazonian origins of a group of taxon from the latest Paleocene-earliest Eocene Fur open-habitat suboscine birds (Pachyramphus) Formation of Denmark. At approximately 54 million years old, it is among the earliest clear examples of Lukas J Musher a gruiform-like fossil. The holotype was initially de- Anya Auerbach scribed as a partial postcranial skeleton, but our addi- Jessica S McKay tional mechanical preparation of the nodule contain- Joel Cracraft ing the holotype has revealed the skeleton is in fact nearly complete and includes a well-preserved skull. The open and semi-open habitats of the Neotropics har- We also identified and described two additional spec- bor a large portion of South America’s endemic biodi- imens of P. mikkelseni, which provide further morpho- versity, yet the biogeographic history of these regions logical information. These specimens together reveal is poorly-studied when compared with other high bio- that P. mikkelseni possessed a schizorhinal skull and diversity regions. As the South American continent shares many features with the contemporary Messel rail dried during the Miocene, large swaths of open habi- Messelornis. To reassess the phylogenetic position of tat developed across the continent, perhaps facilitat- P. mikkelseni, we added 16 characters, 6 gruiform taxa, ing the diversification of many open-habitat groups of and novel scorings based on the holotype and referred organisms. Around the same time, the ancient Ama- specimens to existing morphological datasets. Prelim- zonian landscape was dominated by a wetland system inary phylogenetic analyses confirm P. mikkelseni as that likely consisted of open-canopy environments sim- a member of the extinct Messelornithidae, and one of ilar to the Pantanal today. How these changing habi- the oldest crown group members of Gruiformes. P. tats affected diversification in organisms that special- mikkelseni illustrates that recent divergence time anal- ize on open habitats across the Neotropics is uncer- yses have underestimated the age of crown Gruiformes. tain. One clade of birds that is common in open habi- Our results move crown Gruiformes into the early Pale- tats is the becards (Pachyramphus). Using this genus ogene, thereby bolstering evidence for a rapid early ra- as a case study, we evaluated the clocklike tendency of diation of Neoaves following the end-Cretaceous mass over 4,000 genomic markers, and used the most clock- extinction. like loci to (1) estimate the timing of divergence events across the tree, (2) model the biogeographic and eco- logical history through time, and (3) test the hypothe- Latitude predicts repertoire size in migratory, but sis that either the ancient Amazon or arid corridor were not sedentary, rock wrens (Salpinctes obsoletus) diversification sources for open-biome diversity in the Neotropics. We found that Pachyramphus originated in Nadje A Najar Amazonian open habitats during the late Miocene, and Lauryn Benedict showed higher rates of in situ diversification within the Amazon than other regions. These results suggest that Bird song ranges from fairly simple to dizzyingly com- ancient Amazonia served as a source for Pachyramphus plex, and much research effort has been spent examin- diversity. ing the selective pressures shaping song form. Song complexity has been proposed to be associated with latitude or migratory behavior by several authors, who New material of Pellornis clarifies pattern and tim- generally find that song complexity increases with lat- ing of the extant gruiform radiation itude and/or more migratory behavior, and who collec- tively propose at least six different hypothetical frame- Grace M Musser works driving this pattern. A review of the literature Daniel J Field suggests the evidence is more mixed, with a similar Daniel Ksepka number of authors finding no association between lat- itude, migratory behavior, and song complexity, and no Phylogenetic relationships at the base of Neoavesa study has comprehensively examined one species. This group comprising approximately ninety five percent of study examines whether and how repertoire size can be all living birdsconflict across morphological and ge- predicted by migratory status and latitude in the rock nomic studies. Robust phylogenetic placement of early wren (Salpinctes obsoletus), a widespread, partially mi- neoavians is therefore critical for discerning the pat- gratory, monomorphic wren with a large distribution tern and timing of deep divergences within the ma- and variable song repertoire sizes in western North

99 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

America. Little is known of rock wren life history and Montague HC Neate-Clegg migratory habits, so morphological measurements and Samuel EI Jones analysis of genome-wide variation were used to test our Oliver Burdekin assumptions on rock wren dispersal and migration pat- Merlijn Jocque terns. Repertoire size varies with latitude in migratory Cagan H Sekercioglu populations (5 populations, 22 individuals, p=0.02) but not sedentary populations (6 populations, 18 individu- High elevation cloud forests are diverse habitats har- als, p=0.8), and sedentary birds (mean=104) have larger bouring many range-restricted and specialised species, repertoires than migrants (mean= 82). These findings leading to the protection of many such areas. Despite suggest there is evidence for the idea that migration and this, many protected areas receive little practical pro- latitude drive song repertoire size, but not in a manner tection from deforestation and land-conversion. More- previously predicted. over, montane species may be more sensitive to climate change owing to the various factors affecting commu- nity assembly across elevation gradients. Few stud- ies have utilised annual monitoring to assess how bi- A N15 isotope tracer experimentally demonstrates ological communities in cloud forests may be shifting that nonnative plants limit energy flow to higher or- in response to habitat or climate change or assessed der consumers like birds the efficacy of protected areas in buffering these ef- fects. We analysed avifaunal community trends in a ten- Desiree L Narango year dataset of constant-effort bird point count data in a Tomas A Carlo cloud-forest national park in Honduras. We found that Douglas W Tallamy species richness and diversity increased at higher eleva- Peter P Marra tions but decreased at lower elevations as did the abun- dances of many dietary and forest-dependency groups Nonnative plants may limit food availability for and key cloud-forest species. Our results suggest that breeding birds by reducing important arthropod prey the bird community is moving upslope which is sup- biomass; however, no study has directly compared the ported by changing species composition. Results for contributions of native and nonnative trees to individ- species richness and diversity were similar when only ual bird diets. To test whether more energy is trans- closed-canopy transects were considered, supporting ferred to the terrestrial food web from native trees, we the role of climate change as a primary driver. Yet at used a foliar-applied N15 isotope tracer to enrich leaves lower elevations many species may be negatively af- on either native or nonnative trees at sixteen individ- fected by increased habitat degradation which instead ual sites. We found that following our treatment, the favours species with low forest dependency. Increased proportion of N15 in leaves, caterpillars and spiders diversity at higher elevations could presage future mor- increased dramatically (up to 116% higher) and was tality/extirpation as high-elevation species lose habitat not significantly different between native and nonna- or face increased competition. Our findings suggest that tive trees (p>0.1). However, both caterpillar and spider nominally protected paper parks may not prevent cli- biomass was consistently higher on native trees across mate change, or even habitat conversion, from affecting the season thereby limiting the availability of nitrogen- the diversity and composition of cloud-forest avifauna. enriched prey for consumers. Consequently, we found higher proportions of N15 in blood samples from birds occupying yards where native trees were treated for 5 out of 6 focal species. This study provides direct evi- California chaparral bird community responses to dence that native trees supply disproportionately more prescribed fire and shrub removal in three manage- nitrogen to bird diets via arthropod prey items for both ment seasons obligate and facultative insectivores. These results un- equivocally show that homeowners can increase the Erica A Newman food resources for breeding birds, and create founda- Jennifer B Potts tions for local food webs, by prioritizing native plant Morgan W Tingley biomass in residential landscapes. Charles Vaughn Scott L Stephens

Chaparral, a type of shrubland common throughout Elevational changes in the avian community of a the California Floristic Province, is subject to manage- Mesoamerican cloud-forest park ment and removal in regions where wildfire threatens

100 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book human lives and property. Management practices in- of nest survival of understory bird species also indi- clude conducting prescribed burns outside of the his- cates that area and edge effects have adverse impacts torical fire season and employing mechanical fuel re- across an understory bird community. Finally, long de- duction (mastication). As the wildland-urban interface termine demographic data for understory bird species grows, more of this ecosystem is subject to active man- reveal a decline over the last three decades in apparent agement. To understand the ecological implications adult survival even among the most common species of current California chaparral fire management prac- in the largest forest fragments (>600 ha) in the Us- tices, we studied bird species composition, abundance, ambara Mountains, and this decline is associated with and foraging guilds in managed and unmanaged cha- changes in temperate and/or precipitation. However, parral over five years. We contrast six chaparral re- given that most species extinctions following habitat moval or fuels manipulation treatments: prescribed fire loss and fragmentation are delayed rather than imme- in fall, winter, and spring; mastication in fall and spring; diate, there are important although largely unappreci- and untreated control. Treatment and control were ated opportunities to conserve species through habitat implemented in raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$2 restoration. Based on empirical relaxation half-life vs. hectare plots and replicated four times each. Species area relationship for tropical bird communities, regen- richness in prescribed fire treatments reaches compa- erating <15,000 ha of forest among the largest and clos- rable levels to controls in the first 3 years following est forest fragments in the Eastern Mountains and the treatment, whereas masticated units always have lower Atlantic forest of Brazil, two of the most fragmented species richness. Generalized linear mixed models ad- biodiversity hotspots, could increase persistence time ditionally confirm that mastication has highly negative of understory bird communities by a factor of 6. 8 effects on observed abundances of birds compared to 13.0. Targeted habitat restoration could also permit bird controls and to prescribed fire. The season of fuels species in these regions to move upslope between 500 reduction was less important to species richness, al- 1200 m on average relative to individual fragments. though fall fire was more beneficial to bird abundance than spring or winter fire. Fire treatments in all sea- sons maintain the same general bird community struc- Effects of winter food supply on nocturnal hypother- ture as controls, while mastication results in strongly mia differentiated assemblages, increasing granivores while nearly excluding foliage-gleaners. We conclude that Johan Nilsson prescribed fire and mastication are not interchange- Jan-ke A Nilsson able management techniques, and that mastication neg- Hannah Watson atively impacts bird communities, reducing diversity and abundance. The long, cold winter nights in temperate regions present a major challenge for small diurnal birds, who must make sure they enter the nocturnal roosting period Long-term demographic responses of forest under- with sufficient energy resources to survive the night. story bird species to habitat loss, fragmentation, and Despite having a relatively high operating body tem- climate change in Tanzania perature, small passerine birds can reduce their body temperature at night and enter rest-phase hypothermia William D Newmark to conserve energy reserves at night. However, such Nicole M Korfanta reductions in body temperature will likely also carry Mathew J Kauffman costs, for example a slower reaction to a predation at- Thomas R Stanley tack. While it is well-understood that small birds can John M Halley modulate their body temperature in response to ambi- Clinton N Jenkins ent temperature, we know less about the relative costs and benefits of different thermoregulatory strategies un- Habitat loss, fragmentation, and climate change are the der different conditions. In this experiment we pro- most important threats to avian species in the trop- vided an energy-rich, predictable food resource in one ics. Long-term demographic data on understory bird part of a forest, leaving another part unmanipulated to species in the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania that act as a control. With the help of temperature sen- are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, a biodiversity sitive PIT-tags, we show that food resources do af- hotspot, indicate that habitat loss and fragmentation fect body temperature, but differently for males and fe- adversely impact apparent adult survival of all feed- males. Whereas male body temperature was similar be- ing guilds not just insectivores. Long-term monitoring tween the two areas, females in the fed area showed

101 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 a significantly higher nocturnal body temperature than Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) populations both males, and females from the unfed area. These have steadily declined in North America and are cur- findings shed new light on the trade-offs associated with rently listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need body temperature regulation and shows that both re- by the state of New Mexico. Therefore, understand- course availability and dominance might be of impor- ing Pinyon Jay habitat requirements and life history tance for nocturnal body temperature regulation. characteristics are crucial to successfully managing this species. Our objectives are to assess group dynamics, determine nest site selection characteristics, and inves- tigate the existence of satellite breeding colonies for Dealing with drought in the rainforest Pinyon Jays on Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB). We used radio telemetry to monitor movements of Pinyon Elise T Nishikawa Jays and locate nests for two flocks. Telemetry data Jeffrey D Brawn were used to determine the number of independent flocks on KAFB and home range size for individual Precipitation regimes define seasonality over much of birds. We did not observe individuals from the two the Neotropics. Evidence is emerging that severity of colonies moving to other groups, supporting the as- seasonal drought can affect viability of tropical bird sertion of two independent flocks. We found 25 nests populations. Changes in food availability during sea- within four breeding colonies, three of which were sonal drought is one possible mechanism driving popu- renesting attempts established outside of the original lation responses to seasonal drought. I investigated the breeding colony. More data are needed, however, to de- effect of an extremely long dry season on nutritional termine if renesting actually occurs in satellite colonies. status of a suite of understory species. I assayed levels Habitat data were collected at all nest sites and an equal of circulating plasma metabolite concentrations as indi- number of random points within pinyon and juniper cators of nutritional status. -hydroxybutyrate, an indi- woodland habitat. These data will be analyzed using cator of time elapsed since feeding, concentrations in- a linear binomial regression in a GIS to create a pre- creased in most species (n=10) as the unusually long dictive map of suitable nesting habitat on KAFB. The 2016 dry season progressed. Among all species, I ob- findings from this study will be critical for Pinyon Jay served greater concentrations of triglycerides, an indi- management decisions on KAFB and throughout their cator of food consumption, in the wet season than in the range. dry season. While average triglyceride concentrations increased slightly as the dry season progressed, this trend was primarily driven by frugivorous species. The effect of seasonal drought on nutritional status varied Adaptations for relative larger brains in humming- between species. For example, Song Wrens (Cyphorhi- bird skulls nus phaeocephalus) showed greater levels of nutritional stress during the dry season, while Spotted Antbirds Diego Ocampo (Hylophylax naevioides) appeared robust to the stress Gilbert Barrantes of the 2016 dry season. The short-term effects of regu- J NAAC Uy lar seasonal drought, such as changes in food availabil- ity, on the level of the individual may still depress pop- Haller’s rule is a common allometric pattern, which ulations of tropical birds. Anticipating how and why posits that small species have relatively larger brains resident species will respond to shifts in tropical rain- and eyes than larger species. Therefore, the smallest fall regimes under climate change is fundamental for species face a structural and energetic cost in produc- tropical conservation. ing and maintaining a disproportionate amount of nerve tissue. Even though some studies show the metabolic implications of relatively large nervous tissue, little is known about the structural adaptations for housing rel- Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) Move- atively larger brains and eyes. Because hummingbirds ments, Habitat Use, and Satellite Colonies in the represent the smallest species of birds, they likely have Manzanita Mountains, New Mexico evolved morphological adaptations for housing rela- tively large brains. We explored how skull traits, such Michael C Novak as skull ossification, braincase compactness, and pro- Loren M Smith portional eye-socket size in relation to the head size Scott T McMurry correlates with body size and relative brain size in adult Jonathan P Harris male hummingbirds. We found in 96 species that the

102 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book smallest species convergently evolved the lowest lev- for the initial evolution and maintenance of elaborate, els of ossification. Ossification correlates with the body ornamental traits in both sexes. and brain size but not with age, as in Passerines. Also, in 32 species, the smallest species have the most com- pact braincases and allocate more space for the brain Phylogeny of all passerine families reveal a diversi- relative to the eyes than larger species. The correlations fication history tied to Cenozoic global climate of these skull traits with the body and brain size may represent not just a structural and ontogenic constrain Carl H Oliveros on the skull morphology, which is expected by a pae- Daniel J Field domorphosis process during miniaturization, but rather Daniel T Ksepka evolutionary adaptations to reduce the cost of housing F K Barker relatively larger brains. In essence, these skull traits al- Robert G Moyle low for housing relatively larger brains, while mitigat- Brant C Faircloth ing the constraints of an overall increase in head size. Avian diversification has been influenced by global climate, plate tectonic movements and bursts in spe- cific lineages. However, these factors have not been closely examined in Passerines, the largest and most widespread avian radiation. Previous studies have Karan J Odom been limited by many unresolved relationships among passerines or dates that are inconsistent with the fossil record. Using 4060 genome-wide loci collected from 222 individuals representing all passerine families (in- Selection pressures tied to elaborate female and cluding an extinct family of Hawaiian honeyeaters), we male song across Fairy-wrens estimate phylogenetic relationships among passerines using concatenation and coalescent approaches. Across Karan J Odom analytical approaches, we recover a well-supported Kristal E Cain backbone of passerine relationships and resolve many Michelle L Hall problematic sections of passerine phylogeny, although Jordan Karubian a few sections remain difficult to disentangle even with Erik D Enbody our large dataset. We clarify the position of enigmatic Michael S Webster taxa, such as the genera Hylia, Pholidornis, and Graue- ria, and recommend the recognition of at least one new Bird song is a complex behavior often thought of as avian family. Combining our improved passerine tree sexually selected in males, but females of many bird with divergence time estimates that were based on a species sing, too. However, recent research suggests comprehensive set of carefully vetted fossil calibrations that female ornamentation, including song, may func- yields consistent results between approaches that use tion more in competition for year-round resources, and both the entirety of the nucleotide alignment from all therefore broader selections pressures, such as social or 4060 loci and random subsets of the loci. Our time- natural selection, may be responsible for elaborate song calibrated phylogeny suggests that diversification rate in both sexes. Fairy-wrens (genus: Malurus) are a well- among passerines rose as Cenozoic global temperatures studied lineage of Australasian songbirds in which song fell and that rates of passerine diversification increased is common in females and males. Therefore, they are an significantly during the Oligocene and mid-Miocene ideal system for detailed phylogenetic comparisons of before soaring in the Pleistocene. This study reinforces song structure to natural history and ecological traits. the role of global climate driving diversification in one We examined what selects for elaborate song in both of the largest groups of vertebrates. sexes of fairy-wrens for 14 populations, representing 9 species. We directly compared song structure to natu- ral history traits, including adult survival and extra-pair Population differentiation of two tidal marsh spar- paternity rates as well as measures of territoriality and rows and the implications for generalist-specialist habitat structure. Based on these analyses, we report on cycling the selection pressures likely responsible for the evolu- tion of elaborate song in this clade. Our results have Brian J Olsen implications for the evolutionary processes responsible Jennifer Walsh

103 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Meaghan Conway Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The predominant vocaliza- Katharine J Ruskin tion (raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$98% of ob- Adrienne I Kovach servations) of black jacobins (Florisuga fusca) consists of a triplet of syllables with high fundamental frequency The evolution of specialization upon a novel resource (mean F0 raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$11.8 may pass through a series of stages similar to ecologi- kHz), rapid frequency oscillations (300 Hz) and strong cal succession. Generalists with high mobility (pioneer ultrasonic harmonics (up to 80 kHz). Importantly species) are more likely to colonize initially. Evolution- these vocalizations had no detectable elements be- ary processes, instead of species replacement, can then low raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$10 kHz, thus cause a transition to a more competitive community. were not harmonics or extensions of lower frequency Under this evolutionary succession, competitive ability syllables. Rather their frequencies range above the and fitness within the novel habitat should be positively known hearing range of any bird species recorded to correlated with time since colonization. Selection, how- date, including hearing specialists like owls. Further- ever, can consume genetic variability and adaptive ca- more, these jacobin vocalizations were produced in pacity, and taxa should thus be less able to respond multiple behavioral contexts, including close one-on- evolutionarily to secondary selective challenges once one antagonistic interactions among individual birds, they become specialized on a resource. We tested these and across seasons with detectable differences in some predictions of evolutionary succession by comparing acoustics parameters. Overall, these findings suggest Saltmarsh (Ammodramus caudacutus) to Nelson’s (A. that black jacobins either have an atypically high fre- nelsoni) sparrows, which colonized tidal marshes from quency hearing range, or alternatively their primary vo- non-tidal habitats during different inter-glacial periods. calization type has a yet unknown function unrelated Saltmarsh Sparrows, the earlier colonist, show greater to vocal communication. Thus, black jacobin vocaliza- use of, adaptation to, and higher fitness in estuarine tions challenge current notions about avian vocal com- tidal marshes. Modern population differentiation as- munication and add to the numerous distinctive features sessed via FST, however, is multiple times lower than that hummingbirds have evolved, including vocal learn- in the more recent colonist and is attributable largely ing, backwards flight, hovering, overnight torpor, and to isolation by distance. The greater population differ- ultraviolet vision. entiation of Nelson’s sparrows is not explained by geo- graphical distance, but may suggest that the more recent colonist has a higher adaptive capacity to modern con- Bahama orioles in the pine forest: documentation ditions. Saltmarsh Sparrow populations are also declin- of new breeding habitat and higher population den- ing at more than twice the rate of Nelson’s Sparrows, sities improve prospects for a critically endangered suggesting that evolutionary rescue is more likely in the species more recent colonist. We discuss alternative hypothe- ses to these patterns and the implications for generalist- Kevin Omland specialist cycling. Scott Johnson Rick Stanley Colin Studds High frequency vocalizations of the Black Jacobin, a T Scott Sillett hummingbird of the Topaz clade Cant Shelley

Christopher R Olson The Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi) is a critically en- Marcela Fernandez-Peters dangered songbird endemic to The Bahamas and cur- Christine V Portfors rently found only on Andros. With the elevation of the Claudio V Mello Bahama Oriole to full-species status in 2011, research suggested that there were fewer than 300 individuals Birds have a phenomenal capacity for vocal commu- remaining in the global population. The Bahama Ori- nication, however all species examined to date show ole was also termed a synanthropic species based on a limited range in their vocal and auditory frequen- data suggesting that the species nested almost exclu- cies (0.4-8 kHz) when compared to mammals. Us- sively within anthropogenic residential habitats in intro- ing specialized recording equipment to acquire vo- duced Coconut Palms (Cocos nucifera). These conclu- cal recordings at a range of frequencies in the sonic sions were based on population surveys primarily con- and ultrasound ranges, we describe here the vocaliza- fined to settled areas near the coasts. However, we re- tions from a hummingbird species that occurs in the cently documented multiple pairs of orioles with breed-

104 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book ing territories deep in pine forests, and we present the Bird Richness and Woody Structure Relationships first records of Bahama Orioles nesting in pine forests on South Texas Rangelands in Caribbean Pines (Pinus caribaea) and native under- story thatch palms (Leucothrinax morrisii) (Stonko et Janel L Ortiz al. 2018, J. Carib. Ornith.). Additionally, preliminary April A Conkey analysis of point counts indicates much higher densities Leonard A Brennan than previous estimates. Given the predominance of the Humberto L Perotto-Baldivieso pine forests on Andros, this newly documented breed- David B Wester ing habitat has important implications for comprehen- Jason V Lombardi sive population estimates and for long-term conserva- tion of the Bahama Oriole. The amount and spatial distribution of vegetation is fun- damental to avian breeding success. The gradient con- cept of landscape structure in landscape ecology has moved to the forefront in characterizing the land cover Nuclear DNA supports mitochondrial and pheno- spatial patterns that affect food, shelter, and resource typic divergence in Steller’s Jays (Cyanocitta stel- requirements for wildlife. Our objective was to identify leri) relationships between avian guild richness and woody cover vegetation structure during the breeding season. Zheng Oong We used breeding bird point-count data conducted in Carla Cicero May and June of 2014 on an East Foundation cattle Zachary R Hanna ranch in South Texas. A 1-m land cover classifica- Kevin Feldheim tion map of woody, non-woody, bare ground, and water Rauri CK Bowie was used to assess landscape structure surrounding each point-count. Class metrics that describe woody cover Intraspecific variation in phenotype often reflects adap- spatial structure (PERCENT COVER, MPA, PD, ED, tation to different environments. In the western United LPI) and aggregation (IJI, AI, ENN, COHESION) were States, Steller’s Jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) show strong compared with richness. We used permutation-based differences in phenotype across geography that are as- regression to determine the relationship between forag- sociated with a broad range of ecologic and bioclimatic ing guild richness and woody cover metrics. We hy- conditions. Previous work using mitochondrial DNA pothesized that increasing guild richness would reflect (mtDNA) sequences revealed a deep genetic split be- landscape structure specific to habitat requirements of tween phenotypically differentiated populations from foraging guilds during the breeding season. Using the the Pacific slope and the Rocky Mountains. In this principles of the gradient concept, we used our results study, we utilized 12 microsatellite loci specifically de- to quantify potential species richness based on land- signed for Steller’s Jays to assess whether a similar pat- scape structure across our study area. This information tern of divergence is evident in the nuclear genome. We will provide an important visual and analytical tool for included 1,073 individuals from 68 populations in the managing, maintaining, and/or enhancing avian habitat western United States representing the range of phe- in our study area and as a model for South Texas. This notypic and ecological variation. Our results indicated approach has the potential to integrate landscape-level strong geographic structuring and supported the major information with other existing breeding bird surveys to division between populations from the Pacific slope and improve conservation planning and land management Rocky Mountains. In addition, both the mtDNA se- strategies for landowners and organizations interested quence and microsatellite data revealed a narrow zone in avian conservation. of contact and hybridization between these divergent lineages. We also found evidence for further sub- structuring within the Pacific slope populations. Our data reveal that Steller’s Jays in the western U.S. are comprised of 3-5 lineages, suggesting a deep history Conservation in the Classroom: Integrating Wild of diversification. We discuss these data in the context Birds into the 6th and 7th Grade Curriculum of phenotypic and ecological variation among popula- tions. Janel L Ortiz April A Conkey Leonard A Brennan La Vonne Fedynich Using the Gradient Concept to Visualize Breeding Marybeth Green

105 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Getting kids outdoors is a challenge with the increased Great Egret and White Ibis nests. We also tested the use of technology that is eliminating outdoor play and prediction that Burmese pythons are attracted to is- restricting children to the indoors. Early childhood ex- lands with bird colonies, using environmental DNA posure to the outdoors has been a primary motivator for (eDNA) as a detection method. Compared to detec- showing care and appreciation towards nature later in tion rates using traditional survey methods (<1%), life and has been determined to provide positive health detection rates of pythons using eDNA were vastly benefits. To increase childhood exposure to nature, we improved. We compared python DNA concentrations created a Student-Teacher-Scientist-Partnership (STSP) and occupancy estimates from Bayesian hierarchical program to enhance the knowledge and attitudes of models in 15 colonies and 15 control islands. In our students (and their teachers) towards birdlife in South nest predation study, we documented python predation Texas. We developed a wild bird conservation cur- of Great Egret and White Ibis chicks, and White Ibis riculum aligned with state standards for use in K-12 eggs. All predation events occurred in one of seven classrooms. We assessed 6th (n=39) and 7th grade colonies monitored. Six of 61 monitored nests were (n=52) students’ affinity, perceptions, and attitudes to- depredated (9.8% predation rate). In our eDNA detec- wards wildlife, birds, and science prior to and after the tion study, occupancy rates were similarly high across program using a mixed methods design of open-ended colonies and controls, but maximum python DNA con- questions and Likert-type statements. Likert-type state- centrations were higher in some colonies. Our results ment responses were analyzed using an upper-tailed suggest that pythons are negatively impacting wading sign test. Students’ affinity for wildlife (P > 0.05) and bird colonies, and some may be more vulnerable than working with a scientist (P > 0.05) was positive. Their others. attitude towards habitat fragmentation and its effect on wildlife improved (6th: P = 0.004, 7th: P = 0.003) as well as their perceived knowledge of birds (6th: P = Using ancient DNA and fossils to understand the his- 0.004, 7th: P = 0.009). Perceived confidence of identi- torical diversity and distribution of Bahamian birds fying birds increased in 7th graders (P = 0.003), yet 6th graders’ confidence showed little change (P > 0.05). Jessica A Oswald Lessons provided local educators with tools to incor- Julie M Allen porate wildlife into their instruction and an opportunity Robert Guralnick for students to be outdoors while being introduced to David W Steadman the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) career of wildlife biology. Compared to neighboring islands in the Greater An- tilles, the Bahamas currently sustain a depauperate flora and fauna. Fossil evidence suggests that this has not al- Assessing the impacts of Burmese pythons on wad- ways been the case. Bahamian fossil sites reveal land- ing bird nesting colonies in the Everglades of Florida bird faunas on individual islands that once were at least twice as rich in species as today. The extinct (global Sophia CM Orzechowski loss) and extirpated (loss of island population) species Margaret E Hunter are taxonomically diverse, ranging from petrels to par- Christina M Romagosa rots, raptors, and songbirds. Some species were lost Peter C Frederick during the major changes in climate, sea level, land area, and habitat of the Pleistocene-Holocene Transi- Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) are well- tion, while others survived that event but did not sur- established invasive predators in the Greater Everglades vive the past 1,000 years of human presence in the is- Ecosystem (GEE). Pythons pose a predation threat to lands. Understanding the taxonomy, distribution and adults and nests of long-legged wading birds in the timing of extinct populations will help elucidate the GEE, but detection and ensuing conservation and man- roles each extinction type had on the fauna of these is- agement efforts are hampered by the extreme crypticity lands. The extinct Caracara creightoni (Falconidae) is of pythons. Wading bird nesting colonies, which range one such species. We extracted and shotgun sequenced from dozens to thousands of breeding pairs, represent DNA from well-preserved fossil material (4,000 years an energetically dense, attractive food source. We pre- old) of C. creightoni. We have developed a pipeline for dicted pythons may impact colonies by preying upon cleaning and assembling sections of mtDNA genes. We adults, juveniles, and eggs, as well as potentially caus- place this extinct species in a phylogenetic and morpho- ing abandonment of breeding pairs. We used time-lapse logical context and discuss the decline of this species in trail cameras to quantify predation rates of pythons at light of the extinctions events on the islands.

106 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

species derived from 16,541 forested point counts from the Second Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas. For each Burnin’ for you: an evaluation of turkey habitat use species, we estimated the effect of urbanization inten- in response to prescribed fire sity on occurrence at each of ten landscape scales, con- trolling for other measures of landscape heterogeneity, Christine M Parker local habitat attributes, and species detectability, using Jeff Hoover generalized linear models and an information theoretic T J Benson approach. From these analyses we extracted the largest Wendy Schelsky effect size for urbanization intensity across scales for Luke Garver each species. Effect sizes ranged from -1.49 to 0.90, with a mean SE of -0.36 0.49. We then collated data Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) thrive in heteroge- on multiple traits for each species from field guides and neous forests with a diverse understory structure. A di- published literature. Trait data will be used as predic- verse understory can be achieved using prescribed fire, tors of variation in urbanization intensity effect sizes yet we have a limited understanding of how burning among species in phylogenetic regression models. Pre- influences turkey habitat use throughout the year. We liminary results indicate that clutch size, fledgling suc- sought to test the hypothesis that prescribed fire influ- cess, frugivory, and sedentarism are the strongest pre- ences habitat use by wild turkey hens. We expected dictors of species responses to urbanization intensity. that the time since an area was burned would be nega- Our results will identify species traits that facilitate or tively correlated with use by hens. During 2015 2017 hinder a species’ ability to utilize urban environments. we monitored 66 hens within two Illinois parks using Species with inhibiting traits can then be prioritized in micro-GPS tags. Each day, the tags collected 8 lo- urban conservation programs. cations during daylight hours and 1 location at mid- night, and those location data were collected remotely using VHF transmission each week. We created unique utilization distributions (UD) using Brownian Bridge Loss of Cultural Diversity in Hawaiian Honeycreep- Movement Models representing: 95% UD for the en- ers Over the Last 40 Years tire flock within each study area per year; 95% UD for each individual female per year; and 50% UD for each Kristina L Paxton individual female per year. We compared turkey use of Esther Sebastian-Gonz´ alez´ areas that differed in time since last burned (i.e., 2013 Lisa H Crampton 2017) within each UD (i.e., flock 95%, hen 95%, and David Kuhn hen 50%). Our results suggest that among areas man- Patrick J Hart aged with fire, hens generally prefer areas burned 2 or 3 years prior, and selection varies among seasons. In Hawaiian honeycreepers, like other oscine Passer- ines, song is a culturally transmitted trait acquired through social learning and imitation. Population- The traits that predict forest bird responses to ur- level changes in song accrue through mechanisms (e.g., banization intensity cultural mutations, cultural drift, migration, selection) analogous to genetic evolution, and are influenced by Grant D Paton population size and distribution. In this study, we Alexandra V Shoffner examined changes in the acoustic characteristics of Andrew M Wilson Kauai honeycreepers over the last 40 years. We pre- Sara A Gagne dicted rapid declines in the density and distribution of Kauai honeycreepers starting in 2000 would result in As humans continue moving to urban areas, there is a changes to the acoustic structure of songs. We exam- growing need to understand the effects of urban inten- ined 11 acoustic characteristics of songs recorded dur- sification on native wildlife populations. Forest species ing three time periods (1970s; 1990s; 2005 to present) in remnant habitat are particularly vulnerable to urban for three species (Akekee, Loxops cauruleirostris; Ani- intensification, but the mechanisms behind these effects aniau, Hemignathus parvus; Kauai Amakihi, Chloro- are poorly understood. The objective of our study was drepanis stejnegeri). The acoustic characteristics of to identify the traits that best explained variation in the present day songs of Kauai Amakihi and Anianiau had responses of forest bird species to urbanization inten- reduced complexity, a narrower range of frequencies sity. To do so, we used occurrence data for 58 forest across songs, and reduced diversity compared to songs

107 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 from the 1970s. We found similar patterns for Ake- around large food sources, but these changes do not ap- kee, but given the greatly reduced population sizes pear to recruit others to the food bonanza. Crows near of Akekee by the 1970s we had too few recordings a large food windfall gave shorter calls compared to to include the 1970s in a statistical analysis. While their vocalizations around a small amount of food (es- many factors can influence the acoustic characteristics pecially if they saw a human produce the meal), and of songs, we think the main driver of decreased com- playback of those short calls did not prompt an aggres- plexity and diversity of honeycreepers’ songs is declin- sive response from listening crows. In contrast, the calls ing populations. Because birds learn their songs not given around small food piles (and before the appear- only from their parents, but also neighboring individu- ance of food) had a longer duration, and playback of als, the lower density of individuals within an area re- those longer calls elicited behaviors from the listening sults in fewer songs for young birds to learn from and crows associated with aggression and territory defense. a quieter soundscape from which to build their song These findings suggest that once a food source becomes repertoire. sufficiently conspicuous, the crows stop attempting to defend it and vocalize for other reasons. Taken alto- gether, this study provides insights into the nuances of crow vocalizations and the importance that crows place Optimizing conservation of Hawaiian forest birds on human behavior, possibly an adaptation from gener- into an uncertain future ations spent living in human-dominated landscapes.

Eben H Paxton

Hawaii’s forest birds have experienced multiple extinc- A comparison of genetic variability in the cy- tions and substantial range contractions over the last 2 tochrome c oxidase gene between sparrows and centuries from habitat loss, invasive species, and non- nuthatches native disease. Today, over half are listed as endangered and threatened species, and many populations continue Jill K Penn to decline. Climate change and continuing introduction Maribel Fernandez of disruptive species puts increasing pressure on extant Mia Malloy populations and continues uncertainty about future pop- ulation dynamics. Managers face the problem of having The brown-headed nuthatch, Sitta pusilla, is a non- to address multiple threats with uncertainty on the ef- migratory bird endemic to the southeastern United fectiveness of their actions, both currently and into the States. Behavior studies of S. pusilla have found that future. Models can help optimize conservation actions mating pairs maintain strong long-term bonds and that by assessing the effectiveness of multiple actions under second year male progeny often assist parents in rais- different scenarios, and combined with structured deci- ing nestlings, i.e. cooperative breeding. S. pusilla sion making allow managers to maximize effectiveness populations have been declining since the 1960s and with limited resources. the decline has been attributed to urban development, habitat loss, increased logging, and fire suppression. Here we have analyzed the genetic variability within S. pusilla populations for the mitochondria-encoded gene Fussing over food: factors affecting the vocalizations cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (coi). By comparing American Crows utter around food coi sequences from S. pusilla we found 11 single nu- cleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 9 different haplo- LomaJohn T Pendergraft types. The number of SNPs and haplotypes is much John M Marzluff higher than what has been found for other species. We found 5 SNPs and 5 haplotypes in chipping sparrows American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) often loudly and 3 SNPs and 4 haplotypes in swamp sparrows. Anal- vocalize when gathered around a food source. Because ysis of sequences from the barcode of life database doing so would attract unwanted attention from preda- (BOLD) revealed that Sitta pygmaea and Sitta europaea tors and competitors, animals that have congregated also had an unusually high number of SNPs and haplo- around food are only expected to vocalize to recruit al- types for coi suggesting that other species in the genus lies, announce themselves to allies, deter competitors, Sitta might have a high degree of genetic diversity. warn of danger, or beg for a meal. Here we demon- strate that wild crows change the qualities of their calls

108 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Home range and habitat use of Baird’s and forests and woodlands. To test this, we constructed a Grasshopper sparrows in the Marfa grasslands, spatially explicit simulation model, parameterized with Texas field data, to consider the effect of different seed dis- persal scenarios on the extent of oak populations. We Denis J Perez-Ordonez applied the model to two islands in California’s Chan- Mieke Titulaer nel Islands National Park, one of which has lost a key Fabiola Baeza-Tarin seed disperser. We used an ensemble modelling ap- Erin H Strasser proach to simulate island scrub oak (Quercus pacifica) Russell Martin demography. The model was developed and trained to Louis Harveson recreate known population changes over a 20-year pe- riod on 250-km2 Santa Cruz Island, and incorporated Baird’s Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) and Grasshop- acorn dispersal by island scrub-jays (Aphelocoma insu- per Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) are two grass- laris), deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and gravity, land obligate migratory birds that overwinter in the as well as seed predation. We applied the trained model southern US and northern Mexico, and have lost be- to 215-km2 Santa Rosa Island to examine how reintro- tween 7080% of their total population since 1966. An ducing island scrub-jays would affect the rate and pat- ongoing 5-year study across northern Mexico aims to tern of oak population expansion. Oak habitat on Santa determine limiting factors for these species on the win- Rosa Island has been greatly reduced from its histori- tering grounds. Last year we added a fourth site to this cal extent due to past grazing by introduced ungulates, project at the Marfa Grasslands, Texas. Here, our objec- the last of which were removed by 2011. Our simu- tives are to determine home range, habitat preferences lation model predicts that a seed dispersal scenario in- and winter survival rates of Baird’s and Grasshopper cluding island scrub-jays would increase the extent of sparrows. During the winters of 2016-2017 and 2017- the island scrub oak population on Santa Rosa Island 2018 we deployed VHF transmitters on more than 60 by 281% over 100 years, and by 544% over 200 years. sparrows per season and located birds 1/day from mid- Scenarios without jays would result in little expansion. December to mid-March. To characterize vegetation Simulated long-distance seed dispersal by jays also fa- structure, we used ocular estimates of ground cover cilitates establishment of discontinuous patches of oaks, within 5-m radius circular plots for 20 locations per and increases their elevational distribution. bird and across a grid of points spaced every 100 m. We also identified the dominant grass species and measured grass and shrub height. We calculated home range and The Elephant Bird in the Room: Violations of the core area size at 95% and 50%, respectively, from fixed Closure Assumption and the Meaning of Occupancy Kernel density estimates, and analysed differences in vegetation characteristics between bird and grid points Sean M Peterson with MANOVA. We present data on home range char- Steven R Beissinger acteristics for the two species, examine habitat use vs. availability, and compare a moderate density rotational Occupancy models use multiple surveys at consistent grazing system to low density continuous grazing. Data locations to assess site use while accounting for imper- from the Marfa site will contribute to full annual cycle fect detection. A key assumption for this analysis is models to determine where populations are most lim- that sites are closed to immigration and emigration be- ited, and that will help guide grassland management to tween surveys. Violation of the closure assumption de- benefit grassland birds. creases estimates of detection and increases estimates of site occupancy, but is rarely accounted for. We used automated recording units to assess the validity of the The role of seed dispersal by corvids in the recovery closure assumption during the breeding season for two of oak habitat on California’s largest islands species of cryptic marsh birds in California, Black Rails (Laterallus jamaicensis) and Virginia Rails (Rallus lim- Mario B Pesendorfer icola). We sampled 48 wetlands using three primary Scott Sillett sampling periods comprised of four secondary record- Scott A Morrison ing sessions, and compared the fit of open and closed occupancy models using a likelihood ratio test. We de- Seed dispersal by birds is central to the passive restora- termined the effect of closure violations on estimates tion of many tree communities. Reintroduction of of detection and occupancy and assessed the influence extinct seed dispersers can therefore restore degraded of habitat characteristics on in-season colonization and

109 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 extinction. We found significant violation of the clo- Barriers to gene flow and speciation in the yellow- sure assumption for both species. Closure violation rumped warbler for Black Rails was mainly due to within-season colo- nization of unoccupied sites, whereas colonization and Daniel K Pierce extinction were similar in Virginia Rails (BLRA col- David PL Toews onization probability = 0.16, extinction probability = Darren E Irwin 0.04; VIRA colonization = 0.11, VIRA extinction = Alan Brelsford 0.16). Potential causes of closure violations include post-breeding juvenile dispersal, territorial prospecting, Identifying regions of the genome involved in spe- previously unknown movements during the breeding ciation remains an important area of research in bi- season, and differing breeding- and post-breeding habi- ology. Early work has focused on regions of the tat preferences. We recommend refining the definition genome that are highly differentiated between species. of both site occupancy and closure to account for tem- These regions of high differentiation may be mislead- poral variation in habitat preferences and movement be- ing, however, since heterogeneity in allele frequency tween survey locations during a survey season. can be produced by factors not related to divergence with gene flow such as drift and local adaptation in allopatry. We obtained sequence data on single- nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) via genotyping-by- Surviving in the city: higher apparent survival for sequencing from a natural hybrid zone between myrtle urban birds but worse condition on noisy territories and Audubon’s warblers (Setophaga coronata coronata & S. c. auduboni). We fit clines to SNPs with a dif- Jennifer N Phillips ference in allele frequency greater than 20% between Katherine Gentry allopatric populations with hzar (hybrid zone analysis Elizabeth Derryberry using R) and used these data to analyze the movement David Luther of alleles across the hybrid zone. In this study, we find evidence of a general barrier to gene flow for the ma- Anthropogenic landscapes and soundscapes are known jority of the genome and a small number of loci that to impose selective pressures on a number of species, experience higher and asymmetric introgression from which can manifest in changes in vocalizations, for- myrtle to Audubon’s warblers. Clusters of these higher aging strategies, predator vigilance, and reproductive introgression loci are found on every chromosome. We success. However, few studies have examined sur- also find that clines do not differ between SNPs that lie vival rates, a major component of fitness, across the on the Z chromosome and autosomal SNPs, suggest- landscape and soundscape. White-crowned sparrows ing that sex-linkage is not an important factor affecting (Zonotrichia leucophrys) persist in both urban and ru- gene flow between these species. By characterizing pat- ral landscapes and change their behavior in response to terns of introgression across natural hybrid zones, we the soundscape. We color-banded adult white-crowned can gain insight into the process of speciation and the sparrows and collected noise levels on their territories nature of genetic barriers to gene flow. in the urban San Francisco Bay Area and adjacent ru- ral Point Reyes National Seashore in California. We collected mark-encounter data on territorial males from 2014 to 2017. Using the Program MARK, we tested the Tracking Mountain Plover migration: conservation effects of habitat (urban/rural), and territory noise level implications of non-breeding habitat use on annual survival rates and body condition. We pre- dicted that survival and body condition would be lower Allison K Pierce in urban habitats and decrease with increasing back- Stephen J Dinsmore ground noise level. We found that survival estimates Courtney J Duchardt vary according to year, and for each year, males in ur- Angela M Dwyer ban landscapes have higher survival. Noise levels best Dennis Jorgensen predict body condition, such that anthropogenic sound- Peter P Marra scapes negatively affect male body condition. Taken together, the urban landscape and soundscape shape the The Mountain Plover is a migratory shorebird of con- survival and health of birds in and near cities. servation interest that breeds in grasslands and xeric tablelands along the western edge of the Great Plains and overwinters in areas along the southern border of

110 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book the United States into Mexico. Light-level loggers re- Endothermy may provide birds with some flexibility to covered from plovers breeding in Montana provided temperature changes and allow them to move less than evidence for regular movement to cropland regions in expected. Instead of being directly dependent on tem- Colorado and Oklahoma for extended periods imme- perature, birds may be responding to gradual changes diately following breeding. Plovers occupied these re- habitat or availability of food resources, and presence gions for 30-60 days before continuing to destinations of competitors. If so, this has important implications in Texas and Arizona, where they remained for the for estimates of mountaintop extinctions from climate subsequent 4-5 months prior to spring migration. Ex- change. tended use of this area suggests that it is important for plovers during the fall, however, light level loggers do not provide precise location estimates, and so cannot Does signal diversity matter? Testing the signifi- be used to identify habitat used by plovers during the cance of bird song repertoire size non-observed periods. To improve our understanding of movement patterns and habitat use during the non- Stephanie G Pitt breeding season, we deployed GPS loggers on plovers Lauryn Benedict breeding in Colorado and Wyoming. GPS track data re- covered from 3 plovers confirmed the use of croplands Song repertoire size has long been studied in regards near the Colorado/Oklahoma border. Despite the rela- to selective pressures driving the evolution of bird song tively small sample size, none of the 8 plovers tracked complexity. Large repertoires have been supported in by either tag type used croplands for breeding, yet all some studies as important in intra- and intersexual con- tracks suggest nearly exclusive use of croplands dur- texts, but results are mixed and no overall patterns have ing the full non-breeding period. The non-breeding pe- emerged. I assessed responses of 27 male Rock Wrens riod comprises most of the year and habitat conditions to small and large song repertoire experimental play- such as pesticide exposure or reduced predation pres- back tracks and results showed that males sang more sure may have significant negative or positive impacts songs in response to playback of a large repertoire than on adult fecundity and survival. Implications to conser- they did to a small repertoire (p=0.0291) and unexpect- vation warrant further non-breeding habitat use consid- edly that unmated males sang more in response to chal- eration and study. lenges than mated males did (p=0.0206). This supports the hypothesis that male Rock Wrens assess repertoire size, and that it is relevant to males in a territory de- Elevational range shifts in tropical avian communi- fense context. I also acquired information on the nest- ties ing ecology and breeding success of males. Singing behavior is thought to be important in mate acquisition, Stuart Pimm but preliminary data suggest that song repertoire size German Forero-Medina did not correlate with mated status (p=0.2688), or nest initiation date (p=0.2275). Focal bird observations and Species may respond to a warming climate by moving motion-detection field cameras show that males and fe- to higher latitudes or elevations. Shifts in geographic males care for chicks by bringing food to the nest. Fu- ranges are common responses in temperate regions. For ture analyses will test whether males that have larger the tropics, latitudinal temperature gradients are shal- repertoires are more attentive parents. Signal diversity low: the only escape for species may be to move to seems to be more relevant to male Rock Wrens in ter- higher elevations. There are few data to suggest that ritory defense contexts and is driving the evolution of they do. Yet, the greatest loss of species from climate song repertoire size more so than female choice. In- disruption may be for tropical montane species. We trasexually selected increases in repertoire size provide repeated a historical transect in Peru and find an aver- an alternative mechanism to female choice generating age upward shift of 49 m for 55 bird species over a 41 complexity in animal signaling systems. year interval. This shift is significantly upward, but also significantly smaller than the 152 m one expects from warming in the region. To estimate the expected shift in Exploratory behavior in wild chickadees: contrast- elevation we first determined the magnitude of warm- ing two field methods ing in the locality from historical data. Then we used the temperature lapse rate to infer the required shift in Sarah E Polekoff altitude to compensate for warming. The range shifts in Breanna L Bennett elevation were similar across different trophic guilds. Robert L Curry

111 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Behavioral differences between species can impact of prolonged drought, is a contributing factor to the mate choice and social dominance relationships, ulti- apparent delays. Using a long-term dataset that spans mately determining where species occur and whether a latitudinal gradient from South Dakota to northern they hybridize. Exploratory behavior is an ecologically Mexico, we evaluated the influence of climatic events relevant measure of personality associated with speed- and weather patterns throughout the Burrowing Owl’s accuracy tradeoffs. We measured exploratory behav- annual cycle on nest initiation dates using multinomial ior in wild Carolina (Poecile carolinensis) and Black- logistic regression. We found drought conditions dur- capped (P. atricapillus) chickadees, as well as their hy- ing the migratory period to have the greatest influence brids, in the field using two different mobile assays on timing of nesting. Our results suggest years with for preliminary and main studies respectively: a screen more intense drought on migratory grounds increased tent and an illuminated box designed to reduce out- the probability of nests initiating late relative to early [ side influences. We scored exploratory behavior for Odds ratio = 0.58, 95% CI (0.34, 0.99) ]. Using fitted both assays by recording variables describing activity values from the multinomial regression we developed and latency to reach different sections within the cham- predicted probabilities, where above normal wet condi- ber, and then produced a composite score using prin- tions on the migratory grounds increased the probabil- cipal components analysis. Within each species, indi- ity of nests initiating early. Amounts of rainfall can af- viduals exhibited a wide range of exploratory scores. fect food availability, where drought may decrease food Carolina Chickadees were on average more exploratory abundance and negatively influence birds energetic con- than Black-capped Chickadees, with hybrids interme- dition. How climate change will impact Burrowing Owl diate. The box and tent scores did not correlate, sug- phenology is important in light of increasing drought gesting that these assays are not measuring the same within the Great Plains and declining owl population behavior. Tent PC score was not repeatable (n = 14, r = trends. 0.52), though flight behavior measures were highly re- peatable (number of flights: r = 0.82, flight time: rho = 0.70). The box PC score was repeatable (n = 46, rho = 0.54). The behaviors exhibited in both assays seem to A bird’s eye view of forecasting phenological change represent individual personality. Although these sister across North America species differ on average in behavior, both species in- clude a wide range of personality types, leading to high Erin E Posthumus behavioral overlap. Behavioral similarity may play a Theresa M Crimmins role in these species’ willingness to hybridize in the Alyssa H Rosemartin wild. Phenology is a key lens for understanding how plants, animals, and landscapes respond to environmental vari- Influence of Drought on Nest Phenology of the Bur- ation and change. The USA National Phenology Net- rowing Owl [Athene Cunicularia] Throughout the work (USA-NPN) is a federally-funded, national-scale Great Plains Region science and monitoring initiative that offers flexible mechanisms, tools, and capacities for phenology data Catie M Porro collection, access, and visualization. The USA-NPN’s Martha J Desmond observational data and derived products and maps are Julie A Savidge experiencing wide use to advance science, conservation Fitsum A Gebreselassie and resource management. A rapidly growing number Kirsten Cruz-McDonnell of bird observatories, Audubon chapters and other or- Randall Griebel ganizations as well as agencies including the US Fish and Wildlife Service are using USA-NPN products and The Burrowing Owl [Athene cunicularia] is a species tools to inform species management. In this presen- of national concern in the United States, with the most tation, we will highlight three case studies that show- pronounced declines in the Great Plains. We have ob- case applications of phenological information. First, served both advances and delays in nesting along with we will describe how conservation groups such as Cal- increasing variation in nest initiation dates. For exam- ifornia Audubon are leveraging the USA-NPN’s data ple, at Buffalo Gap National Grassland, South Dakota collection protocols to document changing bird behav- these trends are apparent for years of data collection iors and breeding times. Second, we discuss how the between 1999-2017 [ F7,297 = 45.77, P < 0.001 ]. We timing of spring onset in North America has changed propose that climate change, specifically the occurrence over the past century across spatial scales relevant to

112 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book bird species such as protected areas and migratory fly- ways, with implications for access to seasonal habitats. Turning Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus Third, we describe how the USA-NPN is expanding on americanus) Surveys Into Conservation Action known growing degree-day thresholds to create maps that forecast ecological events important to birds such Steven S Prager as insect emergence. These resources are being increas- Vashti Supplee ingly leveraged, in interdisciplinary collaborations, to Jennie MacFarland understand the phenological changes in birds and their habitats, and better predict the vulnerability of birds to Understanding breeding habitat preferences of the environmental change. Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), a distinct population listed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as Threatened in 2014, Stress-induced maternal effect links local competi- is key to its conservation. Also critical is engaging a tive environment with large-scale changes in popu- diversity of audiences in its study and protection. The lation demography definition of critical habitat proposed by the USFWS stated the bird depends on cottonwood-willow ripar- Ahva L Potticary ian woodlands with adjacent mesquite and canopy clo- Renee A Duckworth sure greater than seventy percent in contiguous patches no less than 100 meters wide and 81 hectares large. Adaptive maternal effects allow mothers to fine-tune This definition is accurate in many areas, but not in offspring phenotype to match future ecological chal- all, and more data is needed. Since 2010, Audubon has lenges. A critical question is how such multi- facilitated standardized Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo generational coordination can evolve, as it requires co- (cuckoo) surveys across Arizona’s network of Impor- evolution of maternal physiology, offspring develop- tant Bird Areas. These surveys have shown that cuckoo ment and cues that predict future conditions. One pos- habitat preferences are broader than those proposed in sibility is that ecological variation induces variation in the critical habitat definition. Tucson Audubon’s con- maternal physiology through pre-existing stress path- firmation of breeding cuckoos in Arizona’s Sky Is- ways during offspring development. Western bluebirds lands and Audubon Arizona’s documentation of con- provide an opportunity to investigate this possibility as sistent summer occupancy and likely breeding in atyp- they have a known maternal effect where competition ical habitats support this affirmation. Atypical habitats over a limited breeding resource (nest cavities) results with confirmed cuckoo occupancy include dry mesquite in mothers influencing both offspring aggression and woodland with no riparian component, patches of ripar- dispersal. We combine long-term data with experimen- ian woodland smaller 81 hectares, and oak woodlands tal manipulations of resource availability to determine surrounded by semi-desert grassland. This effort has whether resource distribution is sufficient to influence helped motivate the USFWS to reconsider the defini- maternal stress and induce the maternal effect. In both tion and geographic boundaries of critical habitat for an unmanipulated population and a large-scale field the cuckoo and has enhanced Audubon’s capacity to experiment, we found that baseline maternal corticos- protect the species. By weaving this work into habi- terone levels were lower when females had extra nest tat protection efforts, education programs, and policy cavities on their territories. Moreover, females provided initiatives, a diverse constituency has been engaged in with extra nest cavities produced philopatric sons more community science, youth employment, and advocacy often than females without, and this manipulation had opportunities. a population-level effect: populations that received ex- tra nest cavities recruited more male offspring relative to populations where resources were not manipulated, The role of plumage color evolution in speciation in even when the extra nest cavities were subsequently re- the tanagers (Aves: Thraupidae) moved. These results support the idea that stress path- ways are a crucial link between the cue and functional Rosalyn M Price-Waldman context of adaptive maternal strategies. We suggest that Allison J Shultz conserved hormonal pathways, such as those underly- Kevin J Burns ing stress responses, may facilitate the evolution of ma- ternal effects by enabling species-specific stressors to Although evolutionary theory predicts an association become linked to adaptive variation in the offspring between the evolution of elaborate plumage color and generation. speciation, evidence for links between speciation and

113 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 plumage color evolution in empirical systems has been ing female. These results indicate the lack of breeding mixed. The evolution of complex ornamentation may opportunities is not the only factor promoting delayed promote speciation by leading to the evolution of prezy- dispersal in male fairy-wrens. It appears that there are gotic mating barriers. However, overall changes in benefits to philopatry that can cause some males to ig- color complexity, including both increases and de- nore opportunities to disperse. The results also high- creases, may also promote speciation by altering the light the differences between male and female helpers sexual signals that mediate reproductive choices. Here, in variegated fairywrens. While male helpers appear we use a recently developed test for trait-dependent di- to be as interested in staying home as dispersing, fe- versification (ES-sim) to examine the relationship be- male helpers appear to be waiting for any opportunity tween plumage ornamentation and speciation rates in to leave. the largest family of songbirds, the tanagers. We an- alyze whole-plumage color patterns in males and fe- males using spectrophotometer readings plotted in the Discovery of fall migration of Northern Saw-whet avian tetrahedral color space, and first test whether Owls (Aegolius acadicus) in Missouri, Arkansas, species with more complex plumage coloration are as- and Oklahoma (USA) sociated with higher speciation rates. We then test whether rates of plumage evolution, rather than the Mitchell L Pruitt values themselves, are positively correlated with spe- Kimberly G Smith ciation rates. We find that changes in male plumage Dana Ripper complexity are positively correlated with speciation Mia Revels rates in the tanagers such that lineages with high rates Abbey Ramirez of plumage complexity evolution are associated with Linda Tossing higher speciation rates. By contrast, there is no corre- lation between color complexity values and speciation Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) breeds in rates. Our results suggest that changes in color com- coniferous forests of northern and mountainous North plexity play an important role in speciation. America. Though widely captured during autumn mi- gration in eastern North America, the extent of au- tumn dispersal and winter distribution is poorly known. Experimental Tests of Delayed Dispersal in Fairy- Saw-whets are notoriously silent and secretive out- wrens side the breeding season, making them difficult to lo- cate. Since 2010, efforts to capture saw-whets during Stephen Pruett-Jones autumn migration have been underway in the south- Allison E Johnson central United States, where the species was previously considered rare with sporadic historic autumn/winter Delayed dispersal is a central aspect of cooperative records, namely in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Region- breeding in birds. In 1990, Pruett-Jones and Lewis pub- ally, nocturnal banding efforts began in 2010 in cen- lished the results of an experimental test of hypothe- tral Missouri (Missouri River Bird Observatory), 2012 ses for delayed dispersal in suberb fairy-wrens. The near St. Louis, Missouri (World Bird Sanctuary), 2014 results were striking. Male helpers dispersed immedi- in northwestern Arkansas (Madison County), and 2016 ately when a territory became available as long as an in northeastern Oklahoma (Cherokee County) and cen- adult female resided on the territory. We replicated this tral Louisiana. Banding efforts continue, with a to- experiment in splendid and variegated fairy-wrens. In tal of 326 saw-whets captured in Missouri, Arkansas, splendid fairy-wrens, when males were removed from and Oklahoma since 2010. No captures occurred in territories adjacent to groups with male helpers, in 60% Louisiana. The most frequently encountered age class of the cases the removals led to a dispersal. In the other was hatch-year (HY), 45.9% of total captures, followed 40% they did not. For variegated fairy-wrens, 50% of by second-year (SY) with 23.7% and after second- male removals led to dispersals by a neighboring male year (ASY) with 20.3%. Other age classes made up helper. In the other 50% of cases no dispersal occurred raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$10% of captures. and instead the female joined a neighboring group. Var- The sex ratio was 75.1% female, 9.9% male, and 15.0% iegated fairy-wren also often have female helpers and unknown. Second-year females were most commonly we also performed female removal experiments. Fe- encountered, followed by ASY females, HY females, male removals, leaving a territory with a breeding male, and HY males. The uneven sex ratio can most likely resulted in almost immediate dispersal by either a fe- be attributed to sex-differential migration strategies in male helper in an adjacent group or by a lone dispers- saw-whets, with females wintering further south than

114 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book males. Based on 12 foreign recoveries, owls appear to social dominance, mating, parent-offspring relations, be migrating through the western Great Lakes, a hereto- and social parasitism. From these roots, and with input fore unknown migratory route. from other fields such as host-disease interactions, the study of conflict now spans many levels and includes taxa across all of life. Yet evolutionary conflict has re- ceived much less synthetic attention than the evolution White-headed Woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus) of cooperation. I will present a thumbnail sketch of a habitat selection and nest survival: a multi-scale review and synthesis of evolutionary conflict. I first de- analysis fine conflict in terms of join phenotypes or outcomes that are affected by two parties. This definition gives Kathryn L Purcell us an entry to exploit two theoretical approaches dating Eric McGregor back to Fisher. It yields a version of Fisher’s fundamen- James Baldwin tal theorem of natural selection that incorporates mal- adaptation due to conflict and also a version of Fisher’s We studied White-headed Woodpeckers (Picoides albo- geometric theory of adaptation that models evolution- larvatus) in the Sierra Nevada, California and collected ary arms races. I review empirical evidence for arms data on used and available habitat at three spatial scales. races and discuss reasons why they are important. Fi- Our goal was to identify abiotic and habitat variables nally, I raise what seems to be the thorniest problem in important to habitat selection and nest survival and to evolutionary conflict: who wins and why. determine if White-headed Woodpecker habitat selec- tion was consistent with habitat important to nest sur- vival. Habitat selection models at the nest-site and 125- ha scales best predicted White-headed Woodpecker nest New Zealand Changing Islands: 35 years of Land- occurrence. Models for nest survival generally had poor bird Populations Affected by Introductions, Succes- predictive power. Nest survival increased with warmer sion, Predator Control, and Weather maximum daily temperatures. At the nest site scale, White-headed Woodpeckers nested in areas with open C J Ralph canopy, fewer large trees, more snags, and in more de- Carol P Ralph cayed substrates compared to random plots while no Linda L Long variables were important for nest survival at this scale. At the 1-ha scale, White-headed Woodpeckers nested The history of birds on islands is one of many extinc- in areas with more conifers and fewer snags while no tions and introductions, and New Zealand is replete variables were important for nest survival. At the 125- with the effects of Maori and European changes to ha scale, models for habitat selection and nest survival the environment, including introduction of non-native were in agreement. Nests were found and were more species. Understanding the dynamics of bird popula- successful in areas of higher canopy cover of conifers tions on islands can inform islands vital role as refu- with high edge density. Viewed across multiple spatial gia, and their function in providing propagules for rein- scales, White-headed Woodpeckers selected heteroge- troductions. This study, on several islands in the Bay neous landscapes. At nest sites they selected areas with of Islands, spans pmore than 35 years, and includes low canopy cover while at the home range scale they se- the longest-running landbird census in the country. lected and were more successful within forests of mod- Modelling the effects on bird numbers of succession, erate canopy cover and high edge density. Taken to- weather (rainfall and temperature), pest removal (rats, gether, our results suggest White-headed Woodpeckers stoats, and Common Myna – Acridotheres tristis), and nest in areas with access to decayed snags, forest open- competition from non-native and newly-reintroduced ings, and moderate canopy cover at the landscape scale. native species, showed that most variables had effects on at least a few species of birds. Most important was rat elimination, myna control, cooler spring tempera- tures, succession (substantially through replanting), the Evolutionary conflict generalist Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), and month of census. We found no effect, surprisingly, from rain- David C Queller fall. The multiplicity of islands that have been made Joan E Strassmann pest free in New Zealand provide opportunity for refu- gia such as these to buy time for management and ma- The study of evolutionary conflict has a good part of its nipulation, and hopefully followed by adaptation of the origins in the study of bird behavior, in conflicts over imperiled species.

115 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

We monitored landbirds from 2005-2016 across five protected areas in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Several Integrative taxonomy of the northern White-browed aspects of terrestrial ecosystem change can be inferred Shortwing Brachypteryx montana taxa supports efficiently by monitoring trends in landbirds, which oc- recognition of three species cupy relatively high trophic positions and provide im- portant ecological functions such as seed dispersal and Pamela C Rasmussen insect control. Within our National Parks, landbird Per Alstrom populations should be less impacted by many of the Xia Canwei anthropogenic processes local to non-protected land- Magnus Gelang scapes, while still being impacted by global processes Liu Yang such as climate change. Recent advances in point- Guoling Cheen count modeling were applied to characterize popula- tion trends for 68 landbird species. Bayesian models The White-browed Shortwing Brachypteryx montana suggest that almost all species exhibited stable or in- sensu lato is widespread from the central Himalayas creasing trends over the study period, with a few no- to southeastern mainland China, Taiwan, the Philip- table exceptions. Annual variation in population den- pines and Indonesia. Multiple subspecies are recog- sity was often related to climate and dominated by neg- nised, several of which have recently been suggested ative effects of precipitation-as-snow in the year prior to be treated as separate species based on differences to counts. Lower precipitation-as-snow in the mountain in morphology and songs. We here analyse plumage, parks might have contributed to rising landbird densi- morphometrics, songs, two mitochondrial and two nu- ties during the study period. Elevation also had strong clear markers, and geographical distributions of the two effects on species abundance in mountain parks, but mainland Asian taxa B. m. cruralis and B. m. sinen- there was no evidence of elevational range-shifts during sis and the Taiwanese B. m. goodfellowi. We con- this study. In some cases, model fit was improved by re- clude that these taxa differ congruently in morphol- ducing the scope of inference to a portion of the focal ogy, songs and DNA. Brachypteryx m. goodfellowi is region, suggesting important effects of habitat hetero- most divergent in plumage, and is sexually monomor- geneity. While these results are encouraging for land- phic, unlike the two others, although this taxon and bird trends in protected areas, the species in apparent B. m. sinensis are most similar in song and are sis- decline may indicate important trophic changes in the ters. We also found notable range extensions of B. ecosystem. Understanding such trends and the factors m. sinensis and that this taxon and B. m. cruralis that drive them is critical for adaptive management and are in sympatry in Sichuan Province, China. We also resource stewardship in the context of climate change. found deep genetic divergence between the three main- land Asian/Taiwanese taxa and B. m. montana of Java, in combination with differences in plumage and songs. Using eBird data to help inform stable isotope mod- In conclusion, our data support a recent treatment of els of migratory connectivity in the Prothonotary the three mainland Asian and Taiwanese taxa as three Warbler species, using different methodology. We agree that these three mainland taxa should be treated as specif- Jessie A Reese ically distinct from B. m. montana and other insular Christopher Tonra Sundaic taxa: Himalayan Shortwing B. cruralis, Chi- Catherine Viverette nese Shortwing B. sinensis and Taiwanese Shortwing Peter Marra B. goodfellowi. Lesley Bulluck

The Prothonotary Warbler is a Neotropical migratory Landbird population trends in protected areas of the passerine of conservation concern, and habitat destruc- North Coast and Cascades Network tion on the wintering grounds has been suggested as the leading cause of population declines. In order to de- Chris Ray termine habitat conservation priorities and model full James F Saracco annual cycle population change, it is essential to under- Mandy Holmgren stand migratory connectivity. Stable isotope analysis is Robert Wilkerson widely used to determine migratory connectivity, and Rodney Siegel many studies now use abundance as prior information Jason I Ransom when assigning individuals to their origin in a Bayesian

116 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book framework. Citizen science data, especially from eBird, when an adult was at the nest, almost two-thirds in- can now be used to predict abundance by combining volved feeding. Overall, our data provide little sup- bird observations with land cover data, which may be port for the parent manipulation hypothesis, and some especially informative for wetland-associated species support for the energetics hypothesis. We suggest that not well surveyed by the Breeding Bird Survey. In this fledging for grassland birds should be viewed as a tran- study, we obtained feather samples from eight sites on sition from the family unit being place-based to one that the wintering grounds in Costa Rica, Panama, Colom- is mobile to facilitate teaching the young survival skills bia, and Puerto Rico, and assigned individuals to their and preparing for migration. location of feather growth the previous summer, tak- ing abundance on the breeding grounds into account via eBird Spatio-temporal Exploratory Models. We tested Learning and memory deficiencies in hybrid chick- our assignment methods using samples of known ori- adees as a potential postzygotic reproductive isolat- gin, and found that assignment accuracy was high but ing barrier precision was low. We found no evidence of strong segregation of breeding populations on the wintering Amber M Rice grounds; rather, most wintering sites likely contained Michael A McQuillan individuals from a broad catchment across the breed- ing grounds. One implication of this low level of con- When hybridization occurs, selection against hybrids nectivity is that the effects of habitat loss on the win- reduces gene flow and maintains species barriers. Al- tering grounds will be relative minor at any particular though learning and memory are important for fitness, breeding site, but will be widespread across the breed- the potential for hybrid maladaptation in these traits to ing range. act as a postzygotic reproductive isolating barrier has not been examined. Black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina chickadees (P. carolinensis) naturally hy- bridize, and also rely on learning and memory to cache Behavior of nestling and adult grassland passerines and retrieve food as an adaptation for overwinter sur- at fledging vival. We used these species, and their naturally oc- curring hybrids, to test the hypothesis that learning and Christine A Ribic memory ability can contribute to postzygotic reproduc- Nicola Koper tive isolation. In an outdoor aviary, we conducted be- Christoph S Ng havioral tests of associative learning and problem solv- Kevin Ellison ing in wild-caught, adult black-capped, Carolina, and David J Rugg hybrid chickadees. Hybrid chickadees exhibited poorer memory for the location of a food item than their pure- Behavior of nestlings and adults at fledging is one of species counterparts, with hybrid females performing the least understood aspects of passerine breeding ecol- particularly poorly. Hybrid chickadees were also less ogy. Hypotheses to explain what motivates fledglings likely to solve a novel problem. Hybrid deficits in mem- to leave the nest focus on two alternate mechanisms: ory for the location of food are likely to negatively im- parent manipulation to encourage earlier fledging ver- pact overwinter survival. Likewise, decreased problem- sus energetic thresholds met by nestlings. Using video solving abilities may be problematic, especially for hy- recordings, we analyzed the fledging behavior of 390 brids that inhabit unpredictable environments. Hybrid nestlings and adults from 127 nests of 15 bird species maladaptation in learning and memory traits may there- nesting in grasslands of southwest Wisconsin and Al- fore be an important source of postzygotic reproductive berta, Canada, to assess support for each hypothesis. isolation in chickadees, and in other species as well. Overall, over 75% of the nestlings fledged when a par- ent was absent from the nest. Of the 293 events where the behavior of the adult could be determined, about Nocturnal lights affect bird-building collisions two-thirds of the nestlings fledged less than a minute following a feeding visit. Of the 97 fledges that oc- Corey S Riding curred after an adult did not feed nestlings, about half Timothy J O’Connell occurred after an adult did maintenance (e.g., removed Scott R Loss fecal sac) and the rest occurred primarily after an adult just stood at the nest; these fledges occurred about a Collisions with human structures and vehicles are in- minute after the visit. Of the 75 fledges that occurred creasingly recognized as a major source of wildlife

117 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 mortality, especially for volant animals like bats and indicate that switching groups is costly to females, and birds. Many songbird species migrate primarily at that social familiarity improves reproductive coordina- night, a behavior that evolved when artificial light tion. Stable social relationships, therefore, have signif- sources were non-existent. The nocturnal lighting that icant fitness consequences for cooperatively nesting fe- accompanies urbanization can attract and confuse mi- male birds, suggesting that direct benefits alone may fa- grating birds, which increases their risk of colliding vor the evolution of associations between non-relatives with buildings. Particularly intense lighting can lead to and contribute to long-term group stability. circling flights, which may exhaust and ground birds, elevating their subsequent risk of daytime collisions. We hypothesized that nocturnal light intensity is pos- itively correlated with bird-building collision mortality. Landscape context, vegetation structure, or plant We surveyed for bird carcasses at 15 buildings in Still- identity? Investigating potential drivers in site se- water, Oklahoma from Apr 2015 to May 2017. We used lection by shrubland birds a spectrometer with a cosine receptor to record light intensity in the range of wavelengths visible to birds Kaitlyn E Ripple (350-700 nm) around collision survey areas and when Kirk Stodola high-intensity lights at the Oklahoma State University David N Zaya football stadium were on and off. We used GIS to in- Loren Merrill terpolate maps of light intensity for our study area and T J Benson compared these lightscapes to collision hot spot maps. Although there was a positive correlation between light Many shrubland bird species have suffered population intensity and collision mortality, the brightest locations declines over the past 50 years. Habitat loss and degra- did not always have the most collisions. While artifi- dation are generally implicated in these declines, and cial nighttime lighting contributes to collision risk for many have questioned the quality of remaining habi- nocturnally migrating birds, many other factors also in- tat for these species. One possible contributor to habi- fluence collisions. To reduce collision risk, we rec- tat quality has been the colonization of many remain- ommend that urban areas, including relatively small ing parcels by invasive plant species. We set out to cities like Stillwater, adopt lights out programs simi- investigate predictors of species occupancy for conser- lar to those implemented in downtown areas of many vation priority birds in a system of highly fragmented major U.S. cities. habitats with varying amounts of invasion by non-native shrub species. We examined occupancy of three shrub- land obligate species in Illinois (Bell’s Vireo, Yellow- Stable social relationships between unrelated fe- breasted Chat, and the Field Sparrow) in relation to males increase individual fitness in a cooperative landscape characteristics, habitat structure, and plant bird community identity. Occupancy of our focal species ranged from 18 to 89%, and preliminary analyses in- Christina P Riehl dicate that the vegetation community of a shrubland is Meghan J Strong a more important predictor of the presence/absence of shrubland obligate species in comparison to landscape Social animals often form long-lasting relationships context and vegetation structure. We will be collecting with fellow group members, usually with close kin. additional information in 2018 to further elaborate on In primates and many other mammals, strong social this relationship, but it appears that non-native species bonds have been associated with increased longevity, may play an important role in dictating habitat quality offspring survival, and reproductive success. However, for shrubland obligate species in Illinois. little is known about the fitness effects of social bonds in cooperatively breeding birds. In this study, we use long-term field research on a cooperatively breeding bird, the greater ani (Crotophaga major), to ask whether Neotropical Wrens Learn New Duet Rules as Adults adult females benefit by remaining in long-term as- sociations with unrelated, co-breeding females. We Karla D Rivera-Caceres´ find that females that have previously nested together Esmeralda Quiros-Guerrero´ synchronize their reproduction more rapidly than those Marcelo Araya-Salas nesting with unfamiliar partners, which leads to lower Christopher N Templeton competition and higher fledging success. These results William A Searcy

118 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Although song development in songbirds has been than others. I will present results from these analy- much studied as an analog of language development in ses and explain implications toward grassland songbird humans, the development of vocal interaction rules has conservation in Canada. been relatively neglected in both groups. Duetting avian species provide an ideal model to address the acquisi- tion of interaction rules as duet structure involves time and pattern specific relationships among the vocaliza- Bird community changes along tropical environ- tions from different individuals. Here we address the mental gradients as a proxy for studying global development of the most striking properties of duets: change the specific answering rules that individuals use to link their own song types to those of their partners (duet Scott K Robinson codes) and temporal coordination. By performing a re- moval experiment in plain wrens (Cantorchilus modes- Measuring community change along environmental tus zeledoni) we show that individuals create new song gradients is a powerful tool for predicting the conse- pairings when they acquire a new partner. Furthermore, quences of global change, especially along gradients of after mating, individuals perform duets with poor co- human disturbance and climate. To date, environmental ordination and poor duet code adherence, but both as- gradients have been used to explore the role of different pects improve with time. These results indicate that in- mechanisms structuring communities (e. g., competi- dividuals need a learning period to perform well coor- tion, predation, food resources, physiology) and how dinated duets that follow a consistent duet code. We communities respond to climate and land-use change. conclude that duet coordination and code adherence are This symposium seeks to synthesize the results of past honest indicators of the commitment of individuals to and ongoing studies and explore ways to improve and their mates. standardize methods for studying bird community re- sponses to global change. The specific focus is on trop- ical gradients, which have been understudied relative to those in the temperate zone and on the interactive Identifying priority areas for grassland songbirds in effects of multiple gradients (e. g., moisture and land Canadian Prairie Potholes Region use, elevation and precipitation). In this talk, I further discuss: (1) the role of mutualistic species interactions, Barry G Robinson (2) the effects of altered predator communities, (3) the Connor Charchuk constraints on communities in extreme environmental conditions (e. g., hot and superhumid), and (4) the rel- Grassland birds are among the most imperiled bird ative roles of physiological constraints on adults versus groups in North America. In order to set conser- developing young. The long-term goal of these stud- vation priorities and determine how to allocate lim- ies is to develop models predicting the consequences of ited resources toward grassland bird conservation, we global change and to identify species groups and areas used spatial models of abundance for priority grassland where entire communities may be at risk from climate songbird species to identify priority conservation areas change. within the Canadian portion of the Prairie Potholes Re- gion We first accumulated data from 90,000 point count locations collected from 2006-2016 by various provin- cial and federal government and academic programs. Linking life-history events through feather quality Taking into account sampling effort (point count dis- tance and duration) and probability of detection, we Vanya G Rohwer estimated species-specific density for each point count and then created spatially explicit models of density. Fi- Time constraints and the energetic costs of feather re- nally, we overlayed species-specific density models to placement influence the evolution of molt strategies in identify which areas of the Canadian Prairie Potholes large birds and the scheduling of molt in small migra- contain the highest density of priority grassland song- tory passerines. Regardless of body size, however, re- birds. At a regional scale, remaining areas of native ducing the time spent replacing feathers would allow grassland habitat contained the highest density of prior- more time for breeding and shorten the time spent pay- ity grassland songbirds. But at a finer scale, the models ing the immediate costs of growing feathers (i.e. high also showed considerable variation in density within re- energy demands and impaired flight). So, why don’t maining grassland habitat, indicating that some grass- birds molt more quickly? A growing body of evi- lands should receive higher priority for conservation dence suggests that molting too quickly compromises

119 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 the quality of feathers grown. Low quality feathers wear more rapidly, are more flexible, can be duller in color, and may provide less thermal insulation, all of Neotropical Flyways Project: Mapping Migratory which affect survival and reproduction. Moreover, un- Stopover Sites in Central and South America like the immediate and short-term costs of active feather replacement, costs of low quality feathers must be car- Kenneth V Rosenberg ried until these feathers are replaced, exposing them Nicholas J Bayly to a diversity of selective pressures. These observa- Adriana de Pilar Caicedo tions suggest that factors that force individuals to molt quickly cause a loss in feather quality, which can carry Individual stopover sites can have disproportionate ef- forward to affect survival and future reproductive suc- fects on the outcome of migration, determining migra- cess. Thus, feather quality may be the currency that se- tion duration, timing of arrival at breeding and win- lection acts on to reduce year-to-year variation in trade- tering grounds, and influencing population dynamics offs among important life history events. through elevated rates of mortality. Yet routes and stopover sites used by billions of migratory birds in the Neotropics remain largely undescribed. To fill this ma- The role of resident bird species as carriers of ticks jor knowledge gap, the Neotropical Flyways Project is in urban areas mapping migratory stopovers in Central America and northern South America. Occupancy surveys were car- Megan A Roselli ried out at 16 sites across northern Colombia during fall Bruce H Noden and spring migration, 2016, and at 8 sites in Panama Scott R Loss during fall 2017, covering the main elevation, vege- tation and precipitation gradients through this region. Urbanization has been linked to the emergence and in- In fall, Andean wintering species such as Swainson’s creased prevalence of many vector-borne diseases, in- Thrush and Canada Warbler showed high occupancy cluding tick-borne diseases. Migratory birds play an rates in NW Colombia and in Caribbean foothills of important role in the large-scale dispersal of ticks and Panama, contrasting with Blackpoll Warblers concen- tick-borne pathogens; however, less is known about trating in dry scrub of the Guajira Peninsula after cross- how birds interact with ticks during sedentary periods ing the Caribbean. In spring, three major stopover of their annual cycle, especially in urban landscapes. regions were identified in northern Colombia: humid At 16 greenspaces capturing an urbanization gradient montane and lowland forests in the NW (Bay-breasted across the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, we mist- Warbler, Swainson’s Thrush); lowland dry forest in the netted birds during the breeding season, sampled them central Caribbean (Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Barn Swal- for ticks, and identified factors influencing the propor- low, Willow and Alder Flycatcher); and montane forests tion of birds infested by ticks and the tick load of in- in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Gray-cheeked fested birds. Of 281 birds searched, 62 (22%) were in- Thrush, Blackburnian Warbler). We also documented fested with one or more tick, and the most frequently a concentrated passage of diurnally migrating aerial in- infested species included Carolina Wren (52%), Brown sectivores along the Caribbean Coast. Our findings re- Thrasher (41%), and Northern Cardinal (25%). Half vealed previously unknown stopover sites and strong of sampled ticks (50%) were the Lone Star Tick (Am- habitat associations for most species, highlighting the blyomma americanum) and 35% were the Gulf Coast complexity of routes and stopover site use by North Tick (A. maculatum)species known to carry multiple American migrants in Colombia and Central America. pathogens that infect humans. Urbanization intensity, as measured by the proportion of developed land sur- rounding sites, influenced both the proportion of birds with ticks and the tick load of infested birds. Our re- Partners in Flight: A proactive, voluntary, and sci- sults suggest that, in addition to being long distance entific approach to bird conservation dispersal agents, birds can disperse ticks within urban landscapes, and that urban land use intensity influences Kenneth V Rosenberg bird-tick interactions. Clarifying local contributions of Wendy Easton urban birds to tick populations, as well as the role of Robert P Ford urbanization in shaping bird-tick interactions, will pro- Geoffrey Geupel vide increased understanding of transmission dynamics Becky Keller for pathogens that affect urban residents. Terrell D Rich

120 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Amid growing concerns for declining populations of species. Some places are already putting Reconciliation migratory birds, Partners in Flight (PIF) formed in 1990 Ecology to work. I will describe a few, such as the fa- as a consortium of >250 organizations from govern- miliar one of nest boxes for various species in the USA; ment, non-profits, academia, and industry, dedicated the Castro Verde Important Bird Area of Portugal; red- to PIF’s mission of Keeping Common Birds Common, cockaded woodpecker on US Dept of Defense tracts in Helping Species at Risk, through Voluntary Partner- the SE USA; middle eastern Air Forces and migratory ships. PIF’s scientific approach to assessing species raptors; date growers and barn owls in the Jordan Val- vulnerability, presented in bird conservation plans at ley; efforts to bring back populations of shrikes in Eu- continental, national, regional, and state scales, shifted rope and S Africa; and a farming area with opportuni- the focus away from primarily endangered and game ties for waterbirds in northeastern Victoria, Australia. species management to a more proactive approach to habitat conservation for a broad set of priority species. By providing a forum for synergistic partnership, PIF Vocal performance correlations to beak morphology created a sea-change in bird conservation, leading to are disrupted by local dialect adherence many institutional, programmatic, and policy advances, some of which no longer bear the PIF brand. Among the Jeremy D Ross accomplishments of PIF partners, none of which could Meelyn M Pandit have been done by a single agency or organization: Juan L Bouzat growth of U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Migratory Bird Pro- gram with a regional focus on nongame birds, similar Birdsong can potentially convey information about the development of State Wildlife Grants and State Wildlife singer’s geographic origin (e.g., dialect) and vocal per- Action Plans, creation and funding of the Neotropical formance capabilities, measurable as frequency band- Migratory Bird Conservation Act, expansion of Migra- width:trill rate departures from the group maximum tory Bird Joint Ventures to focus on all birds and habi- [i.e., ”minimum vocal deviation” (MVD)]. But does tats, implementation of International Migratory Bird remarkable vocal performance, such as in Lark Spar- Day as an outreach tool for migratory bird conservation rows (Chondestes grammacus), maintain itself inde- throughout the Western Hemisphere, and production of pendent of regional dialects? We analyzed record- annual State of the Birds reports that promote birds as ings from 132 males from seven populations across indicators of overall environmental health. At the core the species’ range, calculating population-level MVD of PIF’s 28-year success has been a set of visionary in- and their correlations to principal-component measures dividuals, who now pass the torch to tomorrow’s con- of beak size and shape. Within an Ohio population servation leaders. we further examined individuals’ beak morphology rel- ative to vocal performances across locally-common trills. Lark Sparrow song MVD significantly differed Reconciliation Ecology and Bird Conservation among breeding regions, with a strong correlation to beak size but not beak pointedness. MVD did not Michael L Rosenzweig differ among Ohio males, though comparisons across locally-common trills indicated significant differences Stanching the mass extinction of species requires a for MVD and vocal stamina (i.e., mean frequency band- new attitude toward conservation biology. Today most width by mean trill length in unit repeats). The re- conservationists, environmental planners, elected pub- lationship between these individual performance mea- lic officials, business interests and even the public at sures and beak morphology diverged, however, with large believe without thinking much about it that when vocal deviation positively correlated to beak size but land is used for a human purpose, it is utterly lost to not pointedness, while vocal stamina was strongly cor- nature. Reconciliation Ecology says, no, we can plan related with longer, narrow beak shapes. Although the use with nature in mind, and produce habitats that rangewide patterns of Lark Sparrow vocal performance are used for us and for sets of wild native species. Be- linked traditional vocal performance measures to beak cause they are so attractive to people, birds are a cru- size, an apparent adherence to the local song dialect de- cial set of species on which to focus our reconcilia- coupled this relationship among Ohio males. We dis- tion efforts. Satisfying them will create novel habitats cuss how vocal deviation versus stamina may serve as in which many other plants and animals can also find complementary indicators of male morphology and sta- homes. In contrast, imagining that taking land for hu- tus when repertoires are constrained to a local dialect. man use removes it for wild species use dooms nature to an ever declining area and an ever declining number of

121 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Disturbance along a watershed in Belize maintains gle concentrations is found in the Skagit River wa- high species diversity in the bird community tershed, which connects the montane wilderness of North Cascades National Park to the Puget Sound. Cli- James A Rotenberg mate change is expected to have profound and com- Jacob A Marlin plex impacts on multiple parts of this system, in- Liberato Pop cluding altering salmon and eagle phenology, reduc- William Garcia ing salmon productivity, and changing the timing and number of flood events. We examined these rela- Connell’s classic paper theorized an intermediate level tionships in the Skagit from the late 1970s to present of disturbance could maintain diversity. Forests in and found that peaks in chum salmon and bald ea- southern Belize are naturally disturbed, downing trees gle presence have advanced at remarkably similar rates and flooding waterways. From November-May 2008- (raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$0.45 days/year), 12, we conducted monthly surveys of the bird com- suggesting synchronous phenological responses within munity using point counts along the Bladen River in this trophic relationship. Yet the temporal relation- the Monkey River Watershed. We tested for bird com- ship between chum salmon spawning and flood events, munity differences along a possible disturbance gradi- which remove salmon carcasses from the system, has ent at four, 30-hectare plot locations representing high not remained constant, resulting in a paradigm shift (H), intermediate (I), low (L), and undisturbed (U) rain- wherein the peak of chum spawning now occurs before forest in two continuous protected areas. We hypoth- the first flooding event rather than after. We found that esized that disturbed locations would support higher the interval between peak chum and first flood event richness and diversity compared to undisturbed. We de- was a significant predictor of bald eagle presence, and tected 28,565 individuals, 232 species, and 48 families. as this interval grew over time, bald eagle counts de- We compared bird communities using several metrics. clined. River section was also an important factor, with First, we used species-accumulation curves with rar- fewer flood events occurring in the river section experi- efaction to account for effort differences, yielding near encing direct hydroelectric flow management. Bald ea- flat-line asymptotes and indicating complete coverage. gle winter use of the Skagit has steadily decreased since Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) revealed a 2002, with the effects of climate change and hydroelec- pattern supporting our hypothesis (75.5% variance ex- tric management contributing to the complex human plained), and the pattern was significant (p<0.0001) us- footprint on this otherwise natural ecosystem. ing a Multi-response permutation procedure (MRPP). We found a near 1:1 relationship between individu- als per family in a comparison of L-U, L-I, and I-U Using Genoscapes to Understand the Impacts of So- (r2 =0.93 to 0.82), but found greater differences be- lar on Migratory Birds tween H-I, H-U, and H-L (r2 =0.78 to 0.63). Chao 1, non-parametric estimator, and testing mean richness per Kristen C Ruegg point showed high richness at H compared to both L Rachael Bay and U, but with I highest overall (p=0.008). Our re- Tom Smith sults indicate that disturbance gradients enhance bird species diversity, including species of conservation con- Few animals are more extensively impacted by renew- cern. Human-dominated landscapes encroaching in this able energy development than migratory birds, but un- and other natural areas pose a significant threat to this derstanding the population specific impacts of such fa- natural disturbance regime. cilities has been hampered by the lack of an efficient, reliable, and accurate methodology for identifying mi- grant populations. The Bird Genoscape Project uses Trophic implications of a phenological paradigm genetic sequencing technology to develop rapid, cost shift: the case of bald eagles in a changing climate effective tools for assigning animals caught anywhere along their migratory route to a breeding population. Madeleine A Rubenstein Additionally, because our methods do not necessitate Roger Christophersen high-quality DNA, we can use samples from feathers Jason I Ransom or carcasses collected at renewable energy facilities and pinpoint which populations are migrating through an Bald eagles congregate seasonally in high densities on area. We can also analyze temporal patterns, which al- salmon spawning rivers across the Canada-USA bound- lows us to determine when particular populations, for ary of the Pacific Northwest. One of the largest ea- example, highly vulnerable ones, are migrating through

122 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book a region. This presentation will focus on results from shape nesting niche in this system. Further, habitat analysis of Yellow Warbler and other migrant samples. management for conservation of the species, which is The Yellow Warbler is widespread throughout the US highly threatened by sea level rise, should be variable and Canada during the breeding season and experiences across the range to accommodate local intraspecific one of the highest levels of mortality at solar facilities niche variation. in California. We created a map delineating populations across the breeding range and assayed birds caught on both wintering grounds and at migratory stopovers to describe migration routes for each population. Addi- Avian spring migration as a dispersal mechanism for tionally, we analyzed over 40 carcasses from the Ivan- a forest insect invasion pah solar facility to determine which populations were most effected by mortality during migration through Nicholas J Russo that region. Understanding the population-specific dy- Carole A Cheah namics of migrations will help develop plans for min- Chris S Elphick imizing the impacts of renewable energy facilities on Morgan W Tingley wildlife populations. Birds act as long-distance dispersal agents for plants, animals, and other organisms during migration, and can contribute to the range expansion of invasive species. Intraspecific Niche Breadth, but Not Position, is The hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) is a Constant across a Species Range largely sessile, invasive insect that decimates east- ern hemlock forests and relies on vectors to continue Katharine J Ruskin spreading northward. Since dispersing adelgid nymphs Thomas P Hodgman (crawlers) are most abundant from late April to late Alyssa C Borowske May in the Northeast U.S., we investigated the poten- Jonathan B Cohen tial for birds to disperse this invasive insect over long Chris S Elphick distances during spring migration. We experimentally Christopher R Field tested two modes of adelgid crawler transfer between hemlock branches and mounted passerine specimens, In the half-century since Hutchinson proposed the collecting crawlers from the birds’ feathers after a pe- model of an n-dimensional hypervolume to describe a riod of contact with infested branches. Crawler trans- species’ niche, growing evidence suggests that niches fer was greater when birds actively brushed against an vary intraspecifically across a species’ geographic infested branch than when they simply perched, and range. To explore the patterns, causes, and fitness transfer rates peaked in May, coinciding with the phe- consequences of intraspecific niche variation, we char- nological peak emergence of adelgid crawlers. We also acterized the nesting habitat of a single species, the sampled the plumage of wild birds captured in Con- saltmarsh sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus), across necticut hemlock forests over two years of crawler ac- the majority of its range. We compared nesting niche tivity and found significantly more crawlers on birds breadth and position to range position, distance be- during spring migration than during the subsequent tween populations, and available habitat to character- breeding seasons. The crawler load of sampled birds ize intraspecific niche variation in this species. We also mirrored the phenological variability in crawler abun- compared nesting niches to fecundity to test for fitness dance in the forests of capture. Finally, we confirmed consequences of intraspecific niche variation. We re- experimentally that crawlers move off bird plumage and port support for niche conservatism in niche breadth, settle on uninfested hemlock foliage. Our results impli- which was constant across the range, but not in niche cate an influence of avian ecology and life history in the position, which was variable. Niche variation was par- dispersal of this destructive, invasive insect. tially explained by distance among study plots and par- tially explained by available habitat. Both distance and local habitat availability left considerable variance in niche position unexplained, however. The similarity Examining the microclimate hypothesis in Neotrop- between nesting niche and available habitat did not ap- ical birds: indirect tests of the ’visual constraints’ pear to have fitness consequences, and we observed no mechanism signs of habitat marginality near the edge of the species’ range. These patterns suggest that local drivers, such Cameron L Rutt as selective pressure on a small spatial scale, may also Stephen R Midway

123 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Vitek Jirinec areas in the Mexican High Plateau (2007-2017). Census Philip C Stouffer in known localities (17-31 sites), were conducted dur- ing 7 breeding and 6 wintering seasons; reproductive Proposed mechanisms for the decline of terrestrial and success was estimated from 244 monitored nests during understory insectivorous birds in the tropics include a 6 years; and post-breeding survival was estimated from related subset that together have been termed the mi- 30 individuals with radio-transmitters during 2015. croclimate hypothesis One of these is a sensitivity to Population size was highly fluctuating among seasons bright light environments, which might discourage or and years (raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$200- preclude birds that dwell in dim light environments 1,000), but the trend did not show a significant decline from using forest edges or gaps. Capture data across (p>0.05). Overall breeding success was low (9%), time and space at the Biological Dynamics of Forest mainly caused by predation. However, it was higher, Fragments Project allowed us to estimate species’ vul- but not significantly, in disturbed (13%) than in natural nerability. To infer visual sensitivity, we measured two areas (8%); while during the post-breeding season, the different characters for a suite of 64 Amazonian birds: pattern was inverse on the same areas. This information eye size (maximum pupil eye diameter) and the time of has increased knowledge on this species, especially re- dawn song initiation, which presumably measures the garding its vulnerability throughout its annual cycle. minimum light intensity a species needs to see. Us- ing a hierarchical Bayesian framework with a nested random effects structure that accounts for phylogeny, we examined whether absolute/relative eye size and the Indirect genetic effects and the assortivity of coop- timing of dawn song are related to a species’ vulner- erative phenotypes in the social networks of a lek- ability to habitat degradation. Vulnerability was posi- breeding bird tively and significantly correlated with the mean start time of dawn song. This indicates that species that wait Thomas B Ryder to initiate dawn song are comparatively more vulnera- Roslyn Dakin ble, suggesting that there may be a relationship between reduced minimum visual thresholds and potential max- Social behavior is a near ubiquitous characteristic of imum light sensitivities. Contrastingly, the effect of ab- vertebrates, yet our understanding of the selective pro- solute eye size on vulnerability was negative, but there cesses that shape cooperation remains limited. The was no relationship for relative eye size. Together, our effect of the social environment on behavioral varia- results provide some of the first empirical support that tion, in particular how the phenotype of one individ- indirect metrics of light sensitivity might be related to ual can stimulate or suppress behaviors in other indi- variation within the avian community to anthropogenic viduals (known as indirect genetic effects; IGEs), has habitat degradation across the landscape. a become an important focus in evolutionary biology. As predicted by theory, IGEs can facilitate a selective environment and/or maintain cooperation in social net- Worthen’s Sparrow (Spizella wortheni) current sta- works when the cooperative behavior in one individual tus in natural and anthropogenic-disturbed areas in stimulates cooperation among his social network part- Mexico ners. Here, we use data from an automated proxim- ity data-logging system and a behavioral reaction norm Irene Ruvalcaba-Ortega approach to test this hypothesis in a lek-breeding bird, Ricardo Canales-del-Castillo the Wire-tailed manakin (Pipra filicauda). Male man- Jose´ I Gonzalez-Rojas´ akins perform cooperative courtship displays through- Antonio Guzman-Velasco´ out the breeding season and these partnerships form the basis of heterogeneous social networks. We quan- Worthen’s Sparrow (Spizella wortheni) is an endan- tified three aspects of the manakins’ social phenotype gered Mexican endemic, whose habitat has undergone at seven time points over two years of study: lek atten- strong degradation and loss that has led this species dance, the number of dyadic partnerships, and the fre- into a historical steep range and population contraction quency of interaction among dyads. Our results show (100 individuals). Previous long-term studies were non- that all three phenotypes are repeatable, with approxi- existent; therefore we aim to generate relevant informa- mately 20-30% of the variation attributed to differences tion to evaluate its current population status, including among individuals. However, only the two cooperative population size, nesting success, post-breeding survival phenotypes (number and frequency of cooperative in- and habitat use in natural and anthropogenic-disturbed teractions), had a significant IGE and strong positive

124 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book covariance between a bird’s own phenotype and his in- Recent wildfires provide opportunities for salvage log- direct effect (IGE) on other individuals. These results ging (i.e. harvest of dead and dying trees), which suggest that social assortativity may facilitate selection brings unique economic opportunities to local com- and maintenance of cooperation in this system. munities. Removal of snags, however, has negative ecological consequences, including reduction of nest- ing and foraging habitat for avian species associated with recent disturbances (e.g., woodpeckers). Forest Status of the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoos in managers are challenged with implementing post-fire Sonora, Mexico salvage projects while concurrently meeting the re- quirements of existing laws and planning documents Eduardo Sanchez-Murrieta´ to maintain wildlife habitat for disturbance-associated Alberto Mac´ıas-Duarte species. We implemented an experimental study to Edwin Juarez´ determine levels of post-fire salvage logging associ- ated with specified woodpecker nesting densities. We The Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus ameri- are studying nesting distributions and survival 3 wood- canus) was listed as Threatened in 2014 under the En- pecker species of conservation concern: Black-backed dangered Species Act. Cuckoos have declined in the (Picoides arcticus), White-headed (P. albolarvatus), and western United States within the last 100 years due Lewis’s Woodpeckers (Melanerpes lewis) in relation to widespread loss of riparian habitat. However, rel- to salvage logging following the 2015 Canyon Creek atively little is known about the status of the listed Complex wildfire near John Day, Oregon. Working population in northern Mexico, and an integral as- with silviculturists, we designed a replicated study with sessment of the species’ conservation status must con- three salvage treatments and untreated controls based sider the totality of its range. We monitored cuckoo on habitat suitability of the nesting woodpeckers. Dur- populations in Sonora from 2015-2017 to evaluate the ing the 2016-2017, we monitored nests of 93 Black- species’ status in this portion of its range. We sur- backed, 47 White-headed, and 8 Lewis’s Woodpeckers veyed for cuckoos following a standard survey pro- in both treated and untreated units. This project is in- tocol in raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$15 loca- tended to provide design criteria for post-fire salvage tions per year and 3 habitat types: riparian, desert ar- logging that will minimize negative consequences to royos, and upland habitats. We surveyed each transect woodpecker species. twice a year. We compared cuckoo counts between years, surveys within years, and habitat types using a log-Poisson regression with number of broadcast stops as offset. Cuckoo counts per transect differed by year, Underlying Mechanisms of Avian Hybridization: surveys and habitats. Mean number of cuckoos per tran- Process to Pattern sect at riparian habitat in 2015 was 10.62 individuals. Mean number of cuckoos per transect in 2016 was 1.25 Rebecca J Safran times higher than that in 2015. However, cuckoo counts Scott A Taylor in 2015 were 1.02 times higher than those in 2017. Ri- parian habitats had 1.52 times more cuckoos than desert High throughput sequencing data have enabled re- arroyos, and 2.96 times higher than upland habitats. Be- searchers to examine patterns of admixture with un- cause Yellow-billed Cuckoos occupy varied habitats in precedented detail. Beyond descriptions of heteroge- Sonora, the contribution of non-riparian habitat to the neous patterns of gene flow in avian hybrid zones, re- dynamics of regional population may be highly relevant search is now moving into a greater understanding of to the species status. the pre- and post-zygotic barriers that influence these patterns. That is, the predictors and consequences of hybrid mating are moving into the forefront of studies of avian hybrid zones. In this symposium, we high- Incorporating Woodpecker Habitat into Design of light ongoing work by excellent scientists many of Post-Fire Salvage Logging them early in their careers who will offer both empir- ical and conceptual talks about the underlying mecha- Victoria A Saab nisms of avian hybrid zones. The range of topics will Quresh S Latif include the role of adaptation to different climates, the Joanathan G Dudley role of mate-selection decisions, including those related Lori Stokes to extra-pair mating, the role of long distance migration

125 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 and adaptation to disturbed habitats. In this introduc- Vinodkumar Saranathan tory talk, Safran and Taylor will co-present the conflu- Richard O Prum ence of evolving technologies and methods that enable new perspectives on avian hybridization. Vivid, saturated structural colors such as many (ul- tra)violet, blue, and green hues provide a conspicu- ous and important aspect of the appearance of many animals. In vertebrates, iridescent or angle-dependent structural colors are generally produced by the inter- ference of visible light from 1D (thin-films, multilay- Rebecca J Safran ers, gratings), and 2D biophotonic crystals, while 3D biophotonic crystals are hitherto unknown. We charac- terize the biophotonic nanostructures underlying some brilliant bird feather barbs using synchrotron small an- gle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and electron microscopy Call urgency level predicts the response of a to reveal diverse 3D biophotonic crystals. These or- Neotropical bird community: mobbing versus dis- dered nanostructures have each independently evolved tress call response from ancestral, quasi-ordered arrays of air spheres and nanoporous channels present in the medullary Luis Sandoval barb keratin of closely related species. Interestingly, Josue Corrales these quasi-ordered barb biophotonic nanostructures are thought to self-assemble via arrested visco-elastic Bird alarm calls may have information related to the phase separation of beta-keratin from the cytoplasm of predator type or level of urgency of the interaction be- medullary barb cells. We conclude that intense inter- tween predator and prey. Birds produce two main types sexual selection via female mate-choice for saturated of calls to avoid predation: mobbing and distress calls. hues has likely led to these remarkably parallel evolu- Mobbing calls are used when predators are detected by tionary quasiorder-to-order transitions in feather barb birds and help to inform other individuals about preda- biophotonic nanostructure. tor location, as a warning signal. Distress calls are used by preys when a predator captures it, as a help signal. Therefore, the urgency of response to both types of calls Model Sets for the North American Breeding Bird may vary. We determined using a playback experiment, Survey the response of a Neotropical bird community to mob- bing and distress calls. We predict a faster response to John R Sauer distress calls because encodes higher level of response William A Link urgency than mobbing calls. We used Black-striped Daniel K Niven Saprrow calls as stimuli because is very common in the study are, increasing the posibility that the majority of The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is other species are familiar with both types of calls. Dur- conducted by citizen scientists who survey birds at ing each playback, we measured: time of first vocaliza- stops along roadsides across North America. Analysis tion (s), time of the first approach to 5m radius from teh of BBS data is challenging due to the need to control for speaker (s), the minimum distance of an individual ap- biologically irrelevant factors influencing counts while proached to the speaker (m), and numbre of individuals estimating population change, and because uncertain- per species that approached within a 5m radius from the ties exist in terms of appropriate models for both of speaker. The studied community responded faster and these aspects of modeling. To accommodate these un- more intense to distress calls (i.e. approach faster and certainties, we suggest that BBS analyses should be arrive more individuals per species) than to mobbing based on a model set, allowing for the possibility that calls. This result support our prediction and shows the the models for population change and other factors in- response differences between both type of vocalizations fluencing counts can differ among species. We are cur- according to the urgency level of each signal. rently examining a model set of 4 alternative models that differ in terms of how change is modeled over time (a trend-year effect model and a difference model) and distribution (including the possibly of heavy-tailed Parallel Evolution of Ordered Feather Barb Biopho- distributions for counts). Model selection is challeng- tonic Nanostructures ing for the hierarchical models used for BBS analy-

126 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book ses. Cross-validation approaches are time-consuming Wendy Schackwitz to fit, and other commonly used approaches such as the Matthew Clark Watanabe-Akaike information criterion (WAIC) have David Leland been criticized for inadequately assessing fit for ex- Lisa Micheli treme observations. To evaluate our model set, we em- Marconi Campos-Cerqueira ployed cross-validation for a selection of the data for a species, then modeled observation-specific corrections The Soundscapes to Landscapes (S2L) project seeks for WAIC using the cross-valuated observations. We to advance animal diversity monitoring at landscape present results for >500 species from BBS data over the scales. Unlike other similar approaches, S2L engages interval 1966 2015. Model selection for many species birding enthusiasts to place mobile phones in different does not indicate clear superiority of one model over habitats to record sounds and develop species recogni- the others, but for a subset of species difference models tion models by themselves, using a cloud-based bioa- and models with heavy-tailed distributions appear to be coustics analysis platform. We employ these models to advantageous. detect species presence in tens of thousands of record- ings. We estimate probability of species presence at each site and link results to next-generation space-borne Bioacoustic Monitoring reveals exact timing of imaging spectrometer and LiDar data, and existing land courtship, incubation, hatching, and fledging of a imagery, to construct models of soundscape diversity Tricolored Blackbird colony and develop products for conservation planning. The project, currently in its prototype phase, is focused on Wendy S Schackwitz priority watersheds of Sonoma County that recently ex- Alexander M Greene perienced fires of varying severity. S2L citizen sci- Julie M Woodruff entists deployed and retrieved recorders at 110 sites across 25 private and public properties, with an aver- Tricolored Blackbirds are at risk of extinction if current, age 500 minutes of recordings per site. These recorders dramatic population declines continue. Recent surveys captured a total of 66,395 monitoring minutes (1,107 show a population decline of 63% in only 6 years. hours). The ARBIMON bioacoustics platform was Current management techniques might be helping this used to manage and analyze recordings, and produced species to rebound, as the latest survey shows a 22% enough data for our citizen scientists to model sixteen population increase. Documenting the outcomes of dif- bird species with average model overall accuracy of ferent techniques in increasing nesting success will al- 74%. We used an ensemble of species distribution mod- low limited resources to be used most effectively. To eling algorithms to produce maps of probability of oc- date, nesting success is evaluated by in-person visits. cupancy for ten bird species. In our next phase we will Because the number of colonies vastly outnumber the extend efforts to the entire county, use more sophis- researchers and volunteers available to monitor them, ticated sound-identification machine-learning methods, colonies can only be visited at best a few times a month, evaluate the impact of fires and restoration efforts, de- and often only a few times for the entire breeding sea- velop a simpler user interface to recruit more citizen son. This provides only snapshots of the timing and scientists, and test the scalability of our approach. success of nesting, and often leaves frustrating gaps in understanding how a colony performed in a breeding season. To address this, we tested the feasibility of us- ing audio recordings to enhance our understanding of Taming the temperature: Do birds select nest sites the nesting cycle. Using an inexpensive Android phone, that modulate microclimatic variation? we recorded the vocalizations of a colony of Tricolored Blackbirds throughout an entire breeding season. Anal- Tayler M Scherr ysis of over 8,000 recordings over a 180-day period re- Anna D Chalfoun vealed not only that this colony had three overlapping breeding cycles, but also provided the exact timing for Nest site selection is a critical choice that can influ- courtship, incubation, nestling hatching, and fledglings ence reproductive fitness outcomes. Whereas the role leaving the marsh. of predation risk in influencing nest site selection has been well explored, the extent to which birds select nest sites on the basis of microclimatic variation remains un- Soundscapes to Landscapes: Monitoring Animal clear. Oviparous species must maintain a tight range Biodiversity from Space Using Citizen Scientists of temperatures for the proper development of young,

127 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 and exposure outside of this range can negatively af- conservation and management of this near threatened fect fitness. Species living in open, arid systems such species. Specifically, it will lead to better population as the sagebrush steppe are particularly vulnerable to estimates and prioritization of areas for habitat creation extreme weather variability during the breeding sea- and maintenance. son. We focused on the three species of sagebrush- obligate songbird (Brewer’s sparrow, sagebrush spar- row, sage thrasher) that differ in body size (10 - 50g) Characterizing the niches of North American birds and breed within high-elevation, arid shrublands in within contemporary culture Wyoming, USA to investigate whether temperature dif- fers between used and unused nest sites at two spatial Justin G Schuetz scales. We predicted that birds, especially the smaller Alison Johnston species that may be more vulnerable to physiological stress, should select nest niches and shrubs that mod- Birds have long been admired in cultures throughout the ulated temperature variation. Temperature variation world owing to their utility as sources of food, cloth- was significantly lower at Brewer’s sparrow nest niches ing, aesthetic inspiration, and symbolic power. The sig- compared to paired unused niches, and at nest shrubs nificance of different bird species within contemporary compared to unused shrubs within a 5-m radius during culture remains poorly understood, however, partly be- daylight hours. There were no significant differences cause there is no clear framework for delineating their in temperature variation or mean temperature at either cultural niches. To address this knowledge gap, we scale for the two larger species. An important next step characterize the salience of 106 North American bird is to examine how variation in nest temperatures affects species to the American public by comparing the distri- reproductive fitness metrics, such as nestling growth bution and abundance of each taxon against the distri- and size at fledging. bution and abundance of cultural interest in that taxon, as defined by Internet queries. After quantifying the degree to which query volumes are shaped by the dis- A landscape approach to understanding breeding tributions and relative abundances of species, we artic- habitat of a rapidly declining migratory songbird ulate a simple approach to classifying birds as celebri- ties, friends, neighbors, or strangers. By characterizing Elizabeth K Schold our collective relationship to a diversity of birds, and Lesley P Bulluck identifying some of the factors that shape those rela- tionships, we hope to expand discussion of the value Conservation of declining species requires an under- of birds in contemporary culture. Results of our anal- standing of how landscape composition and complex- yses have clear implications for education, communi- ity influence the probability of occurrence. The golden- cation, and conservation efforts surrounding birds, and winged warbler, a rapidly declining migratory songbird, can be leveraged in a variety of contexts. For exam- has complex habitat needs during the breeding season, ple, large-scale conservation efforts may aim to harness requiring both early successional, shrubby habitats and widespread popular interest in bird celebrities, while lo- mature forest habitat. Despite significant research effort cal or regional efforts may benefit from highlighting the in recent years on this species, very few studies have biology of trusted avian friends within specific geogra- assessed landscape-level habitat patterns. This gap in phies. Future work will examine the distribution of cul- knowledge is due to the fact that accurate maps repre- tural interest in birds across multiple spatial and tem- senting shrub cover do not exist in regions where this poral scales and seek to better understand why interest species breeds. Using supervised random forest classi- varies across taxa. fication, we have developed an accurate (92.4% overall accuracy) 1m resolution land cover classification map of Highland County, VA, where golden-winged war- Research Recommendations for Understanding the blers are most frequently found on abandoned or ac- Decline of American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) tively grazed private agricultural lands. Using this map Across Much of North America in conjunction with three years of golden-winged war- blers survey data, we are developing dynamic occu- Sarah E Schulwitz pancy models to better understand the importance of Christopher J McClure land cover composition and heterogeneity at multiple Richard Van Buskirk spatial scales. We will present results of these models Benjamin P Pauli that will provide valuable new information to guide the Julie A Heath

128 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

The charismatic nature and enigmatic decline of the and other demographic parameters. Equally impor- American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) has sparked inter- tant for conservation, the ability to capture and re- est and concern from citizen and professional scientists lease birds makes it possible to provide hands-on or- as well as the general public. Although several rea- nithological training and educational activities to stu- sons have been proposed for the cause of the decline, dents, conservationists,villagers, decision-makers, jour- there is little or no empirical evidence for the hypothe- nalists, and other local people. Bird banding programs sized threats and management options are unclear. We provide local jobs for research assistants, who often present recommendations for future research into the go on to productive careers in conservation, educa- cause of decline for American Kestrels to inform pri- tion, research, or ecotourism. Long-term bird band- orities regarding monitoring, identifying drivers of sur- ing stations also provide the nuclei, infrastructure, and vival and reproductive rates, and creating full-annual- staff for monitoring, education, and conservation pro- cycle models. Breeding Bird Survey data suggest that grams focused on other taxa. Our successful experi- kestrel declines have been occurring steadily since at ence in Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Turkey shows that least 1966; therefore, specific threats that have arisen bird monitoring programs that integrate conservation, in recent decades are unlikely to be the ultimate cause ecological research, environmental education, capacity- of the decline. Nest cavities also do not seem to be building, and income generation are cost-effective tools limiting many populations, as evidenced by the low oc- to achieve the goals of community-based biodiver- cupancy of many nest box programs. The most parsi- sity conservation and poverty reduction in the devel- monious demographic mechanism of decline seems to oping world. Therefore, locally-based and long-term be that vital rates have been at constant levels that are bird monitoring programs should be encouraged, estab- too low to maintain populations since at least the late lished, and funded throughout the world’s biodiversity 1960s. But, the large range and complicated biology hotspots. of the American Kestrel make simple, continent-wide drivers of decline unlikely. Research regarding phenol- ogy and migratory connectivity will improve monitor- High recombination rate might contribute to in- ing of American Kestrels and thereby improve our un- tricate speciation patterns in the White wagtail derstanding of population declines. Full-annual-cycle, (Motacilla alba) demographic studies of the American Kestrel are also sorely needed, as are studies of breeding success in nat- Georgy A Semenov ural cavities, effects of climate change, and identifica- Ekaterina Basheva tion of important wintering and migration sites outside Pavel M Borodin of the US. Anna Torgasheva Elizabeth S Scordato David R Khaydarov Community-based bird monitoring in biodiversity hotspots: integrating conservation, research, educa- Pronounced morphological differences sometimes co- tion, capacity building, and incomes exist with shallow genomic divergence in hybridiz- ing bird taxa. Two evolutionary processes selection Cagan H Sekercioglu maintaining differentiation at few key genomic regions and gene flow homogenizing selectively neutral ge- Long-term, locally-based biodiversity monitoring pro- netic variation - are commonly implicated as underlying grams are essential for understanding and mitigating drivers of such a pattern. Another important parameter the effects of global change on biodiversity while pro- that can determine which traces selection and gene flow viding capacity-building, environmental education, and will leave in patterns of genomic variation is recombi- public outreach. However, these programs are lack- nation rate. High recombination rate will slow down ing in most biodiversity hotspots, especially in tropi- the process of lineage sorting, with exception of the cal countries. Birds are the best-known major group non-recombinant genomic regions such as mitochon- of organism, comprise excellent environmental indica- drial DNA. It will reduce the size of haplotype blocks tors, are relatively easy to monitor, and are met with affected by linked selection, leading to more genomi- enthusiasm and interest by people worldwide. Bird cally localized selection effects. All else being equal, in monitoring programs using mist nets and bird band- a context of hybridization high recombination rates will ing (ringing) are especially valuable, as these well- result in a larger proportion of the genome that is effec- established techniques enable the use of capture-mark- tively homogenized. It is therefore plausible that varia- recapture (CMR) models to measure population change tion in recombination rates commonly observed within

129 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 and among taxa can influence speciation patterns, how- ever empirical support for this connection has yet to be made. We used immunocytochemical assays of oocyte Theory of trophic specialization in Neotropical in- cell surface spreads to assess recombination patterns in sectivorous birds, and implications for resource par- the White Wagtail. Extensive diversification in plumage titioning and the niche traits, some of which contribute to reproductive barri- ers, is strikingly contrasting to nearly absent genome- Thomas W Sherry wide divergence across the White Wagtail subspecies. Cody Kent Our data reveal that the White Wagtail possesses the Natalie Sanchez highest number of recombination nodules per autosome Cagan H Sekercioglu set and the longest genetic map among all birds studied to date, and we discuss how our findings can help to il- Why are so many tropical birds evolutionarily special- luminate the mechanisms underlying patterns of avian ized, and why do we care? South American avian hybridization and speciation. adaptive radiations are extraordinary, starting in the Paleogene. Insectivorous bird species richness and clade diversity also peak globally in the Neotropics, particularly in lowland equatorial rainforests. These forests are globally among the least seasonal, favor- Species diversity across elevational gradients in the ing populations close to carrying capacity (Ashmole’s High Andes hypothesis). Neotropical arthropod anti-predator adap- tations are also dramatic and frequent, implicating an- Cristian S Sevillano cient, pervasive predator-prey arms races. These facts Amanda D Rodewald and inferences suggest that Neotropical rainforest in- sectivores inhabit an arthropod desert. Effective food The High Andes are recognized as a hotspot for di- scarcity in species-rich avian communities makes com- versity and endemism, but our understanding of the petition intense and diffuse, necessitating each species factors that drive patterns of diversity and community competing simultaneously against dozens of coexisting structure remain poorly understood. Here, we evalu- species. This in turn favors specialization evolution- ate the extent to which seasonality, primary productiv- arily by habitat, substrate (like aerial leaf litter), food ity, and landscape context influence bird communities concentrations (like army ant swarms), and prey taxa. within Polylepis forests along an elevational gradient Some interesting deductions follow: (1) Tropical insec- (raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$3,300 4,700 m) tivores don’t compete with one other, but rather adapt in Cordillera Blanca, northern Peru. Between 2014- to particular prey and substrates, i.e., don’t partition 2016, birds were systematically surveyed at 189 points resources. (2) Coexistence via diffuse competition in during the wet and dry seasons. We used multispecies species-rich communities is constrained as much evolu- hierarchical occupancy models (implemented in JAGS) tionarily as ecologically, and thus (3) such competition to evaluate potential drivers of seasonal and elevational among specialists is unlikely to be detectable experi- changes in species richness. Surprisingly, we found no mentally. (4) Feeding niches are not intrinsic features evidence of seasonal or elevational changes in species of an environment, but rather the consequence of time, richness after correcting for detection probability. How- area, competitor diversity, and co-evolutioni.e., histo- ever, the number of threatened and endemic species in- ryunique to geographical regions, even within biomes. creased with elevation, which indicates the importance We thus need to better integrate interspecific competi- of high-elevation habitats for conservation. Standardiz- tion with evolutionary theory, and to re-think commu- ing the species richness by the surface land area at each nity structure substantially. elevation indicated that patch size and primary produc- tivity, though not forest cover, promoted species rich- ness, particularly at lower elevations. Our study sug- gests that patterns of avian diversity in the High An- Evidence for a prealternate molt-migration in Ru- des do not necessarily follow the same patterns as re- fous Hummingbirds ported across much larger elevational gradients, such as the Andes-Amazon, and may be more sensitive to local Desmond E Sieburth environmental factors (i.e., area, productivity) than pre- Peter Pyle viously believed. Our work also underscores the role that high elevations play in conserving threatened and An inserted body feather molt has recently been endangered species. documented in the Ruby-throated Hummingbird

130 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

(Archilochus colubris); however, it is unknown if breeding season length associated with climate warm- other species of hummingbirds undergo similar inserted ing. Spring migration survival probability for females molts. We examined 346 specimens of Rufous Hum- (Pr[ < 1] = 0.95) and males (Pr[ < 1] = 0.97) was pos- mingbird (Selasphorus rufus) collected throughout its itively correlated with the Southern Oscillation Index, range and found evidence for a previously unrecognized indicating that dry, El Nino winters were associated inserted molt that appears to occur, at least partially, at with reduced survival on spring migration. Wet condi- stopover locations in the Mexican monsoonal region. tions in La Nina winters were associated with increased A limited inserted replacement of body feathers occurs migration survival in spring. These results add to the in most adults and all young birds, primarily in late evidence that mortality of small, migratory passerines June through October, before the complete over-winter is concentrated in the spring migratory period, and that body-feather molt in February and March. As in molt- events in the stationary periods influence demographic migrant passerines, Rufous Hummingbirds may be rates in subsequent periods of the annual cycle. drawn to stop over in the Mexican monsoonal region to take advantage of the high food availability associated with late summer rains, in particular, increased flower abundance in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Sonora Phylogenetic relationships of weaverbirds: A first in July and August. It appears also to involve variable species-level molecular phylogeny of the family Plo- and heterogeneous molt-movement responses among ceidae individuals, suggesting annual decisions are based on food-resource availability and success during the previ- Thilina N De Silva ous breeding season. We propose that, in both Rufous Andrew T Peterson and Ruby-throated hummingbirds, molt-migration in- volves inserted preformative molts in young birds and Weaverbirds are small-to-medium-sized, mostly seed- definitive prealternate molts in older birds, a terminol- eating songbirds distributed mostly in Sub-Saharan ogy that appears to best preserve homology of molts in Africa; a few species are found in tropical Asia and Trochiliformes. on islands in the Indian Ocean. The group comprises 116 species in 17 genera. The family shows intrigu- ing variation in behavior, nest structure, and plumage Breeding season length and climate conditions in coloration, yet their relationships have seen no com- winter affect survival of a passerine during migra- prehensive phylogenetic study. We developed a first tion near-species-level phylogeny for the family Ploceidae, including raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$95% of Scott Sillett species, based on a multilocus dataset of four mito- Clark S Rushing chondrial loci and five nuclear markers. Our analyses found strong support for monophyly of the family, re- A recent statistical advance has enabled us to estimate vealing eight distinct clades within the Ploceidae. Re- seasonal survival probabilities for small passerines us- sults indicated broad polyphyly of Ploceus sensu lato: ing capture recapture data. We used this Bayesian Asian Ploceus species retain the generic name, whereas approach with 13 years of data collected from demo- African Ploceus, together with Anaplectes, would be graphically linked populations of Black-throated Blue placed in Malimbus. In light of deep divergence, we Warblers (Setophaga caerulescens). Monthly survival assign the Ploceus species of Madagascar to their own probability was highest during spring migration (0.58 genus, Nelicurvius. We place Amblyospiza albifrons 0.79) compared to autumn migration (0.82 0.95) and to in a reestablished monotypic subfamily Amblyospiz- the summer and winter stationary periods (0.96 0.99). inae based on our DNA data, and also considering be- We also tested if costs incurred in the stationary periods havior and morphology. The study further revealed carry-over to affect migration survival. We found that that Histurgops ruficauda is a weaver species originat- survival probability in autumn migration was not corre- ing early in the family’s history, and all ploceid gen- lated with number of young fledged for either females era were placed on the family tree. Divergence time (Probability[ < 1] = 0.61) or males Pr[ < 1] = 0.71). analysis based on DNA substitution rates suggests a However, breeding season length, an index of total re- mid-Miocene origin of the family. Our study also esti- productive effort, was negative correlated with autumn mates that brood parasitic behavior originated 811 mil- migration survival for females (Pr[ < 1] = 0.96). Au- lion years ago in African finches, considerably later tumn migration survival probability declined for both than previously thought. This study lays a comprehen- sexes over time, coincident with a long-term increase in sive foundation to an array of future studies of character

131 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 evolution, biogeography, and evolutionary history in the The Northern Black Swift (Cypseloides niger borealis) family. is an insectivorous bird which nests in small colonies in western North America. Previous research has mostly focused on nesting locations, and foraging habitat is Estimating the influence of patch size and shape, largely unresearched due to the difficulty of detecting habitat juxtaposition, and vegetation composition of foraging black swifts. We conducted surveys for forag- restored habitat on Northern Bobwhite demograph- ing black swifts in the southern Sierra Nevada and col- ics and abundance lected records from previous surveys in Colorado. We collected data on six aspects of black swift microhab- Katie T Simmons itat from 109 potential nesting sites: water flow, verti- Katie T Simmons cal relief, aerial access, shade, nesting niches, and moss Mike Eichholz cover. Scores for these variables were summed to pro- Stan McTaggart vide a total microhabitat score. We then used the total area covered by standing water and wetlands within 5 The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is es- kilometers of each colony as an index of foraging habi- tablishing a Quail Focal Area as part of the National tat. Standing water and wetlands are major sources of Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) effort to help emergent insect prey. These two scores were used as determine if the decline of quail populations can be independent variables in a logistic regression to deter- addressed by managing habitat. To better understand mine their relative effect on the occurrence of black the efficacy of management actions, we will conduct swifts at each potential nesting site. Our results sug- a 10-year study at a managed State Fish and Wildlife gest that foraging habitat is not a driver of nesting site Area and a nearby unmanaged control site. The objec- selection. However, radio telemetry data from breeding tives are to better understand how patch size and shape, black swifts could clarify the role of foraging habitat in habitat juxtaposition, and plant composition of restored nest site selection. habitat influences nest site selection, nest success, and adult and fledging survival. Baited funnel traps will be used to capture and radio-tag 100 quail at 20 locations Free-ranging Cats: Strategies and Challenges from in the spring of each year. Birds will be tracked 5 times the Front Lines of Conservation each week until nesting begins. Nests will be monitored and habitat data recorded. We will predict the influence Grant C Sizemore of habitat variables and predator and prey distribution on site selection and survival using logistic regression Free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) are one of the and Dinsmore’s model in program MARK. We will test most pervasive threats facing native wildlife around the for impacts age, sex, habitat characteristics, and preda- world. Despite the documented harm caused by these tor community on estimated survival of radio marked non-native predators, their close affiliation with humans adults. Spring and fall call surveys will be used with ra- complicates management and control. This talk will fo- dio telemetry data to estimate detection probability and cus on the role of non-governmental organizations in actual abundance. We will compare all results between facilitating a broader understanding of the impacts of a managed and unmanaged property to better assess the free-ranging cats and promoting policies that align with impact of management actions on quail vital rates and conservation priorities. Discussion will specifically fo- population dynamics, providing important feedback to cus on identifying major players in a nationwide debate, managers on the effects of various management prac- legislative initiatives, ongoing federal litigation, and op- tices and fulfill the obligations of the Coordinated Im- portunities for action. plementation Program.

Impact of Nesting Microhabitat and Foraging Habi- Implications of climate change for wetland- tat on the Nesting Site Selection of the Northern associated birds in the U.S. interior: application Black Swift (Cypseloides niger borealis) of citizen science data

Alexander J Single Susan K Skagen Tricia Van Laar Valerie A Steen Carolyn Gunn Helen R Sofaer Kim Potter Gordon C Reese

132 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Citizen science has been invaluable to understand- where crow populations contain both haplotype groups ing bird distributions across the North American in- is consistent with secondary contact. Using ddRAD terior. We used Breeding Bird Survey data and ob- SNPs from the nuclear genome, we inferred a phy- servation records from eBird to evaluate the poten- logeographic pattern consistent with the mitochon- tial effects of climate change on the distribution of drial signal and discovered that all crows in a broad wetland-dependent birds across the north and central area of western Washington and southwestern British Great Plains of North America. Lands within the Great Columbia are hybrids. Thus, these two taxa are conspe- Plains Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) and cific under the biological species concept. Interestingly, eastern Plains and Prairie Pothole LCC are character- the hybrid zone coincides with the most heavily urban- ized by millions of small wetlands that provide criti- ized part of the Pacific Northwest. One published hy- cal habitat to nearly 120 breeding and en route migrant pothesis is that human land use changes and urbaniza- wetland-associated bird species. We projected distribu- tion since raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$1850 tional shifts of 29 breeding and 14 migrating species in have allowed crow populations to expand into new response to climate change, assessed components of un- anthropogenic habitat types, reducing assortative mat- certainty in species distribution models (SDM), and ex- ing and increasing the geographic breadth of the over- plored the application of the surrogate species concept lap zone. We use DNA sequences from 19th century in understanding climate change impacts. Our models museum specimens to test the hypothesis that the ge- indicate that breeding wetland-dependent bird species ographic distribution of Northwestern and American within the U.S. portion of the PPR will lose, on average, Crows has changed during the past 100 to 150 years. more than 30% (range 0 90%) of their current available habitat. Migrating shorebirds utilized disparate loca- tions and habitats in climatically different years. Much The Great Backyard Bird Count: Creating Engage- of the uncertainty in SDM model results stemmed from ment through Community Science choice of climate models and covariates used in build- ing and projecting models. We grouped species based Zach K Slavin on niche similarities, functional trait overlap, and spa- tial co-occurrence and evaluated within group variation The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is an annual in potential response to climate change. Our model re- community science program that engages more than sults can be used to evaluate the ability of currently des- 150,000 individuals from around the world in count- ignated conservation areas to provide adequate habitat ing birds in their backyards, parks, and all over their under likely future climatic regimes. communities. As a joint project of National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Bird Stud- ies Canada, the GBBC serves as an excellent first step Characterizing the Northwestern Crow-American for people interested in participating in community sci- Crow hybrid zone using genetic data from 150 years ence. Many birdwatchers enjoy watching birds casu- of museum specimens ally around their communities, but often don’t know about or don’t feel prepared to participate in commu- David L Slager nity science activities the Great Backyard Bird Count Kevin L Epperly provides a gateway. By offering a fun, free, simple, John Klicka family-friendly program that they can do in just 15 min- utes from the comfort of their homes or backyards (in- The Northwestern Crow (Corvus caurinus) has long cluding through the eBird mobile app) we are able to been a controversial taxon because it is morpho- engage tens of thousands of new individuals each year. logically and behaviorally indistinguishable from the These individuals not only provide data on their lo- American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) near the cal bird populations through their participation in the poorly defined range boundary in northwestern Wash- GBBC, but more than 90% of participants surveyed in- ington state. Using recent museum specimens from dicated they plan to participate again in the future. Once across the ranges of both taxa, we found two clades we have created a relationship with these individuals of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes that likely diverged through their participation in the GBBC we are able during the Pleistocene, consistent with past isolation in to leverage their interest in birds and community sci- glacial refugia. The geographic distribution of these ence by inviting them to participate in more complex clades approximates the published ranges of North- and valuable data collection efforts like the Christmas western and American, and an overlap zone in north- Bird Count and Climate Watch. GBBC also serves as a western Washington and western British Columbia connection to other local actions that benefit birds, like

133 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 planting native plants and donating to support bird con- practices. The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) servation efforts. is a rapidly declining bird associated with farmland habitat and is often managed for using CRP and wood- lot edge enhancement. I studied bobwhites from 2008 to 2010 and 20122014 in Brown and Highland Coun- Uneven missing data skews phylogenomic relation- ties, Ohio to document the effects of loss of CRP con- ships within the lories and lorikeets tracts and addition of woodlot edge enhancement on the rate of change in bobwhite abundance using whis- Brian T Smith tle count surveys. CRP was a strong predictor of bob- William M Mauck white abundance while woodlot edge enhancement had Brett W Benz low predictive power when accounting for loss of CRP. Michael J Andersen From these results, I tentatively conclude loss of CRP may have significant impacts on this imperiled species, Massively parallel sequencing has rapidly accelerated and addition of CRP should be targeted by conservation the resolution of the avian tree of life. However, to agencies over woodlot edge enhancement. achieve dense taxon sampling within clades, it is of- ten necessary to obtain DNA from modern tissues and historical museum specimens. A systematic bias arises from this type of DNA sampling scheme; older mate- Building an ecological atlas: from spatial data to rial has more missing data. This bias in sequence length conservation across dynamic Arctic seas and content among individuals is suspected to increase phylogenetic error. In this talk, we evaluated a phyloge- Melanie A Smith nomic dataset for the lories and lorikeets where we col- Max S Goldman lected ultraconserved elements from modern and his- Erika J Knight torical material representing the majority of described Benjamin K Sullender taxa in the clade. To assess how missing data impacts the phylogeny, we performed an outlier loci analysis To inform sustainable management in a time of growing and calculated gene-likelihoods for trees built with and human influence, there is a need to synthesize and dis- without missing data. Next, we estimated phylogenies seminate scientific information to policy makers, scien- using a range of filtering steps that removed sites and tists, and the public in a format that is useful and acces- outlier loci. We found that the topology was not sta- sible. The goal of the Ecological Atlas of the Bering, ble across our datasets, but much of the phylogenetic Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas was to create a compre- variance could be reduced with filtering. In sum, after hensive, trans-boundary atlas that represents the current accounting for problematic loci and sites we inferred a state of knowledge on subjects ranging from physical robust phylogenetic hypothesis for the lories and lori- oceanography to species ecology to human uses. Layer keets that will serve as the basis for a taxonomic revi- by layer, the Ecological Atlas provides a cumulative sion of the clade. representation of what is happening in the region to bet- ter understand ecological patterns through spatial data, maps, and written summaries. The atlas was a project by Audubon Alaska, in collaboration with Oceana and Population Responses of the Northern Bobwhite to somethingaboutmaps. Numerous federal agencies, aca- Land Use Changes in the Agricultural Landscapes demics, and organizations assisted by providing spatial of Ohio, USA data, expertise, and review. Our data-to-design process involved intensive research and consultation with ex- Olivia M Smith perts, as well as gathering and analyzing the most re- cent or otherwise best available data. We synthesized Conversion of natural land cover to agriculture is one data to create more than 100 seamless maps that inte- of the primary threats to biodiversity worldwide. The grate disparate datasets into cohesive data layers that Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and woodlot visually describe a particular process or species’ habi- edge enhancement are two tools used in the United tat use across the three seas. The Ecological Atlas is a States to provide habitat to wildlife that otherwise data-rich foundation for understanding the complex dy- have little usable space in intensively agricultural land- namics of the Arctic marine ecosystem, which can be scapes. CRP provides payments to agricultural pro- applied toward managing an array of contemporary hu- ducers to replant environmentally sensitive cropland, man uses. Subsequent analyses build on this foundation marginal pasture land, or grassland to conservation by identifying important ecological areas and assessing

134 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book vulnerability to offshore energy, vessel traffic, commer- Keith W Sockman cial fisheries, and climate change. In most bird species, variation in temperature expo- sure is the driving factor behind a major type of fit- Environmental temperature and human distur- ness variation, that between siblings competing for bance affect Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) incu- parentally provided resources. Both ambient and incu- bation behavior and egg temperatures bation temperatures strongly influence embryonic and post-embryonic development and viability. Incubation Robert O Snowden protects embryos from the developmentally detrimental Ray M Danner effects of both warm and cold ambient temperatures, thus favoring early incubation onset relative to clutch Beach-nesting seabirds can experience direct thermal completion. However, early incubation onset may demands from variable environmental conditions at also promote developmental handicapping of some nest their breeding sites. High temperatures may not only mates. Over a long term field study on Lincoln’s spar- increase the likelihood of thermoregulatory stress for rows (Melospiza lincolnii), I have discovered that as adults at exposed nests, but also challenge their abil- laying order within the clutch increases, the negative af- ity to maintain suitable incubation conditions for de- fects of ambient temperature decline while incubation- veloping embryos. Additionally, these birds are of- driven developmental handicapping increases. More- ten subject to human disturbance at breeding locations, over, late-hatched offspring not only grow more slowly potentially inhibiting such thermoregulatory behaviors, and have higher mortality rates than their early-hatched thereby exacerbating thermal stress on eggs. I exam- nest mates, they also possess morphological traits, such ined how environmental temperatures and human dis- as wide bills, that may impinge on their ability to pro- turbance interact to affect the ability of beach-nesting duce high-performance song signaling for attracting Least Terns (Sternula antillarum) to regulate incuba- mates once they are sexually mature. Experimentally tion temperatures through behavioral mechanisms, hy- disentangling the confounding factors of incubation ex- pothesizing that 1) terns will adjust incubation behav- posure and intrinsic egg characteristics reveals a strong ior in to response to environmental temperatures; and role for incubation exposure in driving what may be 2) human disturbance affects these incubation behav- one of the most significant forms of fitness variation be- iors, and therefore egg temperatures. During the 2017 tween individuals, that between sibling birds competing breeding season I monitored a colony near Wilming- for the scarce resources provided through parental care. ton, North Carolina, conducting 372 behavioral sur- veys at 54 nests, 32 of which were supplied with data- logger-equipped artificial eggs to quantify nest temper- atures. Ambient temperature, along with wind speed and solar radiation, significantly affected many incu- Keith W Sockman bation behaviors (including nest attendance, nest de- parture duration, nest-shading, and postural changes). Anthropogenic disturbance interacted with temperature to influence the likelihood of several behaviors. While egg-logger temperatures were moderately influenced by Origin and evolution of the extinct San Benedicto ambient temperature, they typically remained within a Island Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus exsul) re- range optimal for embryo development (35-40 C) dur- vealed by phylogeographic analysis of genome-wide ing behavioral surveys, suggesting that behavioral ad- variation justments helped regulate nest conditions. Identifying ambient temperatures at which disturbance events in- Garth M Spellman creased variation in egg-logger temperatures can pro- Nadje Nahar vide important management information for protecting Jenna McCullough seabird colonies from human activity while accounting Lauryn Benedict for increased environmental temperatures. Mike Andersen

In 1952 the Barcena Volcano violently erupted extin- How an Interplay between Ovulation Order, Ambi- guishing all terrestrial life on the small Pacific island of ent Temperature, and Incubation Affects Offspring San Benedicto, and causing the extinction of the only Fitness endemic terrestrial bird, the San Benedicto Rock Wren.

135 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Life returned to the island rather quickly with seabirds ditionally, we show intraspecific variation in heart size establishing nesting colonies followed by the establish- follows our hypothesis of acclimatization at high ele- ment of a new plant community; however, no terrestrial vations. Transplant experiments are needed to show bird has managed to colonize the island since the erup- if physiological plasticity accounts for changes in car- tion. Rock Wrens are common residents of other arid diovascular capacity, oxygen carrying capacity, and the Pacific Islands off the coast of North America suggest- ability to live at high elevations. ing that colonization events by the species may be rather common. This study investigates the timing and nature (single colonization event?) of the origin of the San Benedicto Rock Wren and contrasts it with other island (oceanic and continental) subspecies. We examined ge- netic variation at 3000 UCE loci, 6704 exons (from 244 Richard A Stanton coding genes), and full mitochondrial genomes from 167 Rock Wrens from throughout their range. Phy- logeographic and population genetic analyses suggest the San Benedicto Island subspecies originated from a single colonization event within the last 150,000 years Conservation Planning Under Uncertainty: An In- and evolved rapidly at the genetic level likely due to teractive Decision Support Tool for Least Bell’s a founder event at time of colonization and/or a per- Vireo Management sistent small population. How the evolutionary history of the San Benedicto Rock Wren contrasts with other Jessica C Stanton island subspecies and the location of additional phylo- Linnea Hall geographic breaks within the species will be discussed. Allison Alvarado Barbara Kus Jenny Marek Overcoming thermal and hypoxic challenges of high Eric Morrissette elevations in two hummingbird species Along the Santa Clara River in California, populations Austin R Spence of the federally and state listed least Bell’s vireo (Vireo Morgan W Tingley bellii pusillus) are recovering from near extirpation. This recovery owes largely to habitat protection and Birds with wide elevational ranges experience system- restoration, as well as to controlling cowbird nest par- atic changes in temperature and oxygen across their asitism. We developed a decision support tool to aid range. Montane elevational transects provide natural in ongoing planning and coordination between conser- experimental frameworks to observe the physiological vation partners in the region. A major challenge we capacity to manage these changing abiotic challenges. encountered is a common problem in many conserva- We hypothesized that, at higher elevations, humming- tion planning projects, namely uncertainty. We used a birds would use torpor more often and have larger car- global sensitivity analysis approach that generates a set diovascular and respiratory organs to overcome lower of models to sample across the full range of parame- temperatures and less oxygen, respectively. We tested ter and model structure uncertainty. We then replicated for torpor use both at ambient temperatures and with a the set of models under a range of simulated manage- cold treatment in Anna’s hummingbirds (n = 50 ambi- ment scenarios representing a variety of cowbird and ent, n = 42 cold treatment) and Calliope hummingbirds habitat management strategies and intensities. This ap- (n = 30 ambient, n = 24 cold treatment) across an eleva- proach allows for a full accounting of parameter un- tional gradient of 2500 meters. We found Anna’s hum- certainty while illustrating the effects of different man- mingbirds used torpor more often at higher elevations agement scenarios. An interactive visualization tool al- or during a cold treatment, while Calliope humming- lows the user to explore model results by setting man- birds were obligate torpor users regardless of the ele- agement goals and seeing which management scenarios vation or temperature. We also dissected Anna’s hum- have a higher probability of meeting those goals under mingbirds (n=26) from low and high elevations. Anna’s uncertainty. The interface also allows the user to ad- hummingbirds from 2500 m had 25% larger hearts than just uncertainty bounds on individual parameters and at sea level, but did not show any difference in lung explore the impact on predicted model outcomes. This mass. Our study shows heterothermy in birds is a spec- approach can be adapted to other projects to systemat- trum and can facilitate living at higher elevations. Ad- ically identify and account for uncertainty, provide an

136 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book intuitive visualization tool to investigate different man- We summarize the morphology and paleoecology of agement scenarios, and allow projects to move forward extirpated Bahamian populations in three species of despite uncertainty. songbirds that did not survive the Pleistocene-Holocene Transition (PHT) in the islands. They are the Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis, Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella Variation in malarial prevalence and diversity in magna, and Hispaniolan Crossbill Loxia megaplaga. thrush congeners along a latitudinal gradient of the The bluebird, which is strictly continental today, had Appalachian Highlands relatively small wing elements in the Bahamas, fitting with a general trend in island forms. The meadowlark, Naima C Starkloff which is continental today except for a population in Andrew W Jones Cuba, had relatively small legs in the Bahamas, an un- Benjamin M Winger explained trend not seen in other insular birds. The Wendy C Turner crossbill, regarded today as endemic to the pine forests Jeremy K Kirchman of Hispaniola, was not a single-island endemic during the ice age. The loss of these three species in the Ba- Host-parasite interactions vary with abiotic conditions, hamas was related to a combination of the islands be- as well as a myriad of host, vector and parasite fac- coming smaller, more isolated, warmer, and wetter dur- tors. We expect environmental filtering, by harsher abi- ing the PHT, with a resulting decline in pine grasslands. otic conditions with latitude, to lead to smaller, less diverse biotic communities with greater phylogenetic similarity. Endoparasitic communities of malarial par- High resolution bird distributions from citizen sci- asites should also follow the same pattern as a result ence data of a cascade of environmental filtering of both their avian hosts and dipteran vectors. We tested this hy- Valerie A Steen pothesis along a 15.1 degrees latitudinal gradient of the Morgan W Tingley Appalachian Highlands in eastern North America, in Chris S Elphick two species of closely-related congeners that are alti- tudinal replacements of one another at certain latitudes; Citizen science data are an increasingly rich data source the Bicknell’s Thrush (n=228) and Veery (n=174). This for ecological research, and as a result, the use of these study includes sites where the Veery is found in iso- data for ecological inference and prediction is on the lation, and paired sites where the Bicknell’s Thrush is rise. However, concerns about data resolution, sam- found at higher altitudes than the Veery. This allows pling biases, and observer expertise lead to the expecta- for evaluation of malarial diversity with congeners in tion that these data have inherent limitations, and thus sympatry and allopatry. Individual malarial infections could not typically supplant targeted surveys conducted were identified within this sampling using a well estab- at fine spatial scales by experts. Yet, as citizen sci- lished Cyt-b gene targeting nested-PCR technique, se- ence datasets become more robust with accumulating quencing of positive amplicons, and cross-referencing observations and novice observers transition to skilled with the public avian malaria database, MalAvi. The observers over time, these datasets may contain within prevalence (% infected) and species richness of malar- them the detail of information represented in targeted ial parasites were then quantified for each site and host datasets. We tested whether eBird data can be culled species. Contrary to our hypothesis, preliminary results based on spatial scale of survey and observer exper- suggest that malarial parasite communities are far more tise to reproduce the quality of spatial occurrence in- spatially heterogeneous than a inverse relationship with formation represented in point-count based surveys for latitude. In this meeting, I will be reporting patterns of forest, tidal-marsh, shrubland, and suburban-woodland prevalence and species richness in both species across habitats habitat categories representing variation in ac- latitudinal space. cessibility, ubiquity, and patchiness. We found that culling observations by spatial scale improved eBird predictions while culling by expertise had little im- Three Exitrpated Ice-Age Birds in the Bahamas pact. We furthermore found optimizing spatial scale by habitat category offered additional improvement. David W Steadman Also, we looked at various attributes to explain devia- Jessica A Oswald tion between individual species and found evidence that Oona M Takano eBird data is relatively better for easier to identify birds. Janet Franklin Overall, our results suggest limitations remain in using

137 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 eBird data for high quality and high-resolution predic- J M Johnson tions but offer avenues for improvement. Morgan W Tingley

Little is known about resource selection and habitat use in juvenile birds during the post-fledging period, yet the Migration strategies and nonbreeding movements fates of juvenile birds have a marked influence on pop- of a threatened population of Black-crowned Night- ulation dynamics. Since use and selection of habitat Herons by juveniles may differ substantially from adults, it is important to consider fledgling ecology when measur- Kristie A Stein ing potential impacts of habitat management. We used Laura J Kearns radio-telemetry to study resource selection in fledgling Chris M Tonra and adult Black-backed Woodpeckers within burned forests of California, where the species specializes on Because of the difficulty of following birds that spend trees killed by fire. We built resource selection mod- portions of a year in geographically isolated areas, els using a use-availability design to compare habitat migration is often the most understudied stage of an selection between adults and fledglings, and we used individual’s life cycle. Consequently, limited infor- linear mixed effects models to assess changes in habi- mation, primarily obtained from band recoveries, ex- tat use as fledglings age. Adult Black-backed Wood- ists on the migration and wintering ecology of Black- peckers selected habitat with greater snag density and crowned Night-Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) breed- higher burn severity than fledglings. Fledgling Black- ing in North America. The Black-crowned Night- backed Woodpeckers showed stronger selection for live Heron is listed as a threatened species in Ohio due to tree density and lower burn severity than adults. As ju- a decline in the number of nesting pairs and colonies veniles aged from 1 to 35 days post-fledging, the use within the state since the 1970s. To identify migra- of dead trees increased and individuals used areas that tory strategies, we deployed 17 platform transmitting were farther from their nest tree. Our results are consis- terminals (29g, TAV-2630, Telonics, Inc.) onto adult tent with the predator avoidance hypothesis, suggesting Black-crowned Night-Herons in the western Lake Erie that young fledglings select habitat that maximizes pro- basin in June-August of 2016-2017. Tagged individu- tection from predators during the period when they are als were tracked via the ARGOS system. Results indi- provisioned by adults. We suggest that Black-backed cate that Ohio night-herons utilize different migratory Woodpecker resource selection and habitat use differs strategies with regard to timing, stopovers, and distance between age classes, indicating that current manage- from breeding ground. Migration departure times were ment and conservation guidelines aimed at providing spread out over a period of 3 months with seven birds habitat for breeding adults may overlook key resource departing in September, four in October, and four in requirements of other life history stages. November. Stopover duration ranged from 1-38 days. Eleven individuals utilized a short-distance migration strategy in that their wintering location was less than 2,000 km away from their breeding site, while the re- Infestation by the exotic fruit fly, Drosophila suzukii, maining four night-herons undertook a long-distance reduces local abundance of frugivorous birds in an strategy. I will present results on variation in migra- Appalachian forest tory strategy by sex and body condition index (mass regressed on culmen). By establishing connectivity Scott H Stoleson of Ohio’s breeding population to wintering sites, we Christopher M Lituma further our understanding of potential hazards to this species and can identify states with which to partner in The Spotted-winged Drosophila (SWD, Drosophila conservation efforts. suzukii), an invasive pest of berry and stone fruit, has spread rapidly across the continent since it first ap- peared on the West coast in 2008. Unlike native fruit flies, which oviposit on overripe or decaying fruit, SWD Age-dependent habitat selection by Black-backed has a saw-like ovipositor that enables it to lay its eggs Woodpeckers in post-fire forests in unripe fruit and thus prevent full ripening. Although the devastating effects of SWD on commercial fruit pro- Andrew N Stillman duction have been well-studied globally, its prevalence Rodney B Siegel and impacts on native forest ecosystems remain un- Robert L Wilkerson known. Since 2006 we have used constant-effort mist-

138 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book netting to monitor post-breeding bird abundance in re- in Canada. As the dataset has grown in spatial and tem- cent timber harvests on the Allegheny National Forest poral scope, we have also been able to start address- of Pennsylvania. In 2016, we discovered an infestation ing more challenging issues such as the estimation of of SWD in two recent harvests dominated by blackberry regional population trends, identifying drivers of pop- (Rubus allegheniensis). As the berries ripened, large ulation change, and delineating northern range limits. numbers of fruit flies appeared and destroyed the entire We will discuss the unique challenges posed by the re- fruit crop within 2 weeks. Compared to pre-SWD av- moteness of the boreal regions, and provide examples erages, capture rates of non-frugivorous birds remained of how we have used sparse and messy data to address high in 2016-2017, but numbers of primarily frugivo- important conservation questions, providing lessons for rous species were drastically lowered. It remains un- data integration within and among other citizen science known whether frugivorous birds turned to alternate efforts. food resources, relocated to areas without SWD, or if local populations were actually reduced. Because fru- givorous birds function as key seed dispersers in forests, Ectoparasitism of the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla their reduction, mediated through the loss of soft mast mustelina) in Suburban Forests to SWD, may have serious long-term negative ecolog- ical consequences, such as changes in forest composi- Katherine M Straley tion and regeneration. Paige Warren David King

The end of the road: Challenges and solutions Humans are shifting wildlife community dynamics with for avian abundance modeling in the remote North ecosystem alteration through urbanization. Urbaniza- American boreal region tion influences species interactions, including host- parasite interactions. In birds, ectoparasites can de- Diana Stralberg crease nestling health by reducing mass and/or induc- Peter´ Solymos´ ing immune responses in the short term, and may even Nicole K Barker influence health and reproduction in subsequent years. Erin Bayne Ectoparasites such as blowflies are introduced to nests Fiona K Schmiegelow via adult flies laying eggs into nest materials. Higher Samantha Song densities of bird territories, which have been docu- mented in patchy habitats, may lead to increased in- North America’s boreal region contains 25% of the cidents of ectoparasitism by providing blowflies with world’s remaining intact forests and provides breed- more clustered nesting resources. The Wood Thrush, ing habitat for billions of migratory birds. Many bo- a declining forest nesting species, nests in both sub- real bird populations are large and not at risk in these urban forest fragments and contiguous forests in Mas- remote northern areas. However, boreal ecosystems sachusetts. We compared ectoparasite loads on Wood are experiencing marked, cumulative impacts from ex- Thrush nestlings from suburban forest fragments and a tensive industrial development, agricultural expansion, larger more contiguous forest to determine a) if ectopar- and climate change. Unfortunately, the relative re- asite loads are affecting nestling health and b) whether moteness and inaccessibility that has sustained large suburban birds experience more ectoparasitism. We breeding populations of migratory boreal birds in north- predicted that more parasitized chicks in both habi- ern roadless regions also inhibits their informed con- tats would be smaller in body size, and that suburban servation due to the sparse and southern-biased cover- nestlings would experience higher loads than their rural age of breeding bird survey (BBS) data. The Boreal counterparts. Preliminary analyses indicate that sub- Avian Modelling Project (BAM) is addressing this gap urban and rural Wood Thrush chicks do not experi- by assembling, standardizing, and analyzing disparate ence different levels of ectoparasitism, however, sub- research and monitoring datasets throughout the bo- urban nestlings that are parasitized do have signifi- real region, in combination with BBS data. Enabled cantly longer wings. This indicates a shift in the al- by the development of new data standardization and location of nutrients for longer wings, possibly to leave species abundance modeling methods, we have devel- the parasitized nest sooner. Further study that exam- oped boreal-wide estimates of population size and dis- ines the availability of food resources and provisioning tribution, habitat-specific densities, and analyses of an- by adults in suburban forests could clarify mechanisms thropogenic threats, which have been used to inform through which parasitized nestlings are able to receive various regional and national conservation applications resources and lengthen their wings.

139 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Kyle O Daly David E Andersen Winter home range characteristics and habitat use by Sprague’s Pipit in the Chihuahuan Desert grass- Multi-species approaches to wildlife management have lands of Mexico become commonplace. These strategies manage differ- ent species under a single regime based on shared habi- Erin H Strasser tat associations and/or co-occurrence on a landscape. Irene Ruvalcaba-Ortega However, managers regularly lack information about Alexander Pena-Peniche˜ species-specific relationships between landscape com- Arvind O Panjabi position and life history parameters (e.g., vital rates, Jose´ Hugo Mart´ınez-Guerrero population growth rates). Therefore, multi-species Ricardo Canales-del-Castillo management often relies on the assumption that species with overlapping habitat associations will respond sim- Understanding home range size and habitat preferences ilarly to management of landscape components based is an important component of monitoring species in de- on consideration of a single surrogate or umbrella cline. Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii) is a rapidly species. We tested the efficacy of multi-species man- declining grassland specialist with a substantial por- agement in two migratory birds. American Woodcock tion of its population wintering in the highly-threatened (Scolopax minor) and Golden-winged Warblers (Ver- Chihuahuan Desert grasslands. We radio-tagged and mivora chrysoptera) breed in diverse-forest landscapes tracked nine wintering pipits between 2014 and 2017 of eastern North America and are often associated with at three sites across northern Mexico to generate base- young or early-successional forest patches. Manage- line home range estimates and habitat preferences on ment for each of these species is purported to benefit their wintering grounds. We found that mean home the other, and the two are often presented as the game range and core use area size with 95% and 50% ker- and non-game flagship species for young forest initia- nel density estimators were 2.45 ha and 11.90 ha re- tives. We used demographic data, collected concur- spectively, nearly twice as large as some other grass- rently on a landscape shared by these species in Min- land specialist passerines. Two birds left the study area nesota, to create spatially-explicit models of full-season and one shifted 1.3 km after 20 days of monitoring, in- productivity (i.e., the number of juveniles raised to in- dicating that at least some birds are semi-nomadic dur- dependence from adult care) and compare productivity ing the winter, or are flexible in their space use strate- between species across the landscape. We found sig- gies within larger areas. Within their home ranges, pip- nificant negative relationships in full-season productiv- its selected grasslands with more bare ground and less ity between these species at all spatial scales we mea- other cover’ (litter, animal excrement, and rocks) than sured (1 m2 100 ha). Our results suggest that American what was available. Pipits showed no relationship at Woodcock and Golden-winged Warblers have opposing the micro-habitat scale with grass or shrub cover and relationships with the composition and configuration of heights which have been shown to influence habitat forested landscapes, and therefore likely do not respond selection at larger scales. These findings may reflect similarly to any individual management action at any different habitat use and predator avoidance strategies relevant spatial scale. than other grassland passerines, and highlight the im- portance of structurally heterogeneous grasslands that can benefit a suite of grassland birds. Thus, strategies to manage and conserve Chihuahuan Desert grasslands Thunk! Understanding Bird-window Collisions on and its avifauna must consider the diverse habitat and the Utah State University Campus area needs of grassland birds to be effective. Kim A Sullivan Kim A Sullivan Rachel Sagers What’s good for the woodcock is good for the war- Dylan Hopkins bler? Productivity of two young-forest flagship species on a shared landscape Window strikes kill an estimated 1 billion birds each year in North America. Although window strikes in Henry M Streby high rise office buildings receive the most attention, the Gunnar R Kramer majority of deaths occur in low rise office buildings Sean M Peterson and residential buildings. We carried out a 15-month

140 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book census of bird window strikes on the Utah State cam- pus. We surveyed 8 campus buildings 3-5 times/week for carcasses, feather piles and large impact marks on Occurrence and variability of tactile interactions be- windows. We averaged 1 carcass/feather pile per day tween wild American crows and dead conspecifics with several mass casualty events involving 25-30 birds during the winter. The location of window strikes and Kaeli N Swift species involved varied over the seasons. The number John Marzluff of trees within 15 meters of windows strongly affected the number of window strikes. Utah State Facilities has Observations of some mammals and birds touching been supportive of his study and we will describe the in- their dead provoke questions about the motivation and terventions that have taken place on campus to decrease adaptive value of this potentially risky behavior. Here bird window collisions. we use controlled experiments to determine if tactile interactions are characteristic of wild American crow responses to dead crows, and what the prevalence and nature of tactile interactions suggests about their mo- Breeding habitat requirements of Bendire’s tivations. In Experiment 1 we test if food or informa- thrasher (Toxostoma bendirei) throughout its New tion acquisition motivate contact by presenting crows Mexico and Arizona range with taxidermy prepared dead crows, and two species crows are known to scavenge; dead pigeons, and dead Cody T Bear Sutton squirrels. In Experiment 2, we test if territoriality moti- Martha J Desmond vates tactile interactions by presenting crows with taxi- Dawn VanLeeuwen dermy prepared dead and life-like crows. In Experi- ment 1 we find that crows are significantly less likely to Bendire’s Thrasher is an understudied and cryptic arid make contact but more likely to alarm call and recruit land obligate. Breeding bird surveys indicate that this other birds in response to dead crows than dead pigeons species is experiencing one of the greatest declines of and squirrels. In addition, we find that aggressive and any species in North America. This research aims to sexual encounters with dead crows are seasonally bi- answer some basic questions about Bendire’s Thrasher ased. These findings are inconsistent with feeding or while setting the groundwork for future conservation information acquisition. In Experiment 2 we find that efforts. Our objectives were to determine the most ef- crows rarely dive-bomb and more often alarm call and fective way to survey for Bendire’s Thrasher and to im- recruit other crows to dead vs. life-like crows, behav- prove the current understanding of Bendire’s Thrasher iors inconsistent with responses given to live intruders. breeding habitat requirements. Over the two-year study, Consistent with a danger response hypothesis, our re- we found 69 territories mainly with the use of call play- sults show that alarm calling and neighbor recruitment back. We completed vegetation surveys on all territo- occur more frequently in response to dead crows than ries to compare with 70 random surveys. In addition other stimuli, and that touching dead crows is atypical. to on the ground surveys, we completed a landscape Occasional contacts, which take a variety of aggressive level analysis using aerial photography and ArcGIS to and sexual forms, may result from an inability to medi- develop landscape variables for our models. Our mod- ate conflicting stimuli. els suggested that habitat selection decreased as slope and elevation increased. Increases in obstruction, bare ground, and shrubs >1.5m all increased selection. Av- erage shrub height was the most influential variable The effects of life history and external drivers on the with a 257% increase in the odds of Bendire’s Thrasher molts of migratory birds use with each 1m increase in shrub height [Odds ratio = 3.57, 95% CI (0.92, 1.52)]. Our model of landscape Ryan S Terrill variables showed that more heterogeneous landscapes James M Maley having more edge and habitat type richness were more Whitney L Tsai likely to contain Bendire’s Thrasher. Mean patch size Jared D Wolfe was the most influential landscape variable with use be- Glenn F Seeholzer ing less likely as mean patch size increased [Odds ratio John McCormack = 0.23, 95% CI (-2.82, -1.20)]. Our research supports that breeding habitat selection is influenced by variables The timing and patterns with which birds molt their on multiple scales. feathers likely reflect needs for feathers and costs of

141 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 feather replacement, but the roles of evolutionary his- highly seasonal west. We further show that seasonal- tory and ecological pressures on the timing and patterns ity has a profound effect on the strength of competition of molts has received little attention from. We studied between congeneric species. Competition appears to be how evolutionary history, life history, and a birds’ envi- stronger in winter, a period of resource scarcity in the ronment structure molt strategies in two systems of mi- Himalayas, in both the east and the west, with similarly- gratory birds: The New World warblers (Aves: Paruli- sized eastern species more likely to segregate in thermal dae) and monsoonal molt-migrants. In the New World niche space in winter. Our results indicate that rather warblers, we used an extensive database on life history than acting in isolation, abiotic and biotic factors medi- and ecological variables combined with phylogenetic ate each other to structure ecological communities. comparative methods and path analysis to investigate the drivers of the evolution of the prealternate molt. We found support for the hypothesis that prealternate molt evolves in response to increased feather wear induced by migratory behavior and acts as an exaption for sea- sonal phenotype alteration in the form of breeding and Intro: Christopher Tonra nonbreeding plumage. In monsoonal molt-migrants, we investigated the role of the North American Mon- soon (NAM) as a molting ground from migratory birds. Many species have been observed undergoing their an- Expanding the traditional definition of molt- nual molt in the region of the NAM, and we used ge- migration: towards a more comprehensive synthesis nomic ultraconserved elements (UCEs) to connect in- of overlap in two life history stages dividuals molting in the NAM to investigate the role of aridity on the breeding grounds to the use of the Christopher M Tonra NAM as a molting site. Additionally, the NAM is grow- Matthew Reudink ing stronger and later in the year with global climate change, and we extracted UCEs and quantified molt phenology from historical specimens to investigate the Overlap of the migration and molt life history stages, role of climate change on this system of stopover molt- known as ”molt-migration,” has increasingly received migration. attention across many avian taxa, since first being de- scribed in waterfowl the 1960’s. However, despite the many different types of molt stages and strategies, most, if not all, uses of the term molt-migration apply to the definitive prebasic molt of flight feathers in post- Temperature and competition interact to structure breeding adults, whereas fewer studies address migra- Himalayan bird communities tion for body-feather molts. We argue that the current definition of molt-migration, as applied, is vague and Morgan W Tingley limited in focus, relative to the diverse ways in which it Umesh Srinivasan can manifest in avian populations. We highlight exam- Paul R Elsen ples of molt-migration as traditionally defined, and the David S Wilcove many examples of molt-migration that have not been defined as such. We propose a new, two-tiered typology Longstanding theory predicts that competitive interac- for defining different forms of molt-migration, based tions set species range limits in relatively aseasonal, on its’ progression relative to stationary portions of the species-rich regions, while temperature limits distribu- annual cycle and the stage of molt involved. In order tions in more seasonal, species-poor areas. More recent to advance our understanding of the ecology and evo- theory holds that species evolve narrow physiological lution of this increasingly documented phenomenon, tolerances in aseasonal regions, with temperature be- and apply this knowledge to conservation and manage- ing an important determining factor in such zones. We ment, avian researchers must begin to utilize a common tested how abiotic (temperature) and biotic (competi- framework for describing molt-migration. tion) factors set range limits and structure bird commu- nities along strong, opposing, temperature-seasonality and species-richness gradients in the Himalayas, in two regions separated by 1,500 km. We show that species in Where do winter crows go? Characterizing partial the relatively aseasonal and speciose east are more con- migration with satellite telemetry, stable isotopes, strained by temperature compared with species in the and molecular markers

142 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Andrea K Townsend eastern Peru. We observed macaw nesting behavior Blaire Frett from hatching to fledging throughout eight reproduc- Anne McGarvey tive seasons (18 nests, 69 chicks, >1,900 hours of video Conor C Taff analyzed). We found that intensity of parental care is inversely proportional to brooding age and chicks that Partial migrationa strategy in which some individuals die by starvation are clearly neglected by their parents. are resident and others are migratory within the same Interestingly, no aggressive interactions among chicks populationis widespread in birds and could play an im- were observed suggesting that it is not interchick ag- portant role in the evolution of complete migration. gression that is causing mortality. The more than 400 Nevertheless, detailed movement data are unavailable hours of night video recorded have given us a first view for most species of partial migrants. Here, we examined of nocturnal parental care including nocturnal perma- migration strategies of the American crow, a partially nence of parents inside the nest and chick feeding. We migratory species that overwinters in large communal found that peak hours of feeding exist during the day roosts. We used a combination of satellite telemetry, and chicks are also fed during the night. All these find- isotopic signatures (2H), and molecular markers (33 ings from wild macaws have a great potential benefit for microsatellites) to describe their migratory movements both in-situ and ex-situ macaw population management on the east coast (Utica, New York) and west coast and conservation programs. (Davis, California) of North America. We collected data from 18 satellite-tagged crows between 2014 and 2017, among which 14 (77.8%) were migratory (8/11 and 6/7 birds on the west and east coasts, respectively). DNA metabarcoding reveals dietary shifts in re- Migration distance ranged from 280-1095km and 177- sponse to acidification in a stream-dependent 793km on the west and east coasts, respectively. Breed- Neotropical migrant ing site fidelity was high: all birds retuned to the same location in the breeding season of each year. Molec- Brian K Trevelline ular markers indicated that at least 48% (43/89) and Tim Nuttle 66% (35/53) of sampled winter birds on the west and Brady A Porter east coasts, respectively, were long-distance migrants, Nathan L Brouwer whereas isotopic signatures only identified 28% (26/93) Brandon D Hoenig of western birds and 27% (12/45) of eastern birds as mi- Steven C Latta grants. Both intrinsic markers differentiated residents from migrants with the longest migration distances, but Streams and their surrounding riparian habitats are could not differentiate residents from migrants with rel- linked by reciprocal exchanges of insect prey essential atively short migration distances. This migratory char- to both aquatic and terrestrial consumers. Aquatic in- acterization will have particular relevance in elucidating sects comprise a large proportion of total prey in ripar- the potential role of American crows as a long-distance ian habitats and are opportunistically exploited by ter- pathogen transport host. restrial insectivores; however, several species of song- birds are known to preferentially target aquatic prey via specialized foraging strategies. For these songbirds, re- Scarlet Macaw breeding ecology and behavior in duced availability of aquatic insects via stream acidi- Tambopata Peru fication may result in compensatory changes in provi- sioning during the nesting period, thereby influencing Gabriela Vigo Trauco both adult and nestling diet composition. In this study, Donald J Brightsmith we used DNA metabarcoding to test the hypothesis that a stream-dependent Neotropical migratory song- Documenting parental care by wild birds is important bird, the Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla), for both understanding their reproductive success and expands its diet to compensate for the loss of pre- for promoting their conservation. However, little is ferred aquatic prey taxa (primarily pollution-sensitive known about how wild parrots care for their offspring Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) as a re- in the nest and how they care for their young during the sult of stream acidification. Our results revealed that night. In order to document psittacine parental behav- both adult and nestling waterthrush exhibited signifi- ior we placed video surveillance cameras in the nests cant dietary shifts in response to stream acidification of wild Scarlet Macaws as part of the ongoing Tam- and aquatic prey limitations. These shifts were pri- bopata Macaw Project in the lowland forests of south- marily driven by an increase in dietary richness and

143 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 niche breadth resulting from the consumption of terres- Effect of resource mismatch on stopover mass gain trial prey taxa in acidified riparian habitats. In contrast, dynamics for two Arctic-breeding shorebirds compensatory dietary shifts were not observed in syn- topic Neotropical migrant species known to primarily Anna M Tucker provision terrestrial prey taxa. In addition to providing Audrey DeRose-Wilson support for our hypothesis that waterthrush compensate Matthew Catalano for stream acidification and aquatic prey limitations by Jordan Zimmerman expanding their diet, our findings highlight the vulner- Conor McGowan ability of Louisiana Waterthrush to anthropogenic dis- turbances that compromise stream quality or reduce the Migratory birds must time stopover with availability availability of the pollution-sensitive aquatic insects. of local resources. Here we investigate the effect of resource mismatch during stopover for two long- distance migrant shorebirds that share similar non- breeding, breeding, and migratory sites but differ in Lifetime use of individual tree cavities in temperate their foraging strategy. We predicted that a passive for- and subtropical forest ecosystems in the Americas aging strategy would make species more sensitive to effects of mismatch, while an active foraging strategy M K Trzcinski could help buffer against changing local conditions. We Kristina L Cockle estimated arrival times, start of mass gain, and rate of Amanda B Edgeworthy mass gain for a passive forager, the red knot (Calidris Karen L Wiebe canutus rufa), and an active forager, ruddy turnstone Kathy Martin (Arenaria interpres) during spring stopover in Delaware Bay, USA. We estimated the effect of availability of Over 18% of birds globally use tree cavities, a multi- horseshoe crab eggsa key prey itemon annual varia- annual resource that varies in quality and abundance tion in the timing and rate of mass gain over 20 years. based on the rate of cavity creation and loss. We an- Red knot experienced more annual variation in both the alyzed factors influencing occupancy patterns (species start day and rate of mass gain than ruddy turnstone. richness, number of nests) over the lifetime of individ- In cooler years, horseshoe crabs spawned later and red ual cavities for temperate and subtropical forest ecosys- knot started to gain mass later. Delayed mass gain was tems that differ in species richness, and cavity forma- associated with an increased rate of mass gain; birds tion processes. The temperate mixed forest in British were able to increase mass gain to avoid delayed de- Columbia, Canada had 31 cavity-nesting species and parture from the stopover site. Ruddy turnstone ex- 95% of nests were in excavated cavities (1995-2016) perienced little annual variation in onset of mass gain whereas the subtropical Atlantic forest in Argentina and were not influenced by the availability of horseshoe had 72 species and 83% of cavities were decay-formed crab eggs. An active, generalist foraging strategy may (2006-2016). In B.C., 88% of cavities were used by 1-2 buffer ruddy turnstone against variation in local condi- species and only 3% were occupied by 4-6 species. In tions during migration. If local cooling trends continue, Argentina, 77% of cavities were used by 1-2 species, phenological mismatch between bird arrival and horse- while 13% were occupied by 4-13 species. In B.C., shoe crab spawn could become more severe. species richness was highest in cavities excavated by small and medium-sized woodpeckers, and lowest in decay-formed cavities, but the agent of cavity forma- The role of migratory behavior in reproductive iso- tion had little effect on the number of nests over the lation at avian hybrid zones cavity lifespan. In Argentina, species richness and the number of nests were higher in decay-formed cavities in Sheela P Turbek Cedrela and Apuleia trees that were healthy. Generally, Elizabeth SC Scordato the highest value cavities were in live trees with decay Rebecca J Safran in both forest ecosystems, but key factors to maintain the full biodiversity varied. Dead trees provided a crit- Animal migration is a widespread phenomenon that has ical resource for a few species, and cavity trees with a evolved independently and repeatedly in a diverse array diversity of characteristics are needed to maintain com- of taxonomic groups. However, the joint challenge of plex cavity-nesting communities. tracking migratory organisms and patterns of genetic exchange between closely related populations has im- peded progress in understanding the evolutionary con-

144 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book sequences of migratory behavior. Seasonal migration is of gene flow. Behavioral experiments in the field in- thought to influence population differentiation by ex- dicate that plumage color is used to recognize con- posing lineages to divergent ecological conditions or specifics, suggesting that behavioral mechanisms may limiting opportunities for genetic exchange through as- be the agent of selection maintaining the differences in sortative mating by timing of arrival or post-zygotic se- plumage color. These results provide insights into how lection against hybrids that take maladaptive migratory natural selection counteracts gene flow to maintain dif- routes. Nonetheless, the contribution of reproductive ferences between populations at the early stages of spe- barriers associated with variation in migratory behavior ciation. to the maintenance of species boundaries remains un- clear. Migratory divides locations where co-occurring breeding populations pursue divergent migratory strate- gies during the non-breeding season provide a unique Selection counteracts gene flow in the mainte- opportunity to address the role of seasonal migration nance of color differences between subspecies of a in reproductive isolation by enabling researchers to di- monarch flycatcher rectly test the strength of reproductive barriers linked to seasonal migration. We highlight remaining ques- J AC Uy tions regarding the link between migratory phenotype Elizabeth A Cooper and reproductive isolation at migratory divides, out- line a conceptual framework for studying the influence When divergent populations come into secondary con- of divergent migratory phenotypes in the evolution of tact, extensive gene flow through hybridization may re- pre-zygotic isolation, and discuss how parallel develop- sult in the collapse of differentiated populations. As ments in animal tracking and genomic sequencing tech- such, if reproductive isolation is incomplete between nology may be leveraged in concert to track patterns of two taxa, selection has to be intense to counteract the gene flow as a function of migratory behavior. homogenizing effects of gene flow. In birds, where in- trinsic postzygotic barriers can be weak and evolve after speciation, premating barriers would have to be strong to maintain distinct populations. Here we present data on the genomic consequences of hybridization between Selection counteracts gene flow in the mainte- a melanic (i.e., entirely black) and a chestnut-bellied nance of color differences between subspecies of a subspecies of the Monarcha castaneiventris flycatcher, monarch flycatcher which occur on islands that are only separated by ca. 10km of water. Population genomic analyses using neu- J AC Uy tral markers revealed that despite the clear differences Elizabeth A Cooper in plumage color, hybridization results in minimal pop- ulation genetic structure between the two subspecies. When divergent populations come into secondary con- However, a pigmentation gene is essentially fixed be- tact, extensive gene flow through hybridization may re- tween the two subspecies, indicating that intense direc- sult in the collapse of differentiated populations. As tional selection counteracts the homogenizing effects such, if reproductive isolation is incomplete between of gene flow. Behavioral experiments in the field in- two taxa, selection has to be intense to counteract the dicate that plumage color is used to recognize con- homogenizing effects of gene flow. In birds, where in- specifics, suggesting that behavioral mechanisms may trinsic postzygotic barriers can be weak and evolve after be the agent of selection maintaining the differences in speciation, premating barriers would have to be strong plumage color. These results provide insights into how to maintain distinct populations. Here we present data natural selection counteracts gene flow to maintain dif- on the genomic consequences of hybridization between ferences between populations at the early stages of spe- a melanic (i.e., entirely black) and a chestnut-bellied ciation. subspecies of the Monarcha castaneiventris flycatcher, which occur on islands that are only separated by ca. 10km of water. Population genomic analyses using neu- tral markers revealed that despite the clear differences Using point counts to estimate population growth in plumage color, hybridization results in minimal pop- and site quality: a comparison with intensive demo- ulation genetic structure between the two subspecies. graphic monitoring However, a pigmentation gene is essentially fixed be- tween the two subspecies, indicating that intense direc- Jonathon J Valente tional selection counteracts the homogenizing effects Thomas B Ryder

145 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Clark S Rushing lands in various stages of restoration in 2016 and 2017. Matthew G Betts We utilized distance sampling and a removal method Richard A Fischer to determine densities of 7 marsh bird species and how T S Sillett they differed among non-restored sites, restorations that were 1 to 5 years old (young), and restorations that Integrated population modeling (IPM) is widely con- were 6 to 11 years old (old). We assessed covariates sidered the most accurate approach for estimating site that influenced the detection probability of these birds. quality and population growth. However, collecting Densities of Virginia Rails, Marsh Wrens, Common the detailed demographic data required to parameter- Yellowthroats, Swamp Sparrows, Red-winged Black- ize such models can be costly and time consuming. birds, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds were 1.37% to Here, we test the hypothesis that avian point count 1,698.35% greater in restored sites than non-restored data can be used to develop comparable vital rate es- sites. Densities were relatively similar between the timates to those generated from a more comprehensive young sites and old sites across both years. Detection IPM. From 2011-2014 we monitored breeding Wood probability ranged between 0.49 (95% CI = 0.35, 0.63) Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) populations on 12 for- and 0.77 (95% CI = 0.72, 0.80). Several factors affected est plots (raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$50 ha) the detection probability of some species, including ob- in southern Indiana and developed an IPM by incor- server bias, day of season, vegetation height, tempera- porating data collected on nest distributions, fledging ture, and wind speed. Restorations by the SLRP appear rates, fledgling survival, and inter-annual captures and to be having a positive impact on our study species. As recaptures. We conducted simultaneous point counts on these wetlands age, emergent vegetation growth and in- the same plots and used these data to independently es- creased prey abundance likely provide suitable condi- timate changes in Wood Thrush abundance over time. tions for these species. When we compared the methods, we found low, non- significant Pearson’s correlation between annual popu- lation growth values at the plot (r = 0.16; 95% cred- Swainson’s Hawk Recruitment: Environmental Im- ible interval: -0.17, 0.52) and regional (r = 0.16, CI: pacts and Trends Across Three Decades -0.36, 0.67) levels. However, there was much stronger correlation between these estimates when we looked at Christopher R Vennum 4-year plot (r = 0.43, CI: -0.02, 0.78) and regional (r = Christopher W Briggs 0.83, CI: 0.23, 0.99) trends. Because each plot could Philip A Street only hold 8-28 independent point count stations, there Michael W Collopy was likely not enough information to accurately esti- Brian Woodbridge mate inter-annual changes. Our results indicate point David Koons counts are unreliable for estimating inter-annual growth unless plot sizes are large (i.e., > 100 ha). However, Studies of younger age classes are underrepresented longer term trends may be reasonably approximated on compared to those on breeding birds, particularly for smaller plots with several years of monitoring. species with delayed maturation. For species such as Swainson’s Hawks (Buteo swainsoni) this problem is further compounded by the inability to observe indi- Breeding bird use of restored shallow lakes in Iowa viduals before they begin breeding. Here we apply multi-state models in Program Mark to model pre- Rachel A Vanausdall breeder dynamics. Specifically, we estimate annual Stephen J Dinsmore cohort breeding recruitment probabilities (range 0.01- 0.20) and first-year survival probabilities (range 0.07- Due to the dramatic decline in wetland area, wetland 0.31) from 1985-2014, a time period with significant restoration in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is be- population changes for Swainson’s Hawks. For exam- coming critically important to breeding birds. The ple, breeding surveys across the state of California es- Shallow Lakes Restoration Project (SLRP), a partner- timated a 91% decline in the number of breeding pairs ship between the Iowa Department of Natural Re- in 1979, prompting a state listing-status of threatened sources and Ducks Unlimited, Inc, aims to restore de- in 1983. While multiple factors probably contributed to graded shallow lakes throughout the Iowa PPR. To population declines, pesticide induced mass mortality examine the potential impact of the SLRP on birds, events in the mid-1990s were documented across north- we conducted unlimited-radius point counts with call- ern Argentina. Models that accounted for the perma- broadcast surveys for breeding marsh birds at 30 wet- nent ban of pesticides responsible for mortality events

146 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book in Argentina received the most support, suggesting that Genomic and ecomorphological divergence across the disuse of this pesticide in 2000 was particularly im- an avian hybrid zone portant for this species. In addition, annual cohort re- cruitment rates notably increased after 2000. This result Nicholas T Vinciguerra emphasizes the necessity and value of long-term moni- Whitney L Tsai toring and conservation work. Brant C Faircloth John E McCormack

Hybrid zones are regions where genetically distinct taxa Domestic pigeon’s checkered past: a link between interact, resulting in offspring of mixed ancestry. Stud- wing color patterning, introgression, and hereditary ies of hybrid zones can be used to investigate the mech- blindness anisms that underlie reproductive isolation and the ge- netic bases of traits responsible for speciation. Califor- Anna I Vickrey nia (Aphelocoma californica) and Woodhouse’s Scrub- Rebecca Bruders Jays (A. woodhouseii) come into secondary contact Zev Kronenberg and hybridize across a narrow swath of pinyon-juniper E J Osborne woodland in western Nevada. The hybrid zone has Mark Yandell never been studied using genomic approaches, provid- Michael Shapiro ing an excellent opportunity to test for a genetic ba- sis for ecomorphological traits known to differ between Birds have evolved a vast array of color patterns in re- these species. Using variation surrounding highly con- sponse to natural, sexual, and artificial selection. Rock served portions of ultraconserved elements (UCEs), we pigeons (Columba livia) are a stunning example of this performed population assignment and quantified hy- diversity because individuals within the same species brid ancestry for 16 individuals across the zone of sec- vary tremendously in color pattern. Classical genet- ondary contact. Our study included 2,530 SNPs dis- ics suggest that four alleles (T-check, checker, bar, bar- tributed across the genome, allowing better discrimina- less in decreasing order of dominance and melanism) tion of genetic affinities of hybrid individuals in com- at a single locus determine major wing color pattern. parison to microsatellite markers. We also show a Although the bar pattern is the ancestral phenotype, relationship between ecomorphological traits (bill and checker and T-check birds are more numerous in ur- wing length) and hybrid ancestry that was not found ban environments, possibly due to enhanced fitness. To using microsatellite markers, suggesting a genetic ba- investigate the genetic basis of wing color pattern varia- sis for these traits. Future studies with more individuals tion, we compared genomes of birds with different pat- and whole-genome sequences will help identify the ge- terns and identified a candidate region containing sev- nomic architecture of adaptive phenotypic divergence eral genes. One gene in the candidate region, NDP, and speciation. shows allele-specific expression differences among bar, checker, and T-check alleles in regenerating feathers, indicating a cis-regulatory change at this locus. Se- Hurricane Sandy and Engineered Human Response quence comparisons suggest that melanic alleles were Created Habitat for a Threatened Species introgressed into the rock pigeon from the speckled pi- geon (Columba guinea), providing a striking example Katie M Walker of cross-species transmission of a potentially adaptive James D Fraser phenotype. Lastly, barless birds, which have an in- Daniel H Catlin creased incidence of vision defects, are homozygous Shannon J Ritter for a coding mutation in NDP. Mutations in this gene Samantha G Robinson are also associated with blindness and an array of other Henrietta A Bellman pathoses in humans. Remarkably, the barless muta- tion in pigeons is observed in two human families with The intensity of Atlantic Ocean hurricanes is predicted hereditary blindness but not other symptoms. In sum- to increase, and, although disturbance is recognized mary, we find unexpected links between color pattern, as a fundamental driver of ecological processes, the introgression, and vision defects associated with regu- benefits of hurricanes to ecological systems are sel- latory and coding variation at a single locus. dom acknowledged. In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy overwashed Fire and Westhampton Islands, barrier is- lands in New York, flattening dunes and burying vege-

147 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 tation. To reduce future overwashing, subsequent engi- uals from both allopatric and sympatric sites, we found neering attempted to stabilize the islands. We studied that ongoing interspecific gene flow is shaping the pat- the changes in nest-site selection, habitat, and popula- terns of differentiation in these birds. Baseline genome- tion size of a threatened shorebird, the piping plover wide divergence was high (Fst = 0.38; 531,322 fixed (Charadrius melodus), that occurred after Hurricane differences) among birds from allopatric breeding pop- Sandy. Prior to the hurricane, piping plovers selected ulations, but greatly reduced in birds from sympatric nest-sites far from the ocean and bay and at high el- breeding populations where contemporary hybridiza- evations. Following the hurricane, piping plovers se- tion is occurring (Fst = 0.23; 28,780 fixed differences). lected nest-sites predominantly in or near storm over- We further documented patterns of biased introgres- wash habitat, which was near to and had unobstructed sion across genomic regions that is most likely driven access to the ocean and newly-created bayside forag- by selection involving the asymmetrical exchange of ing habitats. Regions overwashed by storms contained genes related to tidal marsh adaptations. These find- the most suitable piping plover habitat across all new ings show how gene flow and asymmetrical introgres- habitat types. The piping plover population increased sion are shaping variation on a genome-wide scale in 50% by 2017, with most pairs nesting in new habi- these sparrows. tats. We further observed imperiled seabeach ama- ranth (Amaranthus pumilis), numerous nesting shore- birds and seabirds, and 25 migratory shorebird species in Hurricane Sandy-created suitable habitat, illustrating Avian Conservation and Collaboration: Coordinat- the importance of natural coastal disturbance for early- ing Research Priorities to Better Understand Avian- successional species. In this study, only 45% of suitable Solar Interactions piping plover habitat was protected from recreational use and few piping plovers used unprotected habitats. Leroy J Walston Thus, our results suggest that the ecological benefits of increased storminess may only persist by coupling Utility-scale solar energy development is increasing in coastal stabilization efforts with conservation. the United States in response to national energy policy and federal and state renewable energy goals aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuels. However, recent Genomics of Admixture and Asymmetrical Intro- attention has been placed on the potential for these de- gression Between Two Ecologically Divergent Spar- velopments to impact bird populations through factors row Species related to habitat loss and direct mortality. Working groups such as the Multiagency Avian-Solar Collabo- Jennifer L Walsh rative Working Group (CWG) have been established to Adrienne I Kovach address the uncertainties regarding the nature and mag- Brian J Olsen nitude of avian-solar interactions and influence on envi- Gregory Shriver ronmental decision making. This presentation will pro- Irby J Lovette vide an overview of the coordination activities that have taken place to improve the understanding of avian-solar Hybrid zones are excellent model systems for evolu- issues through strategic science planning, and discuss tionary studies as they provide a diversity of recom- considerations for future research development. binant genotypes through generations of mutation, re- combination, and gene flow. Growing empirical evi- dence indicates that natural hybrid zones occur across a range of taxonomic groups at rates greater than pre- Using GPS Marks to Estimate Daily Rates of Lek viously estimated and that hybridization and introgres- Attendance and Lek Switching in Male Greater sion are important forces that can shape the evolution- Sage-Grouse ary trajectory of a species. By documenting the extent of admixture on a genome-wide scale, we gain novel in- Gregory T Wann sight into the extent to which biased introgression plays Peter S Coates a role in species divergence. Here we take advantage of Brian G Prochazka two species that hybridize despite their relatively high Mark A Ricca background genetic differentiation: the saltmarsh (Am- modramus caudacutus) and Nelson’s (A. nelsoni) spar- In lekking grouse, behavioral variation among individ- rows. Based on whole-genome sequences of 35 individ- uals that can influence observed counts of males on

148 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book leks should be understood so counts can serve as a re- profit were important factors predicting which individ- liable index to abundance. For example, the proportion uals survived crossing the Gulf. Apparent survival es- of the male population attending a lek (lek attendance) timates varied with wind profit and fat, but generally, at the time counts occur will directly influence popu- fat birds departing on days with favorable wind prof- lation estimates. If lek attendance rates vary substan- its had an apparent survival probability > 0.90; while tially through time then counts may lead to unreliable lean individuals with no or negative wind profits had population trends unless adjusted. Additionally, counts little chance (< 0.33 apparent survival probability) of will be further confounded if males switch leks between surviving the crossing. The wide variation in appar- counts. We estimated variability in daily lek atten- ent survival in relation to wind profit and fat load high- dance probabilities of greater sage-grouse (Centrocer- lights potential conservation actions. Although conser- cus urophasianus) over 5 lekking periods (20132017) vation strategies cannot improve wind profit, protecting in Nevada. Attendance probabilities were estimated by and creating high-quality stopover habitats where mi- mapping lek boundaries and recording whether males grants can refuel before crossing large geographic fea- marked with GPS transmitters (n = 67) visited leks dur- tures may provide a conservation benefit to some mi- ing the morning display period. The average peak at- gratory species. tendance probability was 0.543 but varied from 0.265 (2015) to 0.809 (2016). Adult males attended leks at higher rates and earlier in the season (0.665 at peak on Carotenoid metabolism strengthens the link be- 21 March) than subadults (0.383 at peak on 20 April). tween feather coloration and individual quality Daily probabilities of lek switching were higher for subadults (0.046 at peak) than adults (0.019 at peak). Ryan J Weaver The probability of a male switching leks was highest Eduardo SA Santos when alternative leks were in close proximity. Over- Anna M Tucker all, our results indicate attendance rates are far more Alan E Wilson variable than previously thought, and lek switching is a Geoffrey E Hill regular behavioral characteristic of male sage-grouse. Our findings may be useful for updating current lek Thirty years of research has made carotenoid coloration count protocols and can be incorporated into techniques a textbook example of an honest signal of individual aimed at providing robust trend estimates. quality, but tests of this idea are surprisingly inconsis- tent. Here, to investigate sources of this heterogene- ity, we perform meta-analyses of published studies on How migrating songbirds survive crossing the Gulf the relationship between carotenoid-based feather col- of Mexico in autumn oration and measures of individual quality. To cre- ate color displays, animals use either carotenoids un- changed from dietary components or carotenoids that Michael P Ward they biochemically convert before deposition. We hy- Thomas J Benson pothesize that converted carotenoids better reflect in- Jill Deppe dividual quality because of the physiological links be- Theodore J Zenzal tween cellular function and carotenoid metabolism. We Robb Diehl show that feather coloration is an honest signal of some, Antonio Celis-Murillo but not all, measures of quality. Where these relation- ships exist, we show that converted, but not dietary, Many migratory bird species are in decline and the mi- carotenoid coloration drives the relationship. Our re- gratory period may limit populations due to the consid- sults have broad implications for understanding the evo- erable risk in negotiating large geographic features. We lutionary role of carotenoid coloration and the physio- estimated the apparent survival of Swainson’s thrushes logical mechanisms that maintain signal honesty of an- (Catharus ustulatus) attempting to cross the Gulf of imal ornamental traits. Mexico during autumn and identified the factors that may limit survival. Using automated radio telemetry we monitored departures of 139 thrushes from coastal Alabama, USA and whether they arrived in the Yu- catan Peninsula. We estimated survival and investigated Brian C Weeks how weather variables, day of year, and intrinsic factors (fat load, sex, age) influenced survival using a mark- recapture approach. Fat load, day of year, and wind

149 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Moving to the mainland: expanding assessment of sexual ornaments have focused on migratory species on the impacts of diversity and biogeographic history their wintering grounds, meaning the same individuals on assemblage vulnerability cannot be followed into the breeding season to moni- tor reproductive success. The Red-backed Fairy-wren Brian C Weeks (Malurus melanocephalus) is a non-migratory, tropical Nichar Gregory songbird that exhibits a distinct non-breeding plumage Shahid Naeem and a sexually-selected ornamental breeding plumage which is known to influence reproductive success. Here Biodiversity is thought to have broadly positive impacts we present results from both observational studies and on the magnitude and stability of many ecosystem func- experimental manipulations of social environment to tions and properties. Because diversity tends to increase show that social environment has a pronounced in- functioning and stability, it is intuitively appealing that fluence on the development of ornamental red-black more diverse systems would be more robust. However, breeding plumage, and that the timing of the acquisi- we find that across 35 islands in Melanesia, more di- tion of this plumage in turn may impact an individual’s verse, and presumably more functionally robust, bird reproductive success. Combined, these results show the assemblages are characterized by greater assemblage importance of tracking individuals across both the non- vulnerability (the collective vulnerability of species in breeding and breeding season when asking questions an assemblage). Further, we find that this relationship is about the role of social environment in sexual selection. highly contingent on biogeographic history, a factor of- ten overlooked in the biodiversity-ecosystem function- ing literature. Our results suggest that the ecological Subfossil evidence for a recent hybrid origin of the outcomes of increased diversity in an assemblage can endangered, endemic Hawaiian koloa maoli (Anas influence evolutionary-scale processes (e.g. extinction) wyvilliana) and highlight some of the challenges of extrapolating from experimental work to natural systems. While is- Caitlin P Wells lands present an ideal system for the development of Philip Lavretsky this theory, a key challenge is expanding to more com- Megan Spitzer plex continental assemblages. We present a framework Megan Dattoria for characterizing assemblage history at a continental Helen James scale in an effort to move toward a global assessment of the relationship between assemblage history and con- Hybrid speciation is considered exceedingly rare in ver- temporary ecology. tebrate taxa, with few known avian examples. However, recent genetic evidence suggests that the koloa maoli (koloa or Hawaiian duck, Anas wyvilliana), an endan- Winter mates impact summer dates: Linking non- gered island endemic, is the product of ancient hy- breeding social environment and reproductive suc- bridization between the smaller Laysan duck (A. laysa- cess in an Australian songbird nensis) and larger mallard (A. platyrhynchos). Molec- ular estimates of divergence place the timing of hy- Joseph F Welklin bridization between the Pleistocene-Holocene transi- Samantha M Lantz tion and the present, but the species identities of sub- Sarah Khalil fossils that span this period are ambiguous. Here, Jordan Karubian we evaluate the paleontological record for evidence of Michael S Webster mallard introgression, using structured light scanning and 3D geometric morphometric modeling of wing and An organism’s social environment often plays an im- leg bones. First, we established contemporary ref- portant role in the expression of sexually-selected sig- erence morphologies using wild adult koloa, Laysan nals that influence reproductive success. To date, most duck, and mallard skeletons. We then scanned and con- research on the role social environment has on sexual structed 3D models of fossil, subfossil, and archaeo- signaling in birds has focused on social interactions logical bones excavated from sites across the Hawai- during the breeding season. However, most birds with ian Islands, and used principal components analysis seasonally-expressed sexual signals develop these or- of 128 surface pseudo-landmarks to evaluate size and naments prior to the breeding season. The few stud- shape. We did not find clear evidence of koloa mor- ies that have addressed the non-breeding social environ- phology in most subfossils. However, koloa-like mor- ment’s influence on the development and expression of phologies were evident from two recent archaeological

150 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book sites on Hawaii and one Kauai cave. Interestingly, mod- The songs of some birds appear to show distinct ern Laysan ducks had shorter, more robust leg bones rhythms. Our study asks whether bird songs follow than those of Pleistocene-era fossils, possibly reflect- metrical rules similar to human music, whether certain ing eco-morphological adaptations to extreme terrestri- patterns are more likely to evolve than others, and what ality in their current habitat. Overall, the shift toward might this reveal about natural selection on vocal com- mallard-like morphology in recent subfossils is consis- munication in birds. To control for phylogeny, we re- tent with a possible Laysan-mallard hybridization event stricted our analysis to a single taxon. We chose the that gave rise to today’s koloa. Preliminary results from family Columbidae because pigeons and doves produce ancient DNA sequencing of these subfossils also sup- structurally simple songs and because recordings of a port a recent hybrid origin of the koloa. diversity of species (71 species from 27 genera) were available from the Macaulay Library at Cornell Univer- sity. Moreover, because pigeon and dove songs are in- Upslope molt migration of Orange-crowned war- nate rather than learned, they show less individual and blers on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada in Cali- geographic variation than passerine songs. For this pre- fornia liminary analysis, we ignored pitch relationships and other aspects of music and focused only on rhythm. Daniel G Wenny We combined a musical theory approach (trained mu- sicians classifying meter based on standard rules) with Orange-crowned warblers (OCWA) nest in the foothills quantitative measurements of sonograms. Most species of the Sierra Nevada below about 1500m (5000 ft). In exhibit organized rhythm, such as unchanging duration mid to late summer they can be the most common bird between repeated notes (coos). Some species use a sin- species in willow thickets at higher elevations. This gle duration as an organizing principle for more com- movement has been described as upslope migration, plex relationships, building longer durations that con- post-breeding dispersal, or molt migration yet little is sist of whole number multiples and hierarchies among known about the dynamics of these movements. I mist- the durations that are strikingly similar to the metrical netted and banded birds in several locations at about patterns of human music. We interpret our results in the 2400m (8000 ft) elevation in Alpine County, CA in the context of a molecular phylogeny. summers of 2014 to 2017 to better understand the pur- poses and timing of these upslope movements. OCWA begin to arrive in Alpine Co. as soon as the willows leaf Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax trail- out after snowmelt, typically in June or early July. The lii extimus) wintering ecology in Nicaragua vast majority (> 90%) of birds captured were hatch- year birds undergoing, or just having completed, a par- Mary J Whitfield tial pre-basic (pre-formative) molt. Typically this molt Kristen Ruegg included all the body feathers and greater coverts and Sarah M Otterstrom occasionally tertials and a few retrices. The few after- hatch-year birds captured were invariably undergoing a The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax trail- complete molt including the primaries. By early Octo- lii extimus) was listed as endangered by the Fish and ber birds had completed molting. Scant recaptures in- Wildlife Service in 1995. The breeding requirements, dicate some birds do stay in one meadow for 2-3 weeks habitat, and threats to the species have been studied ex- but most appear to wander from one site to the next. tensively for over two decades and are fairly well un- The higher elevation moist meadows are important for derstood. However, more work is needed to fully under- OCWA and the upslope movement seems to be an op- stand the status, habitat, and threats to this species on its portunistic molt migration. The scarcity of adults cap- wintering grounds, where it spends the majority of its tured at higher elevations suggests they have a different life, and where habitats are less stable and under greater post-breeding dispersal and molt strategy than the hatch threat. Ecologists have long recognized that conserva- year birds. tion measures on the breeding grounds of neotropical migrant songbirds may not succeed if wintering ecol- ogy is not understood and winter habitat protected. For Rhythms of the Doves almost 20 years, we have investigated the winter distri- bution of Willow Flycatchers in Latin America and felt Nathaniel T Wheelwright we had a reasonable understanding of their winter habi- John Butterworth tat use. In 2016, we began a long-term wintering Wil- Robert K Greenlee low Flycatcher study in Nicaragua. The main objectives

151 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 of the study were to identify areas where they winter, David R Wilson collect genetic samples to link wintering and breeding Beth Fraser areas, and set-up two long-term study sites to collect data on over-winter survivorship and site fidelity. For Avian mate choice experiments have been used ex- the first year of the study, we collected 24 genetic sam- tensively to identify the types of traits that have been ples and found that almost 30% of the samples were shaped by intersexual selection. The current study ad- E.t. extimus; thus, indicating that the Pacific lowlands dresses whether or not the duration of the assessment of Nicaragua is a significant wintering location for this period provided to choosing individuals influences the subspecies. We will present the results of the first two types of traits relied upon during choice. Specifically, seasons of our work comparing winter flycatcher habi- we used a meta-analysis to test whether the duration tat use in Nicaragua with our previous findings in other of the assessment period influences whether or not a countries. choosing individual expresses a choice, and whether it influences their reliance on either morphological traits that can be rapidly assessed or behavioural traits that take longer to assess. We found 124 data sets from Global reduction in greenhouse gas emissions dimin- 78 published studies. Using logistic regression, we ishes climate change vulnerability of grassland birds found that longer assessment periods significantly in- in North America creased the likelihood that morphological traits would be used in choice. In contrast, there was no signifi- Chad B Wilsey cant effect of the duration of the assessment period on Lotem Taylor whether or not behavioural traits were used in choice. Brooke Bateman We note, however, that behaviour was quantified in Arvind Panjabi only 39 mate choice experiments, whereas morphology Gary Langham was quantified in 101 experiments. The results of our study highlight the importance of the assessment pe- For more than 40 years, grassland birds in North Amer- riod in mate choice, and the importance of designing ica have been in decline due largely to land conversion. mate choice experiments that provide choosing individ- However, the highest rates of climate change in North uals with enough time to assess the traits that they might American are predicted for the Great Plains, making rely upon in the wild. climate change an emerging threat. We assessed that threat using a model-based, climate change vulnerabil- ity assessment of 35 grassland bird species under green- Challenges to Coordinated Monitoring in the Face house gas reduction commitments in the Paris Agree- of Gulf of Mexico Restoration ment. Models are based on point count datasets not pre- viously synthesized at the continental scale with cover- Randy R Wilson age including Mexico, the United States, and Canada. John Tirpak Models are built and projected at 1km resolution us- Greg Steyer ing both climatic and land-use variables as predictors. We compare model performance after geographic and The Deepwater Horizon oil spill directly impacted birds environmental filtering of data points, and quantify the and their habitats at an unprecedented scale within the relative importance of climate and land-use variables in northern Gulf of Mexico. Early efforts to determine modeling current distributions. We found that 63% of pre-spill baseline conditions for avian resources high- North American grassland bird species have moderate lighted the lack of adequate data to inform decision- to high vulnerability to climate change under the Agree- makers, as well as the lack of any comprehensive, in- ment, but that this could be reduced to 40% with further tegrated approach that would permit evaluation of re- emissions reductions. Therefore, continued policy ac- alized damages or response to future on-the-ground tions to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions are ur- restoration efforts. However, this environmental dis- gently needed to protect this suite of grassland birds in aster has also resulted in an equally unprecedented fo- addition to continuing government-funded and market- cus on the Gulf ecosystem and resources to support its based grasslands conservation schemes. restoration and recovery. Designing a coordinated, in- tegrated, and collaborative avian monitoring program for this system has many challenges: (1) the scope and scale of the Gulf ecosystem, (2) the number of partners, Sampling constraints affect mate choice in birds stakeholders, and required expertise; (3) addressing the

152 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book needs of users while meeting legal mandates of agen- lection pressures that may be in opposition to trends in cies; (4) clearly articulating measurable objectives from body size. project-level to programmatic-levels; (5) adoption of common standards; (6) leveraging existing monitoring programs; and (7) governance across monitoring pro- The effects of Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus grams just to name a few. Yet meeting these challenges ater) brood parasitism on the growth and develop- is critical to understanding population trends and cause ment of grassland songbird hosts and effect relationships that underscore demographic processes that drive trends; as well as providing a basis Sarah K Winnicki for judging success of Gulf restoration efforts. Hence, it W A Boyle is imperative that the conservation community address these challenges in a structured and efficient manner, if Patterns of animal growth and development vary widely we are to capitalize on the new opportunities to advance and drivers of variation are often unclear. Differ- restoration activities in the northern Gulf of Mexico. ences in altricial bird nestling development have been linked to differences in food availability and preda- tion risk, but current models of development largely ignore the cost of brood parasitism. Brown-headed Shared morphological consequences of global Cowbird (Molothrus ater) brood parasites remove host warming across the North America migratory avi- eggs from the nest, disturb host parental behavior, fauna and produce offspring which compete for food with the hosts’ nestlings. We hypothesize that this costly Ben M Winger avian brood parasitism plays a role in the evolution Brian C Weeks of host nestling growth and development strategies. David E Willard We located and monitored 80 nestling-stage nests of three grassland-obligate songbirds that are known cow- Climate change is predicted to alter the morpholo- bird hosts: Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus sa- gies, distributions, and phenologies of species. Mi- vannarum), Dickcissels (Spiza americana) and East- gratory birds are particularly vulnerable to change, be- ern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna). We measured the cause they breed at high latitudes where temperatures growth of the nestlings’ (N=159) tarsi, wings, masses, are changing most rapidly, their morphologies are con- bills, and feathers every other day for a total of 358 strained by the demands of migration, and they are de- measurement events. The presence of cowbird nestlings pendent on fluctuating seasonal resources and climatic did not change the mean structural growth of the hosts, conditions throughout their annual cycles. We analyzed but did increase the variability in growth between sib- morphological change in 57 species of migratory birds lings. For host nestlings, faster growth resulted in ear- from 1978-2017, using measurements of 70,000 speci- lier fledge dates, but for cowbird nestlings faster growth mens that died from building collisions during passage resulted in later fledge dates regardless of host. Finally, through Chicago, IL. Across species, we found a con- host nestlings in parasitized nests fledged earlier than sistent decline in body size and consistent increase in nestlings in non-parasitized nests, though the magni- wing length. These changes have occurred despite allo- tude of the effect varied between host species. Our re- metric constraints (wing length and body size are pos- sults indicate that cowbird parasitism does affect song- itively correlated within and across species), indicating bird growth and development and we suggest further strong countervailing selection on body size and wing. work on development include the potential effect of Body size declines are most strongly linked to increased brood parasites. summer temperatures on the breeding grounds, whereas wing length increases are likely explained by selection for early spring arrival due to shifting breeding phenol- Hemoglobin evolution across elevational transitions ogy. Our results are striking both in their consistency in the phylogeny of the diglossine tanagers across a large set of migratory species, and in the ten- sion revealed between selection pressures on different Christopher C Witt axes of morphology throughout the annual cycle. Our Elizabeth J Beckman analyses also reconcile previous conflicting results from Andrea C Chavez other studies on recent morphological change in birds, Jenna M McCullough by showing that wing length in migratory birds is not a Michael J Andersen reliable proxy for body size because it is subject to se- Jay F Storz

153 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

The diglossine clade of tanagers (Thraupidae: Diglossi- breeding activities may be more constrained by a warm- nae) are an ecologically diverse assemblage of small- ing climate. These observations suggest strong shifts in bodied tanagers that contains lineages that have evolved breeding cycles and higher nest failure rates for some both into and out of the Andes. The elevational range species. of the clade spans over 5000 m. Recently, we demon- strated that evolution of avian hemoglobin O2-affinity occurs predictably in conjunction with evolutionary Physiologically-structured species range models shifts in elevational range. These changes occur as a identify traits underlying susceptibility of desert result of amino-acid substitutions that are sometimes birds to climate change predictable and sometimes not predictable. Predictable changes occur in certain clades, such as the change Blair O Wolf from glycine <-> serine at beta-hemoglobin posi- Eric Riddell tion 13 in hummingbirds and flowerpiercers (Diglossi- nae: Diglossa). Here we tested whether that pre- Extinction risk is projected to increase for many birds dictable change occurs throughout the diglossine clade under climate change, but theory has struggled to iden- and whether there are any other repeated amino acid tify the physiological and behavioral traits that con- changes that are associated with evolutionary shifts in tribute to a species’ susceptibility to climate change. elevation. We used target-capture sequencing to se- We also lack long-term ecological data that are required quence the genomic DNA encoding all of the functional to verify whether certain traits predispose individuals or hemoglobin loci (embryonic and adult). We found species to stress under warming. We addressed these evidence of concentrated amino-acid substitutions in problems by developing a mechanistic species distri- conjunction with both upward and downward eleva- bution model (SDM) to identify the potential physi- tional shifts, both at beta-hemoglobin position 83 and ological and behavioral traits that predict widespread at other key functional sites. The persistent occurrence declines of desert birds over the past century recently of hemoglobin genetic specialization on local air pres- quantified by the Grinnell Resurvey Project. We de- sure provides insights into the tendency for elevational veloped a bioenergetic SDM for a dozen well-studied specialization of bird species and the long-term evolu- desert birds to determine whether thermoregulatory tionary inertia in elevational range limits that is evident costs could predict changes in site-level occupancy over across the tree of birds. the last century. Our model integrates thermal sensi- tivities of metabolic rates, water loss rates, and body temperatures with the biophysical environment to es- Avian reproduction in the heat and limits on activity timate the costs of avian thermoregulation throughout the California desert ecosystem. We examine whether a Blair O Wolf mismatch between an organism’s physiological capaci- Eric K Smith ties and the demands of its abiotic environment predicts change occupancy over time. We also explore the po- Reproduction is known to be one of the most metabol- tential for behavioral responses (e.g., posture, orienta- ically intense periods of the annual cycle for birds. For tion, piloerection, and shade-seeking) to minimize ther- species that live in hot deserts and breed during the moregulatory costs across landscapes. By varying these spring and summer, daily activity cycles may be con- traits, we illustrate the sensitivity of physiological stress strained by high air temperatures. Animals that are ac- to behavioral decisions and the limitations of birds to tive in the heat may be limited in the types of activities minimize physiological stress. Our approach will im- that they can undertake and these activities may have prove predictions of the impact of future climate change effects on adult body condition or alternately nest at- by identifying specific avian phenotypes and charac- tendance rates and fitness. We used a simple heat trans- teristics of desert habitats associated with the greatest fer model and thermoregulatory data on 14 species of physiological stress. Sonoran Desert birds to examine how maximum work- loads are limited by environmental temperature. We found that doves and nightjars had the highest available Variation in altitudinal molt migration in western metabolic scope associated with their low metabolic birds rates, high rates of water loss and use of hyperther- mia to minimize heat loads and water loss rates. Song- Jared D Wolfe birds and owls have lower metabolic scopes and a more Andrew K Wiegardt limited ability to work in the heat indicating that their C J Ralph

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Jaime Stephens mature forest stands. We used single-species hierar- John Alexander chical (N-mixture) models to estimate abundance rel- ative to topographic and vegetative metrics while ac- Migratory species employ a variety of strategies to meet counting for detection probability. Cerulean Warbler energetic demands of postbreeding molt. As such, at territory density doubled between pre-harvest and one- least a few species of western Neotropical migrants are year-since-harvest and continued to increase two-years- known to undergo short-distance upslope movements since-harvest. Cerulean Warbler modeled abundance to locations where adults molt body and flight feathers also increased post-harvest at harvest interior sample (altitudinal molt migration). Given inherent difficulties points and was highest two-years-since-harvest. Abun- in measuring subtle movements of birds occurring in dance was higher when preferred tree species (white western mountains, we believe that altitudinal molt mi- oaks, sugar maple, hickory) and sawtimber-sized trees gration may be a common yet poorly documented phe- were a higher proportion of residual basal area. Al- nomenon. To examine prevalence of altitudinal molt though Cerulean Warblers typically have highest abun- migration, we used 29 years of bird capture data in dance on upper slopes and northeastern aspects in ma- a series of linear mixed-effect models for nine com- ture forest stands, our results suggest that silviculture monly captured species that breed in northern Califor- can improve breeding habitat at all available slope po- nia and southern Oregon. Our results suggest that long- sitions and aspects for up to two years post-harvest. distance migrants such as Wilson’s Warbler (Cardel- Silvicultural harvests were most effective in increasing lina pusilla) and Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis abundance and territory density in stands with low pre- celata) moved higher in elevation and Audubon’s War- harvest densities of Cerulean Warblers (<8 terr/25 ha). bler (Setophaga coronata) moved farther inland to molt The avian community response data are currently be- after breeding. Conversely, for resident and short- ing analyzed and will also be presented. Our study re- distance migrants, we found evidence that birds either sults allow refinement of the existing habitat manage- remained on the breeding grounds until they finished ment guidelines. molting, such as Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) or made small downslope movements, such as American Robin (Turdus migratorius). We conclude that altitu- Application of monitoring Best Management Prac- dinal molt migration may be a common, variable, and tices to marsh restoration priorities to reduce uncer- complex behavior among western songbird communi- tainty of marsh birds response ties and is related to other aspects of a species’ natural history, such as migratory strategy. Mark S Woodrey Robert J Cooper Kristine O Evans Ray B Iglay Avian Response to Implementation of Cerulean Scott A Rush Warbler Habitat Management Guidelines Auriel M Fournier

Petra B Wood Ecological restoration is plagued by uncertainty, par- Gretchen Nareff ticularly when evaluating the response of mobile biota Jeff Larkin such as birds. However, a region-wide experiment is Mark Ford being undertaken along the northern Gulf of Mexico, Todd Fearer encompassing extensive acreage of tidal marsh restora- tion, to better understand the impacts of marsh restora- Recently developed habitat management guidelines for tion on tidal marsh birds. Following a suite of mon- Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea) and associated itoring Best Management Practices developed for the avian species are being implemented on state and pri- region, the experiment is an example of integrating vate lands throughout the Appalachian Region. During standardized methodology in an adaptive management 2013-2016, we quantified response of Cerulean War- framework. Primary elements of this effort include (1) blers and the overall avian community to application of implementation of a two stage probabilistic sampling the guidelines through operational silviculture in Ken- framework to address uncertainties associated with the tucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Point distribution and abundance of marsh birds in coastal count and territory mapping surveys were completed Mississippi; (2) application of an experimental design for one year pre-harvest and up to three years post- with paired restoration/reference sites designed to ad- harvest on 10 sites in harvested stands and adjacent dress specific stakeholder uncertainties related to the ef-

155 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 fectiveness of marsh restoration; (3) response metrics, two Pearson’s chi-square tests to evaluate the associa- tailored to address stakeholder uncertainties, including tion of response to trial condition with location and ac- demographic processes and community-level indices; tive with location. Our results suggested that goshawks and (4) increasing sampling efficiency using an adap- in Montana exhibit more aggressive nest defense behav- tive management framework regarding data synthe- iors than those in Finland. sis, restoration effectiveness evaluation, project goals, project design, and monitoring efforts. Intended out- comes include optimal use of stakeholder support, pro- vision of desired stakeholder information about tidal Automated telemetry reveals staging behavior in a marsh bird population status and responses to restora- declining migratory passerine tion, and the concomitant evaluation of multiple spe- cific restoration targets within an adaptive management Jay R Wright process. The implementation and demonstration of Luke L Powell these monitoring Best Management Practices in Mis- Christopher M Tonra sissippi will serve as a framework for region-wide in- vestigations of tidal marsh birds and other avian and Most of the journeys of migratory birds are spent at terrestrial taxa. stopover sites where birds rest and refuel. Many mi- grants are in steep decline, so understanding their be- havior on stopover is crucial to developing effective conservation action across the full annual cycle. One of When Goshawks Attack!: A Comparison of Nest the most rapidly declining songbirds in North America Defense Behaviors in Oulu, Finland and the Little is the Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus; 85-95% Belts, Montana decline over 50 years) and stopover ecology is a ma- jor gap in our knowledge of their annual cycle. We Marilyn E Wright utilized an automated telemetry array in western Lake Risto Tornberg Erie and the Motus Wildlife Tracking System to track Nate A Bickford landscape-scale movements, stopover duration, depar- ture behavior, and between-season site fidelity in this As human impacts on wildlife have become of increas- species. We found stopover duration during both fall ing interest, studies have focused on issues such as over- and spring was nearly one monthexceptionally long for exploitation and habitat loss, however, little research a passerine. During spring, birds in both poor condition has examined potential anthropogenic impacts on ani- and high degree of molt had longer stopovers, and post- mal behavior. Understanding the degree to which hu- departure flights were relatively long for a songbird. man interaction may alter natural animal behavior has Many individuals made landscape-scale (10-35km) re- become important in developing effective conservation locations during stopover, and site fidelity was high for strategies. We examined two populations of North- a passerine. Taken together, these behaviors describe ern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) in Montana and Fin- a migration strategy similar to the staging behavior of land. Goshawks in Europe were not protected until shorebirds. Lastly, we revealed that Rusty Blackbirds the late 1980’s, and prior to this protection were rou- migrate directly across Lake Erie, and primarily mi- tinely shot, as it was believed that shooting goshawks grate at night, potentially exposing them to mortality would keep grouse populations high. Though aggres- from offshore wind development. Our findings indi- sive nest defense has been characterized throughout cate that high-quality stopover habitat may be critically North America, goshawks in Finland display a deviance important to Rusty Blackbird populations. Our results from aggression. To quantify aggression, we conducted highlight the need to expand the scale of stopover stud- a behavior study with a series of three conditions to ies, and to further explore all aspects of species’ annual simulate predators to goshawks and their chicks. We cycles to understand potential limiting factors on popu- presented nesting goshawks with an owl decoy, hu- lations. man mannequin, and live human and recorded their re- sponses to each of the trial conditions. We evaluated the recordings for time of response, duration of response, whether or not an active stimulus was present to elicit The past, and future, roles of competition and habi- the response (i.e. movement or sound), and the sex of tat in the range-wide dynamics of Northern Spotted the bird making the response. We used two one-way Owls ANOVA tests with a Bonferroni correction to compare mean number of responses and response duration and Charles B Yackulic

156 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Since the early 1990s, the Northwest Forest Plan has a post-fire environment. They suggested that differ- largely halted the loss of Northern Spotted Owl habi- ent proportions of high-severity burned forest in owl tat. Analysis of territorial occupancy data from 11 home ranges, as compared to the entire burn scar, rep- sites across the range of Northern Spotted Owls us- resented habitat selection behavior by the owls at the ing two-species occupancy models indicates that North- home-range scale. Here we use an agent-based model ern Spotted Owls have declined range-wide over the to explore whether the patterns of habitat proportions last twenty years, primarily due to competition with in- described by Yanco and Linkhart could have derived vading Barred Owls. Both species have similar rates from processes unrelated to selection at the home-range of territory extinction that are similarly elevated when scale. Specifically, we show that supplying a simulated species co-occur within territories. Barred owls, how- agent with a set of decision rules that do not account for ever, typically have much higher colonization rates, par- any home-range-scale decisions can produce RSFs that ticularly as they become established within sites, ex- suggest habitat selection at home range scales. These plaining why they have continued to increase as North- results suggest that RSFs may incorrectly ascribe be- ern Spotted Owls decline. Both owl species have over- haviors to focal systems because of mismatched scales, lapping habitat preferences and Northern Spotted Owl and we encourage researchers to use caution when in- occupancy declines have been greatest in the best habi- terpreting results via a single explanation. tat. In all but one site, competition with Barred Owls is expected to drive Northern Spotted Owls extinct within a century if habitat remains the same and Barred Owls are not managed. Previous work suggests that Barred Avian diversification in biodiversity hotspots Owl removal can be effective, but it is costly and un- popular among some groups. Scenarios exploring habi- Jane L Younger tat improvement suggest that if Northern Spotted Owl Lynika Strozier habitat was markedly improved they could persist in Dylan Maddox five of eleven sites for over 500 years, even if Barred Marie J Raherilalao Owls were not managed. Older forest habitat takes Steven M Goodman decades to recover and is threatened by multiple factors Sushma Reddy including an increased frequency of forest fires, how- ever, improving habitat may still hold the key to long- Biodiversity hotspots are regions of exceptional species term conservation of Northern Spotted Owls. richness that provide ideal natural laboratories for in- vestigating the processes of avian diversification. In the introduction to this symposium we will highlight recent advances in our understanding of avian biodi- Home-Range Scale Habitat Selection Patterns Do versity in hotspots gained via genomic approaches, and not Necessarily Imply Home-Range Scale Decisions consider future directions for the field. Madagascar is one such hotspot that has been described as a model Scott W Yanco region of species diversification. Using data from ultra- Brian D Linkhart conserved element (UCE) loci, morphology, and eco- Michael B Wunder logical niche models, we have uncovered hidden diver- sity in the Vangidae and Bernieridae radiations. Our Studies investigating avian habitat preferences typically findings suggest that rates of microendemism of Mada- measure spatial use patterns at one or more spatial gascar’s birds may be greater than currently thought, scales and draw inferences about the animals’ prefer- and can be attributed to a broad diversity of habi- ence for some resource or habitat type based on a re- tat types separated by steep environmental gradients. source selection function (RSF). By designing avian Our study highlights the possibility of further hidden habitat selection studies that first assume the opera- species-level diversity within the avifauna of Madagas- tive spatial scale(s) for consideration (e.g. home-range car, suggesting an urgent need for further studies to scale, micro-site-scale) and failing to verify the behav- quantify biodiversity in hotspots in order to implement ioral relevance of the selected spatial scales, researchers necessary conservation actions. may be attributing selection behaviors to focal organ- isms that are, in truth, an artifact of the study design. In a recent analysis, Yanco and Linkhart measured habi- tat preferences of Flammulated Owls (Psiloscops flam- The geographic footprint of California solar energy meolus) at both home-range and micro-site scales in effects on bird populations

157 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Hannah B Vander Zanden contaminant exposure with foraging behavior. Because David M Nelson the Galpagos Islands seabird community is directly im- Tara J Conkling pacted by El Nio Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycles, Todd E Katzner understanding their foraging behavior in response to these events is important for future conservation plans. One of the recognized environmental impacts of solar However, little research has been done with Galpagos energy generation is the widespread fatality of avian seabirds at the community level. We sought to address wildlife that accompanies the operation of such facil- whether there is a shift in stable isotope and Hg val- ities. A central challenge to mitigating this impact ues, and thus diet, in species before, during, and after requires an understanding of the demographic mecha- the 2015 ENSO event. Breast feathers from six nest- nisms and geographic scope of these effects on avian ing seabird species (Sula sula, S. granti, S. nebouxii, populations. Our research is focused on use of hy- Fregata minor, Cregarus furcatus, Phaethon aethereus) drogen stable isotope analysis to characterize the ge- were sampled across five years (2011, 2014-2017) and ographic origin of the bird carcasses found at solar en- analyzed for 15N and 13C isotopes and total Hg (ppm). ergy facilities in California. Values of hydrogen sta- These sampling periods occurred at different points in ble isotopes (d2H) in precipitation vary across conti- the ENSO cycle, allowing shifts in foraging behavior to nental gradients, and this signal is incorporated through be monitored as environmental conditions change. Pre- the food web into animal tissues at the time of growth. liminary results show higher Hg contamination associ- Therefore, feather d2H values reflect the location feath- ated with La Nia. Additionally, as prey abundances de- ers were grown and can be used to assess the likely re- crease with the onset of El Nio in 2015, most species gion of geographic origin. Using input from policy- show more negative 13C values, representing more makers and stakeholders, we have identified a group pelagic foraging grounds. This information can help of 32 priority species for study. We have obtained inform management plans during the different ENSO feather samples from 561 individuals of 24 of the pri- phases. ority species killed at six solar facilities, and we mod- eled the likely origin of these individuals to charac- terize the local or migratory status. Preliminary re- Understanding habitat use and management efforts sults indicate that the geographic extent of impact ex- to conserve migratory landbirds along the northern tends far beyond the state of California, and we high- Gulf of Mexico coast light the patterns for several species for which this is the case. For example, migrants composed 78% of the Theodore J Zenzal American kestrel samples, 73% of the western mead- Jeffrey J Buler owlark samples, and 100% of the eared grebe samples. Frank R Moore These efforts will help to identify the demographic con- Wylie C Barrow sequences for avian species that are affected by solar Barry C Wilson energy operations. In order to implement sound and effective conserva- tion strategies for migratory landbirds, we need a basic The changing foraging behavior of the Galapagos´ Is- understanding of their population status, the ecologi- lands seabird community cal processes that influence population dynamics, and the effectiveness of past management efforts. However, Anna M Zarn some of this basic information during the migratory pe- Steven D Emslie riod is missing, despite that many migratory species are Carlos Valle in decline and mortality during migration can be sub- stantial. It is especially imperative to gain information Tropical oceans have limited food resources when com- to make informed conservation decisions along the Gulf pared to polar or temperate oceans, which impact the of Mexico, where birds must negotiate this ecological foraging habits of tropical seabirds. Understanding for- feature while contending with the normal challenges of aging strategies through 15N and 13C stable isotope migration. Towards this end, we have applied the Gulf analysis, representing trophic status and foraging lo- of Mexico Avian Monitoring Network’s objectives hi- cation respectively, is a valuable technique for inves- erarchy in developing a recently funded project to un- tigating dietary shifts in seabirds. Mercury (Hg) anal- derstand migrant habitat use as well as the effectiveness ysis can be performed in conjunction with stable iso- of management and restoration efforts along the north- tope analysis for a more thorough understanding on ern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. We will also provide

158 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book examples of how we have used long-term datasets to Eli S Bridge understand population trends and ecological processes Dan F Doak that influence migratory species at various spatial scales along the northern Gulf coast. By following a region- Behavioral barriers to reproduction such as assortative wide framework, we hope to gather data that can pro- mating are increasingly recognized as important fac- vide information to characterize management priorities tors in the generation and maintenance of avian species and implement successful conservation practices within boundaries. Yet, because mate choice is the product of the Gulf of Mexico region. interactions between individuals within a complex so- cial context, it is particularly difficult to quantify be- havioral processes affecting gene flow in the field. One Investigating Local Adaptation in Gunnison Sage- promising approach to more deeply probe the role of grouse Populations behavior on gene flow, including in hybrid zones, is the dual use of automatically logged association data, Shawna J Zimmerman and network analysis methods. In this study, I combine Cameron L Aldridge data from RFID tags and network analysis approaches Sara J Oyler-McCance to test how differences in phenotypes influence social behavior and pair bonding in a natural hybrid zone be- The genetic underpinning of functional diversity is an tween the California (Callipepla californica) and Gam- important but often overlooked component of conserv- bel’s quail (Callipepla gambelii). Here, I show that sex, ing populations. Gunnison Sage-grouse is a sagebrush plumage traits, and mass influence associations and pair obligate species whose range consists of seven popu- bonding in different ways within a sympatric popula- lations, each with variable habitat and climatic condi- tion, across different periods of the breeding season. tions. Though geographically close, populations have By using a network approach, I am also able to charac- low levels of natural gene flow resulting in relatively terize the population-level phenotypic assortment that high levels of differentiation. Here, we use 15,033 SNP emerges as a result of dyadic interactions. This study genotypes in genomic outlier analyses and gene ontol- expands upon our understanding of the influence of be- ogy (GO) enrichment tests across six of the seven pop- havior on gene flow within hybrid zones, and offers a ulations to examine for patterns of putatively functional novel approach for measuring behavioral assortment by genetic differentiation. We found six genes which were multiple phenotypes, across time, within wild popula- enriched for GO terms, co-located with regions of chro- tions. Understanding behavioral reproductive isolation mosomes with high densities of loci displaying out- in birds is critical, as gene flow between populations lier behavior. Genes identified could play a role in can shape processes of adaptation, genetic divergence, metabolism of plant secondary metabolites, an impor- and even population persistence. tant consideration for a sagebrush obligate, and pig- mentation pattern variation, an important consideration for sexual selection. Our results provide evidence of Cold and safe versus warm and risky: nesting deci- local functional divergence in multiple genes and in sions in an alpine songbird multiple pathways, for isolated populations of a single species. In addition to providing insight into popula- Devin R de Zwaan tion uniqueness, this information can be useful in man- Kathy Martin aging species of conservation concern. Actions such as translocation in small populations, with even smaller Songbird nests are critical life-history components with effective population sizes, could increase the possibility the potential to influence fitness correlates such as of overwhelming locally adapted genetic diversity. This nestling development and nest survival by moderating could decrease fitness if functional genetic uniqueness nest microclimate and camouflage, respectively. Nest of populations is not considered. characteristics should co-vary with prevailing environ- mental and ecological conditions, providing a buffered environment for offspring to develop and preventing Do birds of a feather covey together? Social net- predator detection for several weeks. For an alpine pop- works and pair bonding within a sympatric Cal- ulation of ground-nesting Horned Larks (Eremophila lipepla quail population alpestris) in northern British Columbia, Canada, we investigated the influence of three nest characteristics David M Zonana (substrate, lining, and decoration) on microclimate us- Jennifer M Gee ing explicit measures of nest temperature, as well as as-

159 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 sociated fitness consequences (i.e. nestling size traits, nest survival). Substrate use decisions may reflect a trade-off between microclimate and nest survival as nests placed in heather had the coldest microclimate compared to grass and bare-ground substrates, but also the greatest nest survival (68% compared to 37-44%). Nests that were lined with willow (Salix sp.) seed-down were associated with larger, heavier nestlings, while nest decoration placed in front of the nest (e.g. stones) was associated with warmer nest microclimates, pro- viding support for a thermoregulatory function for both nest traits. Nest decoration greatly increased building effort, varying in mass from 5.3 g to 186.6 g and requir- ing up to 163 extra building trips. We discuss the poten- tial for nest decoration to also function as an extended female phenotypic signal. High phenotypic flexibility in all nest characteristics (61-88% within-female varia- tion) suggests the capacity to respond to at least some of the anticipated changes of climate change through nest placement and characteristics decisions.

Student poster presenter introductions and closing remarks

160 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

LIGHTNING TALKS

Ultraconserved elements resolve genus-level rela- mined that the Andean Solitaire were at higher eleva- tionships in the honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) tions when Swainson’s Thrushes were present. These thrush species are among the more common species in Michael J Andersen the understory bird community representing up to 5% Nicholas R Friedman of the community when they are present. What is be- Leo Joseph hind this seasonal shift in thrush species representation? A T Peterson We don’t really know what drives the shift, or exactly Robert G Moyle when it takes place, but hypothesize that interspecific Arpad S Nyari interactions at time of arrival of the neotropical migra- tory Swainson’s Thrushes are a factor. Here we will The Indo-Pacific hosts rich fauna and flora that have quickly share the numbers, some community statistics, contributed to the development of speciation and bio- and information on variation in habitat use by the two geographic theory. The region’s avifauna is well- thrush species during what is typically considered sum- suited to broad comparative studies, and has been mer and winter for North Americans. used extensively as a model for understanding spe- ciation and adaptation. Honeyeaters are one of the most species-rich and ecologically diverse families en- demic to the region, with upwards of 12 species co- Temporal scale of drought response in Great Plains occurring at some sites. They have been the sub- birds ject of countless studies of trait evolution ranging from eco-morphological to behavioral evolution. Past Samantha M Cady studies on honeyeater systematics have been ham- Timothy J O’Connell pered by sparse sampling of both characters and taxa. More recently, a nine-gene supermatrix was the first A predicted effect of anthropogenic climate change is to include all raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$187 an increase in frequency, duration, and magnitude of honeyeater species, but was unable to resolve key re- weather extremes, including drought events. Drought lationships. To disentangle these challenging relation- can be assessed at multiple temporal scales, each of ships of honeyeater diversification, we used sequence which relates to a different water source. For example, capture of ultraconserved elements to sequence and an- drought quantified at an annual scale corresponds with alyze 4,397 loci (4.6 Mb) for all meliphagid genera. groundwater availability while drought quantified at a We present the first phylogenomic hypothesis of the monthly scale relates to current precipitation and sur- Meliphagidae, analyzed using the multispecies coales- face flow. Birds present a unique opportunity to assess cent. We reevaluate previous phylogenetic hypotheses wildlife responses to drought-induced stress because of the group and provide a novel, robust framework that they are mobile and easily surveyed. This study lever- will inform future revisions of systematics, biogeog- ages Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) to determine whether raphy, and evolution within the largest avian radiation there are detectable songbird responses during drought east of Wallace’s Line. conditions. To account for observer bias and differing land cover at route locations, we used generalized linear mixed modeling with a fixed effect of drought magni- Seasonal Shift in Understory Thrushes in a Montane tude at differing temporal scales, and random effects of Forest in Western Ecuador observer identification and route location. We applied AIC model ranking to determine which drought scale Dusti Becker best explained the distribution of birds at the species level. Drought conditions were quantified using PRISM During annual avian monitoring at Reserva las Tangaras data and a standardized precipitation evapotranspiration near Mindo, in the Andes of western Ecuador, we no- index. Results show a mixed response among species ticed a rather dramatic shift in the abundance of two un- with the strongest signal at an annual or near-annual derstory thrush species. From June to August our mist scale. Some birds did not show a response to drought net samples were well represented with Andean Soli- conditions at any scale. Results indicate a complex rela- taire (Myadestes ralloides). In Decembers, this species tionship between drought conditions and songbird dis- was absent when mist netting included many Swain- tribution. We conclude by recommending that, for pre- son’s Thrushes (Catharus ustulatus). Later we deter- cise assessment of the effects of drought on bird com-

161 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 munities, species should be analyzed separately, due to Jacob Slyder variation among them. John Wenzel

The Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) is abundant, charismatic, and generally considered to be sedentary Fine-scale mapping of coastal plant communities in across its range. Using citizen science data from eBird the northeastern USA: measuring habitat of a de- and WikiAves, we demonstrate that the Common Po- clining marsh passerine too is a partial migrant whose breeding populations de- part southeastern Brazil for more equatorial localities Maureen D Correll in the winter. Overlaying seasonal temperature data, Wouter Hantson we find that Common Potoos vacate regions that drop Thomas P Hodgman below a minimum temperature of 15 C. The migration Christopher S Elphick of southern populations to equatorial regions also re- W G Shriver sults in Common Potoos residing in winter habitats that Brian J Olsen are on average wetter. Checklists submitted to eBird were spatially biased between seasons while observa- Salt marshes of the northeastern United States are dy- tions submitted to WikiAves were seasonally consis- namic landscapes where the tidal flooding regime cre- tent. By using a mechanistic approach, we expose the ates patterns of plant zonation through differences in potential value WikiAves data offers towards elucidat- elevation, salinity, and local hydrology. These patterns ing seasonal movements of South American birds. of zonation can change quickly due to both natural and anthropogenic stressors, making tidal marshes vulner- able to degradation and loss. Many wildlife species, Impacts of environmental heterogeneity and mi- particularly birds, rely particularly on the high-marsh gration strategies on population genetic structure zone for breeding and foraging habitat. We compared across an extensively hybridizing songbird genus several commonly-used remote sensing methods to de- velop a tool that accurately maps high- and low-marsh Cooper A French zonation for use in management and conservation plan- John T Klicka ning in the northeast USA, particularly for the rapidly- declining and high-marsh obligate Saltmarsh Sparrow We identify major genetic variation across the North (Ammodramus caudacutus). We found that random American Towhees (Pipilo) jointly influenced by in- forests (RF) outperformed other classifiers when ap- trogression, geographic isolation, and migratory strat- plied to the most recent National Agricultural Imagery egy. This variation indicates an evolutionary history of Program (NAIP) imagery, NAIP derivatives, and eleva- acquired migratory and physiological adaptations that tion data between coastal Maine and Virginia, USA. We contributes to broad phenotypic diversity across the then used RF methods to classify plant zonation within genus. We utilized ddRAD-Seq data from a broad geo- a 500-m buffer around coastal marsh delineated in the graphic sample of individuals and analyzed phylogeny National Wetland Inventory. We found mean classifi- and population structure/introgression using maximum cation accuracies of 94% for high marsh, 76% for low likelihood and Bayesian methods. These results, com- marsh zones, and 90% overall map accuracy. The de- bined with demographic modeling and morphological tailed output is a 3-m resolution continuous map of analysis were used to assess the validity of transconti- tidal marsh vegetation communities and cover classes nental gene flow. that can be used in habitat modeling for marsh-obligate species or to monitor changes in marsh plant communi- ties over time. Countershading as a potential flight-enhancing adaptation in seabirds

Citizen science data reveals hidden migratory move- Peter Houde ments of the Common Potoo, Nyctibius griseus, in Mostafa Hassanalian Brazil Samah Ben Ayed Mohamed Ali Lucas W DeGroote Peter Houde Erika Hingst-Zaher Christopher M Hocut Luciano M Lima Abdessattar Abdelkefi

162 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Countershading (plumage that is dark above and light the family. Using genomic Ultraconserved Elements below) is pervasive among seabirds. Previous study has (UCEs) from 18 genera and 45 species (roughly 75% shown it to be weakly correlated with multiple potential of the total species diversity), we recovered prelimi- selective agents, as is true of many adaptations. It is hy- nary phylogenies using maximum likelihood (RaXML) pothesized to be an adaptation for crypsis and feather and quartet (SVDquartets) methods. Both methods pro- durability. White underparts of birds in flight are less duced highly congruent and robust phylogenies with the visible from underwater than dark underparts, and dark majority of nodes recovered being supported by high upperparts might be more difficult to spot from above bootstrap values. Our results support some previously by predators or kleptoparasites. Dorsal eumelaniniza- suggested relationships, such as the inferred placement tion may resist feather deterioration due to mechanical of Agamia agami as sister to a clade comprising of abrasion and UV irradiation. It is also correlated with the bitterns (Botaurinae), day herons (Ardeinae) and feeding behavior and foraging group size, as well as night herons (Nycticoracinae). We provide evidence by phylogeny. We present yet another potential adap- that dispute other relationships as well. We suggest that tive function for countershading in seabirds: improved the night-herons, as currently classified, do not form a flight efficiency by drag reduction. We obtained wing monophyletic group, with Gorsachius falling outside of measurements and migratory routes and times of wan- the clade (in addition to being polyphyletic). Our pre- dering albatross, manx shearwater, and sooty tern from liminary results provide a better understanding of the literature. We modeled thermal analysis of all combina- evolutionary history of the herons and lend support for tions of solid black and white wing color dorsally and an updated taxonomy of the family. ventrally considering ambient temperature, sky temper- ature, sea surface temperature, wind speed, solar ir- radiation, humidity, and cloud factor specified hourly for each migratory route. Applying the Blasius solu- Estimating population-level reproductive rates from tion for heated boundary layers, we found black over roost counts for Red-crowned Parrots (Amazona white countershading minimizes daily net skin drag, viridigenalis) even though dark upperwing drag exceeds that of a light underwing at night. It also outperformed all other color Simon R Kiacz combinations, day and night, although the specific out- Donald J Brightsmith comes were temperature dependent. This drag reduc- tion may contribute to the energetic efficiency and un- Estimating reproductive success of avian populations equaled endurance of low altitude dynamically soaring is important for making conservation decisions but can seabirds. be costly and time consuming. In addition, when nest monitoring is used the results may be biased by the in- clusion of nests that are more easily found. As a re- A phylogenomic investigation of the family Ardeidae sult, there is a need for quick, cheap, and relatively un- (herons) biased methods for estimating population-wide repro- ductive success. Here we report on population-wide Jack P Hruska estimates of reproduction rates from observations of Fred Sheldon Red-crowned Parrots (RCPA) (Amazona viridigenalis) Kevin McCracken in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas (LRGV). RC- Robert Moyle PAs have been regularly recorded in urban areas of the LRGV since the mid 1980’s and the population has Although the generic composition of the family Ardei- been steadily increasing since the mid 1990’s. All RC- dae (herons) is not controversial, many relationships PAs in the LRGV are suspected to utilize one of four within the family are still debated. Generally, five sub- current roosting sites every evening. Since 2016, we families, 1819 genera, and 6366 species are recognized, have collected attendance data of juvenile and adult although the composition of each of these designations RCPAs at all known roost locations (181 counts). In varies by authority. A comprehensive phylogeny for the 2016, we checked 530 birds of which 131 were clearly family is still lacking. Previous studies were either lim- juveniles, and during 2017, 1616 checks yielded 245 ju- ited in scope or produced phylogenies with poorly sup- veniles suggesting a 25% and 15% juvenile to adult per- ported relationships. As a result, the monophyly of cer- centage, respectively. If data on survival of related taxa tain subfamilies, tribes and genera are still in question. are applicable, the RCPA population in the LRGV may Our study attempts to address these shortcomings by be growing at an average rate of nearly 15% per year. providing the first robust and thorough phylogeny for This value corresponds well with growth rates since

163 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

1995 according to Christmas Bird Count data, suggest- Whitney LE Tsai ing that this juvenile count method is providing useful John E McCormack estimates of reproductive success. This technique may be very useful for other communal roosting species with Southern California is home to a large population of visually distinct juveniles. naturalized parrots, all former pets or descendants of pets. There are at least six species of Amazona par- rots that are known or suspected of breeding in Los Angeles County. The most abundant species is Red- Will Intensive Song Playback Affect Breeding Per- crowned Parrot, numbering in the thousands, followed formance? A field study of Abroscopus albogularis by Lilac-crowned Parrots. These two close relatives are in Taiwan allopatric in their native ranges, but breed in the same areas of Los Angeles. Lilac-crowned Parrots are of- Mu-Ming Lin ten found at higher elevations in their native range, and Cheng-Te Yao have been found breeding in the mountains above Los Tzung-Su Ding Angeles. We wanted to determine if the two species oc- cupy different niches in Southern California, and to de- Song playback can help birdwatchers to efficiently de- termine if they are hybridizing. We created niche mod- tect specific species, but it might cause unnecessary els for the native ranges of both species using specimen stress and disturbance on birds. Previous studies mainly and eBird data. We also created niche models for both examined playback effects on individual’s behavior and species in Los Angeles using eBird data. We found that physical state. This study was aimed to investigate the they occupy different niches in their native ranges, but influence of intensive song playback on breeding per- they largely overlapped in Southern California. To de- formance of Rufous-faced Warbler during their nestling termine the level of genetic admixture we sequenced ul- period. The experiments were conducted in a mid- traconserved elements for 6 Lilac-crowned and 7 Red- elevation, native broad-leaved forest in southern Taiwan crowned parrots collected between 1934 and 1955 from from April to July, 2015. We introduced three differ- their native ranges. We also sequenced UCEs for 22 ent intensities of playback to 35 nest boxes of Rufous- Amazona parrots salvaged in Los Angeles and San faced Warbler: control (no playback), mid-intensity Diego. It remains to be seen if species boundaries will during early stage of nestling period (310 mins/day, 5 remain, or if the parrot flock of Southern California will days, day 110) and high-intensity during late stage of become a huge hybrid swarm. nestling period (610 mins/day, 5 days, day 913). Par- ents’ responses in the first 25 minutes of playbacks were recorded. The nest boxes were checked every 1-2 days and the nestlings were weighted on day 10, Movement Ecology and Diet of a Culturally Impor- 12 and 14. Both mid- and high-intensities playbacks tant Frugivorous Bird Species significantly increased alarming, singing and flying fre- quencies of parents but did not affect homing frequency. There were no significant effects on reproductive suc- Bret N Mossman cess and nestling survival rate. However, the nestlings Bret N Mossman exposed to high-intensity playbacks had significantly Kristina Paxton lighter weights on the 12th day of nestling period. Patrick J Hart We suggest that song playback increases Rufous-faced Warblers’ behavioral responses, which could lead to ex- Avian frugivores are important dispersers of plant seeds tra energy cost during breeding season. Although song and differences in movement patterns can influence playback did not affect breeding performance in this the spread of seeds throughout an ecosystem. Oma’o study, very intensive playback could reduce nestling (Myadestes obscurus) are the last native frugivore in quality. the Hawaiian Islands that occur in large enough popu- lations to have a functional influence in forest commu- nities and are highly sedentary. Understanding how age and fragmentation impact movement of important seed Niche differentiation and genomic admixture of dispersers is helpful for understanding how plant com- Free Flying Los Angeles Parrots (FFLAP) munities maintain connectivity on the landscape and it will provide novel information on the life history of James M Maley the Oma’o. Juvenile movement is a very important as- Ryan S Terrill pect of bird behavior, but it has received little detailed

164 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book study. This project can aid in the understanding of ju- the main limiting factors for Goshawks are prey abun- venile avian dispersal through fragmented ecosystems dance and availability. Despite the importance of these which can provide important insight into life history factors, the methods for studying prey selection by traits that limit the Oma’o’s survival and expose pat- Goshawks, which currently rely heavily on nest site terns that will be relevant to the conservation of addi- cameras, may be insufficient for accurately assessing tional bird species. diet composition. We are using a novel approach to diet analysis in raptors, next-generation sequencing of pellets and fecal matter collected at nest sites to char- acterize diet. It is easy and minimally invasive to Population genomics of birds in the North American collect pellets and fecal material from nest sites, and warm deserts next-generation sequencing provides the opportunity to quantify diet using the unique genetic markers of prey Kaiya L Provost species. Already a popular method for diet analysis Brian T Smith in insectivorous bats, next-generation sequencing pro- vides the potential to assess the diet of raptors and other Bird populations are often geographically structured by birds at a finer scale than other methods currently used. biogeographic barriers, which prevent individuals from crossing them via ecological or physical constraints. However, not all bird populations or species become structured by barriers, as some successfully disperse across. In the warm deserts of North America, the Cochise Filter Barrier serves as semi-permeable filter for bird communities in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts. Previous work has shown genetic isolation across the barrier in some species, while others are unstructured or appear to maintain gene flow among deserts. Here we use whole-genome-resequencing to investigate four species across the region (Cardinalis sinuatus, Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus, Melozone fusca, and Amphispiza bilineata), evaluate their ge- nomic structure, and discuss how variation in species’ phenotypes and environmental preferences influence their ability to disperse through the barrier. Our prelim- inary findings indicate that there are differences in ge- nomic structure across the region within these species and within the community as a whole. These differ- ences may be associated with variation in morphologi- cal phenotype and habitat preference. Organismal traits could be key in determining whether species can main- tain gene flow successfully across the Cochise Filter Barrier.

A Novel Approach to Diet Analysis: Next- Generation Sequencing of Raptor Pellets and Fecal Material

Marilyn E Wright Becky Williams

Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) are impor- tant apex predators and management indicator species. Concerns over potential declines in Goshawk popu- lations have led researchers to discover that some of

165 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

POSTERS

Avian diversity above the clouds: comparing eleva- Cristina Campos tional patterns in North and South temperate moun- Ester Muniz˜ tains Estrildid finches are distributed throughout Africa, Tomas A Altamirano South Asia, Australia and Indian and Pacific Ocean is- Devin R de Zwaan lands. Specific phylogenetic questions have been clar- Jose T Ibarra ified in this study by analyses of 64 species of es- Kathy Martin trildids through cytochrome b DNA sequencing and Bayesian Inference. Our results support that estrildids Mountain ecosystems comprise 24% of the land-base are a monophyletic group with polytomies that may of the Americas, and are critical components of the life- have started evolving by Middle Miocene Epoch (about cycle for 35% of North American bird species. Glob- 16.5 million years ago). This date is coincidental with ally, however, high elevation avian communities are the Fringillinae finches’ radiation starting time and also poorly monitored, with taxonomic and functional di- with the biggest Himalayan and Tibetan Plateau uplift versity receiving little attention. In 2017, we initi- and moonson climate changes. The most basal estrildid ated a temperate montane bird study, comparing: i) clade comprises African, Indian and Australian birds, taxonomic and functional turnover across three habi- suggesting that the whole estrildids radiation might tats increasing in elevation: upper montane (>50% have originated around India. It is shown that : 1) Goul- tree cover), subalpine (5-50% tree cover), and alpine dian Finch (Chloebia / Erythrura gouldiae) is defini- (<5% tree cover), and ii) the breeding strategies of tively included within genus Erythrura, 2) the oldest alpine birds in North and South America. We con- Estrildinae evolutive radiation group seems to be the ducted 600 diurnal bird point counts in six North tem- Indian silverbill (Lonchura malabarica) together with perate (British Columbia, Canada; 54N latitude) and African silverbill (Lonchura cantans) and the pheneti- 10 South temperate mountains (Chile; 39S latitude). cally distinct Diamond Firetail (Stagonopleura guttata) Species richness was comparable between sites (49-54 from Australia, 3) the enigmatic Java sparrow (Padda / species), but decreased with elevation in Canada (up- Lonchura oryzivora) is a Lonchura species, 4) African per montane: 31, alpine: 16) compared to remain- munias (Spermestes) form a distinct phylogenetic clus- ing consistent across elevation in the Chilean Andes ter (within genus Lonchura) with respect to Asian and (raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$33 in each habi- Australian munias.Finally,phenotypic convergent evo- tat). Species composition among mountains was highly lution is found between African and Australian species. variable in both hemispheres (Jaccard index < 0.5) Email:[email protected] indicating potential variation in drivers such as habi- tat structure. We found contrasting patterns in alpine breeding strategies, as open-cup nesters made up 88% (14/16 species) of the Canadian alpine community, Effectiveness of birds’ protection law at Pakistan while 100% of the 37 nests (6 species) found in the Chilean alpine were cavity nesters (rock crevices or Mahmood A Awan ground excavations). Comparing high elevation tem- Bushra N Khan perate ecosystems in the Americas provides a strong framework to address avian breeding dynamics in Pakistan is spread over magnificent geographical ranges stochastic environments, as well as understand the po- started from marine areas to second best peak in the tential conservation value of mountain habitats as refu- world that is inhabited by numerous resident and mi- gia for avian populations with environmental change. gratory birds. The present research work was planned to access the existing laws and their efficacy for con- servation and management of avian diversity. Last ten Phylogeography of Estrildinae Finches from Africa, years data of avifauna occurrence, abundance and status South Asia and Australia: African and Australian along with threats was analyzed for this purpose. Field Convergent Evolution Species trips, meeting with local community and concerned de- partments were also arranged. Findings revealed that Antonio Arnaiz-Villena annually more than 100,000 of 350 avian species vis- Valentin Ruiz-del-Valle ited wetlands due to availability of fish as source of Jose Palacio-Gruber food. These birds included some threatened species

166 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book like Oxyura leucocephala, Chlamydotis undulata, An- and researchers about the ecological conditions needed hinga melanogaster, Prinia burnesii, Aythya nyroca and to support thriving grassland bird populations. Grus leucogeranus. Different threats like degradation of habitat, land retrieval, illegal hunting, dearth and poor law enforcement were also noticed. Different organi- zation for conservation and management of birds like IUCN, RAMSAR, Wildlife Acts, National Conserva- Comparison among sky-island haemosporidian tion Strategy (NCS) and WWF-P were also working communities reveals dynamics of parasite-species here. The Pakistan government is signatory to numer- turnover and host-switching ous worldwide initiatives and is particularly doing con- certed schemes to save avian diversify. Noncompliance Selina M Bauernfeind of existing law for avian diversity protection and man- Lisa N Barrow agement is a key driver for declining of these flying Christopher C Witt creatures. Matthew J Baumann Serina S Brady Andrea N Chavez Habitat preferences of overwintering Baird’s and Grasshopper sparrows in relation to seed availabil- Birds and their haemosporidian parasites (Haemopro- ity in the soil seed bank teus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon) comprise a di- verse multi-host, multi-parasite system that is uniquely suited for studying evolutionary dynamics of host- Fabiola Baeza-Tarin parasite relationships. However, because of the chal- Mieke Titulaer lenges of surveying entire bird communities for para- Denis J Perez-Ordonez sites, few studies to date have been able to fully char- Erin H Strasser acterize parasite diversity, rates of species-turnover, Russel Martin and variation in host-parasite relationships across ge- Louis A Harveson ographic space. To address these questions, we con- ducted community-level surveys of haemosporidians Baird’s Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) and Grasshop- within a narrow elevational zone (21002500 m) in per Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) have lost be- three adjacent mountain ranges in New Mexico. We tween 7080% of their total population since 1966. Dur- screened 776 specimens using PCR and sequencing of ing the wintering months, these grasslands birds depend an mtDNA ’barcode’ (cytb), as well as microscopy of almost entirely on granivory, suggesting that seed avail- thin blood smears. We used phylogenies of parasite ability in the soil has a direct impact on their popu- and host lineages, respectively, to compare commu- lations. Our objectives are to determine the effects of nity composition and host-parasite relationships among seed availability in the soil seed bank on habitat use by the three mountain ranges. We found 269 infections Baird’s and Grasshopper sparrows, and compare two (34.7% of birds). The majority were Haemoproteus different grazing systems (moderate density rotational (50.0%), followed by Leucocytozoon (38.7%), and grazing vs. low density continuous grazing). From Plasmodium (24.2%). Compared to previously pub- December 2017 to March 2018 we deployed over 60 lished sequences, 60% were novel. We found con- Baird’s and Grasshopper sparrows with VHF transmit- served host-specificity at the avian clade and species ters and tracked them once per day. We collected vege- level, but host-range varied strikingly by parasite genus. tation data for 20 points per bird and across a grid of Host-switching by haemosporidian lineages was com- points spaced every 100 m using ocular estimates of mon, particularly between closely related hosts. In- ground cover in 5-m circular radius plots. We collected fection rates also varied strikingly among hosts, with soil seed bank samples for 60 bird points and 60 ran- vireos and nuthatches exhibiting nearly universal infec- domly selected grid points, half in the rotational grazing tion and non-infection, respectively. Haemosporidian site and half in the continuous grazing site. We counted species turnover among mountain ranges was modest and weighed seeds in the soil samples to determine seed overall, but high in specific host species. Host speci- biomass availability. We present results on the relation- ficity appears to be fleeting over evolutionary time and ship of seed biomass availability in the soil seed bank variable across space, although certain hosts may be to habitat use of Baird’s and Grasshopper sparrows in critical to the maintenance of overall parasite diversity. two different grazing systems. The results will allow us to better understand the relationship between grassland birds and their habitat in order to inform land managers

167 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Investigating Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo Breed- We expected the application of restoration practices to ing Status In The Mountains Of Southeastern Ari- create bobwhite habitats and predicted increased repro- zona; Implications For Recovery ductive success and survival. We radio-collared 182 individuals from 2016-2017 to monitor nest survival Nicholas D Beauregard and breeding season survival. In 2016, nests in non- restored landscapes had a higher chance of success, The western population of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo 36% (n = 10), compared to those in treated landscapes, (Coccyzus americanus) was federally listed as a threat- 26% (n = 4). In 2017, nests in treated landscapes had ened species in 2014, with declines across the western a higher chance of success, 32% (n=14), compared to states attributed to loss and fragmentation of riparian those in non-restored landscapes, 19% (n= 9). For both habitat. Although most western Yellow-billed Cuck- years, AIC model selection strongly supported vegeta- oos occur in riparian areas, they have recently been tion characteristics as predictors of nest success. Mod- found during the breeding season in many ephemeral els indicated that increased herbaceous and decreased Madrean-evergreen woodland drainages in the Sky Is- litter ground cover predicted higher success. In addi- lands of southeastern Arizona. If most of these cuck- tion, nest success in 2017 increased as visual obstruc- oos are breeding, this region provides a previously un- tion increased. Our Welch’s t-tests comparing 2017 nest known population that may have implications for re- site cover differed in grass (x = 53.0, SD = 24.01; x = covery of the species given increasing degradation of 71.5, SD = 21.55, P = 0.04), and litter (x = 33.5, SD = southwestern riparian habitat. My research aims to con- 10.4, x = 8.0, SD = 7.07, P = 0.005), between treated firm the breeding status and distribution of cuckoos and non-restored landscapes, respectively. Breeding in the Madrean Sky Islands and determine the habi- season survival in 2017 was higher for bobwhites in tat characteristics associated with breeding. Further- treated landscapes (51%, n = 85) than non-restored more, I am evaluating the use of autonomous recording landscapes (44%, n = 68). Depredation was considered units to monitor cuckoos. Preliminary results indicate the primary cause of mortality. that western Yellow-billed Cuckoos are widespread in the Sky Islands, with localized populations in specific mountain ranges. More than half (n=56) of drainages Tree species preference for foraging by insectivorous surveyed between 2013 and 2017 were occupied, and birds in a woodland dominated by alien tree species more than one quarter (n=29) have probable or con- in Puerto Rico firmed breeding. These results have implications for future research, and field work is planned for 2018 and William Beltran´ 2019. This will include intensive nest searching in addi- Joseph M Wunderle tion to playback surveys, habitat analysis, and deploy- Jr ment of recording units. Preliminary results and meth- ods for this further research will be presented. We tested Russell Greenberg’s foliage palatability hy- pothesis that predicts avian insectivores will preferen- tially forage in tree species with the greatest abundance An evaluation of land restoration effects on north- of their arthropod prey, which in turn are associated ern bobwhite survival in north-central Texas with the tree’s foliage nutrition and palatability. The hy- pothesis was tested in a novel Prosopis-Leucaena wood- Danielle E Belleny land in Puerto Rico by determining foraging prefer- Heather A Mathewson ences of 5 insectivorous bird species (2 resident fly- Jeff B Breeden catchers, 1 resident warbler, 2 winter resident warblers) John Tomecek for 6 tree species (5 alien, 1 native) and relating prefer- Thomas W Schwertner ences to foliage arthropod biomass and leaf chemistry. Jim Giocomo The most frequently preferred tree species for forag- ing were the alien Prosopis juliflora (preferred by 5 bird Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginanus) populations species) and alien Pithecellobium dulce (preferred by 4 have declined 4.5% in the Oaks and Prairie region bird species). Both species had high arthropod biomass, during 19662015 (BBS 2015). Land restoration prac- high N content, low lignin/N ratios, and low hemicellu- tices offer opportunities to mitigate the declines in bob- lose content. Compounds, previously known to affect whites. Our study evaluates the effects of land restora- herbivore responses to Albizia lebbeck and Leucaena tion practices (i.e. brush removal, native grass reseed- leucocephala, may explain low arthropod biomass de- ing, and prescribed grazing) to bobwhite demographics. spite high N content in Albizia and avoidance of Leu-

168 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book caena by 4 bird species despite its high arthropod Karl S Berg biomass. The native Bucida buceras had tough leaves with low N content, low arthropod biomass, and only Vocal learning is only found in three, albeit important, 1 bird species showed a weak preference for foraging lineages of birds: hummingbirds, parrots and oscine in it. Some alien tree species had highly palatable fo- songbirds. Its evolutionary origins remain mysterious. liage with high arthropod biomass and hence were pre- The Motor Theory for the Origins of Vocal Learning ferred for foraging by avian insectivores as predicted. posits that expansion on ancestral neural pathways in High foliage palatability of some alien tree species may the forebrain that control non-vocal motor activities, led weaken the effect of enemy release in some novel plant to neural circuits that support vocal production learn- communities. ing. However, vocal and non-vocal motor activities have seldom been compared using phylogenetic com- parative analysis, a cornerstone of evolutionary biol- ogy. Because many species vocalize during flapping Novel object exploration in a highly curious and so- flight, and flight and vocal production are assumed to cial raptor have each co-opted underlying respiratory physiology, we tested for evolutionary relationships between body Breanna L Bennett size, wingbeat period and vocal signal duration during Keith L Bildstein flapping flight in 150 species spanning 12 (of 34) extant Robert L Curry avian orders. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis demon- strated a tight evolutionary triad between body size, Exploration behavior consists of how an individual ex- wingbeat period and vocal signal duration. Non-vocal plores a novel environment, in terms of both spatial ex- learners had phylogenetically corrected mean wing- ploration of a new area and manipulation of objects in beat periods roughly equal to their signal durations, pre- a new area. Neophobia, a related concept, describes an dicted if birds amplify vocal production via the expira- individual’s willingness to approach and engage with tory (power) stroke. Surprisingly, vocal learners’ sig- novel objects. Recent studies of Chimango Caracaras nal durations on average exceeded the entire wingbeat (Mivalgo chimango) have shown that age class influ- cycle. However, vocal learners also had on average ences degree of object manipulation, though the litera- smaller bodies and shorter wingbeat periods than non- ture lacks further studies of object exploration in birds vocal learners. Results provide general support for the of prey, including those with purportedly high levels of Motor Theory in that non-vocal and vocal behaviors co- curiosity. Further investigation of object manipulation evolved, leading us to speculate that reductions in body was carried out on a related and reportedly more curi- size and selection for increased information content of ous bird of prey, the Striated Caracara (Phalcoboenus acoustic signals liberated vocal systems from wingbeat australis). From 2015 2017, novel object exploration and respiratory constraints, resulting in increased vocal observations of Striated Caracaras in the Falkland Is- plasticity early in the evolution of avian vocal learning. lands were recorded as they interacted with a series of six anthropogenic objects. These anthropogenic objects all resembled each other in terms of color and length and differed only in shape. Interactions were consis- From the Ground Up: Identifying Drivers of Nest- tently measured for 20 minutes once a test was initi- ing Success in Grassland Songbirds of the Northern ated. A total of 68 tests were completed in the three- Great Plains year period on three different islands in the Falklands, including Saunders Island, Sealion Island, and Carcass Island. While all tests were initiated while in sight of at Jacy S Bernath-Plaisted least one caracara, between 10-15% of tests did not see Maureen D Correll any engagement by individuals. All other tests included Arvind O Panjabi engagement by individuals in juvenile, sub-adult, and adult age classes. Further analysis will be conducted to Grassland songbirds of North America have declined examine whether age class, sex, or other variables have rapidly as a group over the last half-century. Although a significant effect on interaction with novel objects. these declines are generally understood to be a conse- quence of landscape-scale habitat loss and degradation, knowledge of regional and habitat-scale factors affect- ing grassland songbird demographics is often incom- The vocal-flight-respiratory axis: origins of avian plete. An understanding of these demographic base- vocal learning? lines and the covariates that influence them is critical to

169 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 prescribing effective management regimes on remain- nearby private lands. Encouragingly, our population ing grasslands. Nesting success is an important de- estimates constitute an increase in the number of in- mographic rate that may play a role in the long-term dividuals present at Salt Creek Canyon over previous maintenance of avian populations. We monitored the years; with the implementation of appropriate conser- nesting success of grassland songbirds in the Northern vation strategies and more efficient management, Salt Great Plains at sites in western North Dakota (2015- Creek Canyon may represent a valuable opportunity for 2017) and eastern Montana (2016-2017). We located V. atricapilla range expansion in Oklahoma. and monitored nests of four grassland specialist species, including Baird’s sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii; n= 128), grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum; Breeding biology and ectoparasites of Great Horned n= 169), chestnut-collared longspur (Calcarious orna- Owls in desert fragmented landscape of Baja Cali- tus; n= 271, and Sprague’s pipit (Anthus spragueii; n= fornia peninsula 34). We analyzed the nesting success of these species using logistic exposure glm regression and found that Raquel Bolanos-Garc˜ ´ıa baseline estimates fell within typical ranges for all four Ricardo Rodr´ıguez-Estrella species; mean (CI range) nesting success rates across years and sites for these species were 34% (16-50), 16% Habitat loss and fragmentation produce a decrease in (7-28), 36% (28-43), and 33% (14-53), respectively. To prey availability and structures for breeding that can determine the drivers of these baselines, we also inves- change the abundance and distribution of raptors. Also, tigated the effects of regional climate and vegetation co- parasites prevalence can change in fragmented habi- variates on the nesting success of these species. tat. In this work, we present our results on the breed- ing performance and ectoparasites prevalence in Great Horned Owl fledglings in fragmented and continuous Habitat analysis of Black-capped Vireos at Salt desert habitat during three breeding seasons, 2014 to Creek Canyon, Blaine County, Oklahoma 2017. The density of active nests was one pair/25 km2 in fragmented and one pair/66 km2 in natural area. Elizabeth M Besozzi Nests were primarily located in giant cacti (Pachyc- John A Muller ereus pringlei). In fragmented area, breeding pairs Joseph A Grzybowski started their reproduction earlier and were more suc- Jeremy D Ross cessful than late breeders. Productivity was higher in fragmented area. An ectoparasites’ prevalence of 53% The Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapilla) is a small of nestlings was recorded in fragmented area, with the migratory songbird, listed as endangered by the U.S. louse fly Icosta americana as a concern parasite. This Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered is the first record of Great Horned Owl being a host for Species Act (1987). Habitat conversion to rangeland louse Colpocephalum pectinatum. The productivity of and concurrent increases in Brown-headed Cowbird the Great Horned Owl in fragmented habitat is the high- (Molothrus ater) prevalence has restricted the historical est reported for the species in desert ecosystems. We range of V. atricapilla, establishing a modern northern propose small fragments are important for maintaining margin in north-central Oklahoma. Salt Creek Canyon populations for top order predators as the Great Horned in Blaine Co., Oklahoma, contains the northernmost Owl. However, caution should be taken in regard to known modern population of V. atricapilla, which is rel- health conditions because a high diversity of ectopara- atively small and isolated, and has been monitored in- sites was recorded in this highly fragmented habitat. consistently since its discovery (the last available data is derived from a project ending in 2004). We spent May-July of 2017 surveying V. atricapilla territories, Effects of beach renourishment on nest survival of monitoring nests, and managing cowbird traps in Salt Least Terns in Southeast Louisiana Creek Canyon. Approximately 30 males were identi- fied, roughly half of which were accompanied by fe- Sarah M Bolinger males. We used these territories and nest sites to con- Melinda D Averhart duct habitat analyses using GIS, incorporating vari- Scott M Duke-Sylvester ous landscape features (e.g., canopy cover, slope, soil, Erik I Johnson habitat type). We extrapolated these associated land- scape features to create a habitat suitability model and Beach renourishment projects, such as those sponsored discover potentially unknown V. atricapilla habitat on by Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Au-

170 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book thority, are expected to provide attractive nesting habi- climatic regimes; Dolores, CO (37N, 7500’) and Sum- tat for Least Terns because they increase the area of merhaven, AZ (32N, 7500’). We predict reduced nest sparsely vegetated open beach. However, our previous predation rates but prolonged development time and re- monitoring efforts suggest that beach restoration has a duced mass at fledge at artificial nest sites, with greater mixed effect on nest success for these birds. Increased differences between natural and artificial nests at our presence of mesopredators associated with restoration colder site in Colorado. Data were collected in Sum- may lead to lower hatching success, and may offset the mer of 2017 and are currently being analyzed. lower risk of nests being destroyed by floods and storm surge associated with increased beach elevation. We tested these predictions on Elmer’s Island in Louisiana, in which the Caminada Headlands Phase II dune re- A camera-trap survey of avifauna in a Bornean nourishment project was completed in late 2016. To peat-swamp forest quantify the effects of restoration on nesting success, we used program MARK to calculate daily survival rate Daniel M Brooks (DSR) for 287 nests monitored in summer 2017, and Adul modeled nest success with DSR evaluated at different Susan M Cheyne intervals. Nest elevation, predation rates, and percent cover of vegetation surrounding nests were used as co- As part of an ongoing camera trapping project in the variates, showing the complex and interrelated effects Sabangau Peat-swamp forest (Central Kalimantan, In- of restoration on nest survival. Such analyses are im- donesia), we present camera trap data on the avi- portant in understanding whether attractive nesting ar- fauna. Since 2008 the camera traps have captured eas on restored beaches serve as a population source or images/videos of a total of 224 individual bird pho- sink for nesting birds. tos represented by 142 unique events of 25 species, 12 of which are Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near- Threatened, all of which are described in species ac- counts. We describe natural history using quantita- tive data for Ciconia stormi, Spilornis cheela, and Variation in nest success and offspring development Centropus sinensis, and notes on the virtually un- in a migratory songbird using natural and artificial known Caprimulgus concretus. We also discuss impor- nest-sites tant breeding and behavior observations for Spilornis cheela, Lophura pyronota, Blythipicus rubiginosus, and Andy J Boyce Trichixos pyrropygus. Expansions for range, habitat Harold F Greeney and migrant dates are discussed for Accipiter trivirga- Charles van Riper III tus, Melanoperdix niger, and Pitta nympha. We discuss conservation implications, as well as the usefulness of Artificial nest-sites are often used as conservation tools using long-term camera trap data to monitor birds. and can have positive effects on breeding density and population size, particularly in habitats where the den- sity of natural nest sites has been reduced due to land- use change. Nest predation and overall nest success OpenWings: Collaborative construction of a fossil- are often higher in birds using artificial nests, further calibrated species-level bird phylogeny highlighting their efficacy as a conservation tool. How- ever, artificial nest sites also have different thermal Robb T Brumfield properties than natural sites, including reduced insula- Brant C Faircloth tion compared with natural sites. Nest site microcli- Brian T Smith mate can have strong influences on development time, Rebecca T Kimball ectoparasite prevalence and fledgling mass, which all Edward L Braun directly impact fitness. Therefore, understanding the F K Barker developmental and demographic consequences of ar- tificial nest-site use is critical to evaluating their util- Class Aves is the only extant lineage of theropod di- ity as a conservation tool. Here, we explored differ- nosaurs and the single most diverse clade of amniotes. ences in development time, nest success, ectoparasite Birds occur in almost every terrestrial environment, and prevalence and fledgling mass in Cordilleran Flycatch- as highly visually- and auditorily-oriented organisms ers (Empidonax occidentalis) using natural and artifi- with complex behaviors, elaborate morphologies, and cial nest sites at two locations with distinctly different impressive physiological adaptations, birds have been

171 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 a major focus of modern scientific research. Conse- quently, birds are emerging as a leading model system Pattern and structure of a suburban bird commu- for comparative biology, but still lack an accurate and nity in subtropical South Texas complete phylogeny calibrated to their increasingly rich fossil record. We announce a new NSF-funded initia- John S Brush tive, OpenWings, with the goal of producing a time- Alexis Racelis calibrated, species-level phylogeny of all birds by inte- Timothy Brush grated analysis of phylogenomic and fossil data. This highly collaborative project will make all data publicly The effects of urbanization on avian community pat- available through the project website (openwings.org) tern and structure remains understudied in subtropical as they are generated and validated. We welcome regions where bird diversity is relatively high. We ex- inquiries from potential partners interested in sharing plored the effects of local land-cover and habitat fea- samples, data, or expertise. tures on the bird community of suburban habitats in the subtropical Lower Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas. We documented 39 species during point-counts in residential neighborhoods and small urban wood- Avian use of mature and revegetated riparian wood- lands. Bird diversity was positively related to increased lands in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas tree cover, and negatively related to increased grass and impermeable surface cover. Granivorous and ground- Timothy Brush foraging birds had the greatest relative abundances John S Brush (53% and 82%), with most individuals representing only a few species. Insectivores made up 33% of In the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, remaining the species, but only represented 6.4% of total relative wooded riparian tracts with subtropical bird commu- abundance. Redundancy analysis suggested that native nities are small and often isolated in a matrix of agri- trees were positively related to more bird species than cultural and expanding urban areas. The US Fish and non-native trees were, and that trees had a greater ef- Wildlife Service and other agencies have revegetated fect than shrubs. The majority of insectivorous species extensive areas, but little evaluative analysis has been were correlated with increased tree (particularly native) done. We studied bird use of existing mature ripar- cover. The two most abundant urban exploiter species ian corridor forest habitats with revegetated habitats. (House Sparrow and Great-tailed Grackle) were posi- In May-June 2013 and 2014, we did 47 point-counts tively related to increased grass and impermeable sur- in mature habitat and 45 in revegetated habitat gener- face cover. Of the regionally-distinct species we ob- ally ranging from 15-25 years in age. There was ex- served, White-tipped Dove, Long-billed Thrasher, and tensive overlap in the breeding bird community, with Olive Sparrow were limited to densely-vegetated urban most species occurring at similar frequencies in mature woodlands, while others, such as Buff-bellied Hum- and revegetated habitat. Species associated with closed- mingbird, Couch’s Kingbird, Clay-colored Thrush, and canopy riparian forest, such as Plain Chachalaca and Golden-fronted Woodpecker were also seen in subur- Long-billed Thrasher, and those associated with mid- ban habitats. We conclude that suburban areas with stature thorn forest, such as Green Jay and Altamira greater tree cover and small urban woodlands are of sig- Oriole, also used the more successful revegetated tracts. nificant conservation value for regionally-distinct for- Cavity-nesting species such as Golden-fronted Wood- est birds, particularly in rapidly urbanizing areas in pecker and Black-crested Titmouse were strongly as- agriculture-dominated regions. sociated with dead trees and tall-canopy forest, more regularly in mature habitat. Less successful revegetated tracts with patches of woody plants and more open un- Double-digest RAD sequencing outperforms mi- derstory supported species like Common Ground-Dove crosatellite loci at assigning paternity and estimating and Buff-bellied Hummingbird. Mature and revege- relatedness: a poof of concept in a highly promiscu- tated habitats were affected by an historic flood event in ous bird 2010, which reset plant and bird communities to a more open, early-successional condition. Overall, revegeta- Bronwyn G Butcher tion has allowed many riparian bird species to expand Derrick J Thrasher into areas of formerly unsuitable habitat, but studies of Leonardo Campagna breeding success and site fidelity are needed to confirm Michael S Webster this apparent success. Irby J Lovette

172 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Information on genetic relationships among individuals have used satellite telemetry and geolocators to iden- is essential to many studies of the behavior and ecology tify migratory patterns of Adirondack loons, placed trail of wild organisms. Parentage and relatedness assays cameras at loon nesting sites to better understand incu- based on large numbers of SNP loci hold substantial bation behavior and factors affecting nesting success, advantages over the microsatellite markers traditionally and rescued debilitated loons. Here we present a brief used for these purposes. We present a double-digest re- summary of this work, and highlight how our research striction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) has informed loon conservation and management in the analysis pipeline that, as such, simultaneously achieves Adirondack Park, and contributed to enhancing public the SNP discovery and genotyping steps and which awareness and understanding of wildlife conservation, is optimized to return a statistically powerful set of utilizing the Common Loon as an indicator species. SNP markers (typically 150-600 after stringent filter- ing) from large numbers of individuals (up to 240 per run). We explore the tradeoffs inherent in this approach Investigating the relationship between avian micro- through a set of experiments in a species with a com- biota and stress physiology along an urban-rural plex social system, the variegated fairy-wren (Malurus gradient lamberti), and further validate it in a phylogenetically broad set of other bird species. Through direct com- Sophia S Carryl parisons with a parallel dataset from a robust panel of Rachel Santymire highly variable microsatellite markers, we show that Jack A Gilbert this ddRAD-seq approach results in substantially im- proved power to discriminate among potential relatives Deforestation, agricultural land use, climate change, and considerably more precise estimates of relatedness rapid human population growth, and continued move- coefficients. The pipeline is designed to be universally ment to urban centers force wild animals to adapt or applicable to all bird species (and with minor modifica- face extinction. We seek to understand how anthro- tions to many other taxa), to be cost- and time-efficient, pogenic stressors drive selection on wild hosts micro- and to be replicable across independent runs such that biome, which plays an integral role in establishing and genotype data from different study periods can be com- maintaining host health. Specifically, whether avian bined and analyzed as field samples are accumulated. hosts exhibit identifiable microbial plasticity when ad- justing to an urbanizing world. We argue that selection on the avian microbiome may be attributed to host stress hormone levels, given (1) the survival and reproduc- Conservation Through the Lives of Adirondack tive costs of elevated stress hormone levels, and (2) the Loons: 20 Years of Collaborative Research and Out- bidirectional relationship between microorganisms and reach host endocrinology microbial metabolites can influ- ence host stress responses, and stress hormones alter the Valerie L Buxton microbiome. We sampled house sparrow (Passer do- Nina Schoch mesticus) body sites (eye, mouth, uropygial gland, and John Ozard cloaca) and collected feathers for corticosterone analy- Daniel Rosenblatt sis in populations living along an urban-rural gradient in David C Evers Midwest, USA. Three study sites are defined by hous- Michale Glennon ing units per acre (Hu/acre): urban: >1000 Hu/acre; suburban: <1000 149 Hu/acre; rural: <149 Hu/acre. Research efforts on Common Loons (Gavia immer) in We profiled the microbiome using 16S rRNA amplicon New York’s Adirondack Park were initiated in 1998, sequencing and measured stress hormones using a cor- borne out of concern for the toxic effects of mercury ticosterone enzyme immunoassay. Subsets of samples exposure on loon populations and the aquatic ecosys- with different microbial profiles will be further charac- tems they inhabit. Since this time, Adirondack loon re- terized using shotgun metagenomics to identify func- search has expanded to encompass studies on multiple tional pathways that associate with host-stress, such as aspects of loon ecology, behavior, health, and conser- gamma-aminobutyric acid production. These results vation in the Park. Each breeding season, we moni- will address whether wildlife hosts are under strong nat- tor > 90 Adirondack lakes for more than 250 uniquely ural selection to favor symbionts that improve resilience color-banded loons and capture, band, and sample 10- to stressors found in an urban world or indicate that the 15 loons on our study lakes to assess loon productiv- host and its microbial community are under divergent ity, health, and mercury exposure. Additionally, we selective pressures.

173 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

the microbiota of American Bushtit (Psaltriparius min- imus) nests found in and around Fresno, CA. We chose Patrones de variacin geogrfica en algunas especies bushtits as they make a unique enclosed, hanging nest. de aves asociadas al bosque seco tropical caducifolio We hypothesize the majority of species will be non- del Pacfico de Mesoamrica pathogenic and species composition will differ depend- ing on the region of the nest sampled. Post-fledging, we Vicente J Castillo used sterile swabs to sample nest openings and brood Adolfo G Navarro areas. DNA was extracted from swabs and the 16S Luis A Sanchez-Gonz´ alez´ rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced. Sequenc- ing data was analyzed using QIIME2. During year 1, In Central America, the seasonally tropical dry forest we sampled two nests, which demonstrated significant (STDF) has a continuous distribution along the Pacific differences in the microbiota of openings compared to Coast from Guanacaste, Costa Rica to Sonora, Mex- brood areas. However, we hypothesized these data may ico. In Mexico, represent the fourth largest biome and be confounded by the presence of three dead nestlings harbor more than 20 % of birds species. Recent stud- in one of the nests. In this brood area, we identified ies revealed that different species have high phylogeo- pathogenic and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. During graphic structure and monophyletic genealogies, how- year 2, the data did not support our hypothesis of the ever, the relative importance of the most accepted ex- opening being different from the brood area. Instead, planation (Pleistocene forest refugia hypothesis) to ac- parts of an individual nest were more closely related to count for these patterns of genetic diversity and diver- one another than the same part in another nest. We are sity of neotropical species is not yet conclusive. Our continuing to locate and sample nests in order to gen- objective is evaluate a hypothesis of simultaneous di- erate a more complete profile of the bushtit nest micro- vergence for four birds species associated with STDF, biota. by means of comparative phylogeography and evalu- ate if time of divergence is coinciding with the location of stability-areas of the historical distribution, through Post-breeding period movement and behavior of Ecological Niche Models (ENM). We use mitochon- adult black-capped vireos (Vireo atricapilla) drial DNA sequences to obtain haplotype-networks, phylogenetic trees and structure analysis and test 12 pa- Paula M Cimprich rameters combinations for each specie and transfer the Joseph A Grzybowski best performed models to: 6,000, 22,000 and 120,000 - Jeffrey F Kelly 140,000 years ago, for two different general circulation models. The results of the niche models suggest loca- Movement and behavior are not well documented for tion of stability-areas are coincident with high genetic most adult migratory birds during the post-breeding pe- structure in three of the four species. The haplotype- riod, the time between the end of nesting and fall migra- networks and phylogenetic trees are congruent in ex- tion. However, this period may provide opportunistic hibit high genetic structure and reciprocal monophyly. social cues and lack of breeding obligations for individ- uals that unsuccessfully produced offspring during the main breeding period and seek to increase their fitness. We examined black-capped vireos (Vireo atricapilla), Characterizing the Microbiota of the Avian Nest with emphasis on males in their first breeding cycle, at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from April to September 2017 to Michael A Castro study movement and behavior in the post-breeding pe- Rachel L Nelson riod. Previous anecdotal information suggests higher John Constable movement rates of males in the post-breeding period Tricia Van Laar compared to restricted territories during the main breed- ing period. We monitored 55 territorial males using Bird nests can serve as reservoirs for potentially harm- a combination of re-sighting color-marked individuals ful bacteria that can infect fledglings and their parents. and radio telemetry to monitor productivity and quan- Nests are often found within urban communities due to tify territory sizes and movement rates in during the decreases in natural habitats and adaptation to foraging main breeding and post-breeding periods. Vegetation among urban settlements, but it is unknown how this and arthropod surveys were also conducted to ascer- anthropogenic association may impact the nest micro- tain habitat selection. Our results suggest age and re- biota. The major goal of our study is to characterize productive status are correlated with territory size and

174 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book movement rates but also indicated a temporal compo- adults. Additionally, migration proceeded more quickly nent. These data suggest the post-breeding period is in the spring, at a pace of 1.1 days per degree latitude, being used for more than survival and molt for birds of compared to the fall, 1.6 days per degree latitude. Anal- a certain age and breeding status. yses across the 50-year period indicated that, in spring, early migrants passed through sites approximately 1.8 days earlier per decade, but there was no change in passage date for late migrants or overall spring mi- Exploring a Potential Hybrid Zone of Blue-Capped gration. During fall, the overall timing of migration Motmots and Lesson’s Motmots stayed consistent across years, but the migratory sea- son is becoming protracted: early migration is 1.8 days Miles D Collins earlier per decade and late migration is 0.9 days later Olivia A Stevens per decade. These results indicate a lengthening of the John E McCormack Black-throated Blue Warbler’s breeding season. This James M Maley framework lends to testable system hypotheses, includ- ing whether migration distance, foraging guild, body Two species that were recently split from the Blue- size, migration route, etc. drive differential responses. crowned Motmot complex occur in northeastern Mex- We must utilize these unique data to understand critical ico. Blue-capped Motmots (Momotus coeruliceps) and shifts at relevant scales of migration. Lesson’s Motmots (Momotus lessonii) both occur in Veracruz, but the boundaries of their respective ranges are not clear. We analyzed 116 specimens in the Moore Laboratory of Zoology collection of both species. We Electronic Transponder Analysis Gateway (ETAG): conducted a morphological analysis and qualitatively An Animal Behavior Observatory for Radio Fre- scored the crowns on a one (blue) to five (black). We quency Identification Technology found apparent hybrids ranging from west of Laguna Tamiahua, Veracruz south over 400 kilometers to Soy- altepec, Oaxaca. Multiple birds had crowns with feath- Claire M Curry ers that were blue at the base but black on the tips. This J E Ruyle suggests a rather large hybrid zone between these two Eli S Bridge species. The hybrid zone requires further study, but ap- parently, species limits need to be reevaluated between Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID) is a these two lineages. widespread technology, familiar to most from RFID tag use as microchips implanted in pets or in electronic toll tags on highways. A growing community of researchers uses this short-range wireless technology to track ani- Fifty years of Black-throated Blue Warbler migra- mal movements, particularly birds, but also including tion in North America mammals, fish, reptiles, and even insects. Use of RFID generates large datasets, often from multiple readers Kristen M Covino or geographic locations. However, at present most re- Kyle G Horton searchers manage their own data. Here we present Sara R Morris an informatics observatory, the Electronic Transponder Analysis Gateway (ETAG), to store and visualize RFID The North American Bird Banding Laboratory main- tracking data in a standardized format. ETAG will help tains an unparalleled dataset useful to investigate nu- researchers manage and collaborate with the large vol- merous aspects of avian biology at a variety of scales. umes of data produced by RFID technology in animal We used these banding records to investigate geo- behavior studies by providing a comprehensive cyber- graphic and temporal migratory patterns of the Black- infrastructure support for this otherwise mature tech- throated Blue Warbler. In both seasons, young birds nology. The user uploads two metadata files contain- represented a higher proportion of individuals captured ing reader locations and animal tagging data (includ- in the periphery compared to the core of the migratory ing all data that would be collected during banding, as range. During spring migration, males migrated 5.5 the database supports flexible numbers of fields) plus days earlier than females and adults migrated 2.9 days tag reads from each reader. Visualization on the ETAG earlier than young individuals. During fall, there was website can be filtered by reader, tag, species, and other no difference in the passage timing between males and fields in addition to Application Programming Interface females but young birds migrated 2.3 days earlier than (API) support for featuring maps of your readers and

175 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 tags on your own website. Adoption of ETAG will al- though resources available on native and migratory low researchers to focus more on science and less on ranges may differ. We assessed whether Neotropi- data management. cal migrants tracked niche space between their breed- ing and wintering grounds. We measured microcli- mate variables and vegetation structure associated with five species of Neotropical migrant birds in the Oua- Song variation between House Wrens living in ur- chita National Forest (breeding) in southeastern Okla- ban and rural areas on the island of Grenada homa and La Milpa Field Station in Orange Walk, Be- lize (wintering). Using a Bayesian approach, we de- Marie-Eve Cyr termined that patterns in habitat selection were appar- Nicola Koper ent between the breeding and wintering grounds for all five focal species. More species tracked temperature The House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) has one of and light than other microclimate variables measured, the largest habitat range among North American bird while canopy cover was tracked by more species than species. Although House Wrens has been the subject of other vegetation structure variables measured. Finer much research in North America, little is known on the scale investigation of niche tracking will further our un- populations of South and Central America where multi- derstanding of which physiological constraints and re- ple subspecies and resident populations are found. The sources contribute to habitat selection in breeding and House Wren population on the island of Grenada is res- wintering grounds of migratory bird species. Further- ident and, due to human activities, urban areas are ex- more, future studies will allow us to predict future dis- panding rapidly. Bird species living in urban areas often tributions in the face of major environmental changes. suffer negative effects through frequency masking when unable to adapt to their new acoustic environment. To avoid masking Grenada House Wrens should adjust part or all of their song in environments with different levels Make new fields but keep the old: Nesting success of noise by increasing the minimum frequency and trill of Dickcissel in Arkansas remnant and restored tall- rate in urban (noisier) environments. We recorded 37 grass prairies birds at 11 sites throughout the island, 6 in urban areas and 5 in rural areas. Spectrogram analyses were per- Alyssa L DeRubeis formed using RavenPro 1.5. House Wrens should avoid Kimberly G Smith masking because of the importance of songs and calls in their behaviors. House Wrens are known for their Of all North American bird groups, grassland species complex singing and extensive repertoires, which sug- have experienced the most precipitous declines in part gest an inherent song plasticity. Furthermore, Grenada due to significant habitat loss. As a remedy, some being a small island with high levels of anthropogenic land managers are restoring prairies to increase avail- pressure, assessing the potential of its resident popula- able grassland bird habitat. While studies have shown tions for adaption is an important step towards better that breeding bird populations between remnant and re- conservation and management strategies. stored prairies are similar, none have specifically ana- lyzed nesting success of grassland birds in these two habitat types. Potential nest success factors like arthro- pod diversity and percent vegetative cover vary between Patterns in habitat selection between breeding and remnant and restored prairies. How suitable are these wintering grounds of Neotropical migrant passer- newly created sites for nesting grassland birds? In the ines summer of 2017, field volunteers and I used behav- ioral clues to detect 40 nests of a locally abundant (but Maryanne E Dantzler-Kyer overall declining) grassland bird, the dickcissel (Spiza Michael A Patten americana), in two remnant sites and three restored sites in northwest Arkansas. We then equipped 14 of Migratory animals must select suitable habitat in dif- these nests with infrared video surveillance cameras to ferent locations to take advantage of abundances of record nest outcome, predation/abandonment rates, and resources and escape harsh climates during seasonal feeding rates. We also measured vegetative composi- changes. Niche tracking occurs when migratory an- tion, percent visibility, and litter depth at nest and ran- imals fill the same niche space on their breeding and dom sites. Other factors I will consider in analysis in- wintering grounds. Niche space overlap is expected be- clude nest density, edge habitat, parcel size, and the sur- cause of limiting ecophysiological or behavioral needs, rounding landscape. After I analyze the data, my study

176 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book will show how valuable restored prairies are for nesting in northeastern North America, to understand changes dickcissels. in raptor morphology and to evaluate the influences of wind patterns on annual and interannual species migration through Cape May, NJ. Specifically, this study analyzed 49 years of morphological data col- Modeling Nest Predation and Cowbird Parasitism lected from the Cape May Raptor Banding Project in Rates of Bell’s Vireo in North East Texas Cape May, NJ. Data was analyzed to assess wing chord changes over time for raptor species. Additionally, the Hannah S Dill study analyzed 40 years of population data compiled Natasha R Lehr by HawkCount.org from Cape May, NJ. Results indi- Johanna Delgado-Acevedo cated five species of raptors (Cooper’s hawk, Sharp- Dean Ransom shinned hawk, American Kestrel, Peregrine falcon, and Norther Harrier) exhibited a significant reduction in Neotropical migrants as a group have experienced long wing chord length in both male and females over time. term population declines, which in some species may be The data illustrated fluctuations in migrating popula- due to elevated rates of nest predation and brood para- tions. Sharp-Shinned Hawks and American Kestrels sitism by brown headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in showed strong downward trends, whereas Peregrine human fragmented habitats. The Bell’s Vireo (Vireo Falcons and Cooper’s Hawks displayed increases in mi- bellii bellii) is a neotropical migrant that experiences grating numbers. While our research found signifi- elevated parasitism and nest predation rates. This song- cantly higher daily raptor migration through Cape May, bird breeds throughout the central and southwestern NJ during days with north and west winds (p<0.0001), US. Unlike many states in this species range, Bell’s wind direction did not account for interannual migra- vireos populations are increasing in Texas. In 2016 tion abundances. Temporal changes in raptor morphol- and 2017, we studied the nesting ecology of a recently ogy and population can be indicative of changes in land established breeding population of Bell’s vireo on two cover, climate or human built environments. Further re- sites in north east Texas. We quantified cowbird para- search examining land use changes may help refine our sitism and nest predation rates and modeled these rates understanding of species specific impacts. using nest site vegetation data using logistic regression in an information-theoretic model selection framework. We described 10 variables associated with the nest site with means 95% CI. We located 107 nests, 77 of which Non-breeding ecology of a declining grassland bird were of known fate. Forty seven nests (61%) failed; 28 in agricultural landscapes: the loggerhead shrike (36%) and 19 (25%) nests were depredation and para- sitized, respectively. Nest parasitism was best modeled Emily R Donahue with lateral concealment to the nest, distance of nest Michael D Collins to canopy edge of nest tree, and the distance from the Lee Bryant ground to rim of the nest (wi = 0.198). Nest predation Alexander Worm was best modeled with visual obstruction at the nest us- Alix Matthews ing the Robel cover pole technique (wi =0.114). Jacob Wessels

As native grasslands have been transformed by agricul- tural development (ranging from family farm mosaics Examining temporal changes in morphology, pop- to intensive monocultures) and forest succession, many ulation dynamics, and wind migration patterns of grassland bird populations in North America are ex- raptor species migrating through Cape May, New periencing severe declines. The Loggerhead Shrike is Jersey one species that has severely declined since the 1960s and is now listed as endangered, threatened, or spe- Calum R Dixon cial concern in multiple states (and federally endan- Nicholas A Baer gered in Canada). However, the specific factors and re- gions most responsible for this decline remain unclear. Long-term datasets enable researchers to investigate The landscape of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley raptor population and morphological trends over time (LMAV) is dominated by intensive agriculture but still to better understand potential temporal variation in par- provides habitat for two Loggerhead Shrike subspecies ticular species. The objectives of this research were to (one migratory and one sedentary). However, the winter assess long-term population trends in endemic raptors ecology of shrikes in the region is acutely understudied,

177 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

and virtually nothing is known about important habitat non-translocated nests (2.85 fledglings/nest; t = 2.5103, features and/or if these features differ between shrike P< 0.025). Our results suggest that translocation poses subspecies during this season of co-existence. To fill challenges for Burrowing Owls who have limited suc- these gaps, we conducted occupancy, behavioral, and cess for first year releases. Stress from the transloca- larder surveys along with banding and monitoring to tion process (i.e. 8-10 owls held in release tents), site estimate detectability, survival, site fidelity, and body location, and competition may be contributing to these condition of shrikes in the LMAV of Arkansas from results. 2016-2018. We estimated relatively high occupancy (23%), high apparent annual survival (>60%), and site fidelity (47% within 1 km of previous winter banding Moore Laboratory Specimens and Field Notes as site). We documented and estimated foraging attempt Tools for Citizen Science: Assessing A Century of and success rates; perch, larder, and hunting substrates; Environmental Change and diet composition (based both on behavioral surveys and larder contents). Our results will aid in understand- Betty Du ing how to best manage these agricultural systems to James M Maley continue providing appropriate features and potentially Whitney LE Tsai even improve sustainability of shrikes in this unlikely John E McCormack landscape. Natural history collections provide a historical snapshot of human-caused habitat impacts, for these collections Assessment of western Burrowing Owl (Athene cu- contain a wealth of information on past biodiversity pat- nicularia) translocations from urban development terns. The Moore Laboratory of Zoology is a glimpse of sites to artificial habitat in the Phoenix, Arizona area Mexico’s bird diversity from 1933 to 1955 as the largest Mexican bird collection in the world and can aid in Dejeanne Doublet comparing past and contemporary bird distribution pat- Martha J Desmond terns. The major collector of Moore Laboratory’s spec- David H Johnson imens, Chester C. Lamb, wrote extensive field notes Fitsum A Gebreselassie that described the locations and the birds he saw and collected. By comparing Lamb’s historical field notes Translocation as a conservation tool is increasingly be- with contemporary data from modern eBird records, we ing utilized to mitigate the effects of land conversion can assess bird distribution patterns changes and inves- and development on wildlife. The western Burrow- tigate reasons behind those changes. Data from one ing Owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) is a declining site, El Naranjo in San Luis Potos, Mexico, contain in- species that readily nests in anthropogenic landscapes formation on birds collected and seen over 19 days in and has been the subject of translocation efforts. We 1942 to present day eBird records. While many more are assessing an ongoing Burrowing Owl translocation species were noted in modern records, 181 species com- program in the Phoenix, Arizona area to answer two pared to Lamb’s 94, this occurrence is likely due to in- key questions: (1) ’How well do translocation programs creases in observations and microhabitats explored. We work for Burrowing Owls?’ and (2) ’How can we im- documented several cases of species losses, especially prove the success of these programs?’ From 2017- among raptors and game birds. Lamb recorded sixteen 2019, we will track survival, movement, and nesting species, including Crested Guan, Bicolored Hawk, Col- of 80 adult owls (40 translocated, 40 non-translocated) lared Forest-Falcon, Black Swift, Canyon Wren, and with the use of VHF radio-telemetry. In 2017, male Greenish Elaenia, which were not observed modern survival was lower for translocated (0.34) than non- records. These potential losses are likely attributed to translocated males (0.66), non-translocated females deforestation and landscape alternations for arable land (0.64), and translocated females (0.69; 43 weeks). We since the 1940s. Analysis at this site provides a frame- constructed a set of joint live-dead encounter models work for using Lamb’s specimens and lists and citizen assessing the importance of translocation and sex on science data to document bird distributional change for survival and found the top-ranking model to be one all of Mexico. in which survival differs for translocated males only. Translocated owls were less likely to establish nests, and those that did had lower nest survival (0.32) than Variations in social network structures between non-translocated nests (0.85; P<0.001, Fisher’s exact eruption and non-eruption years in two chickadee test) and lower productivity (2.00 fledglings/nest) than species

178 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Matthew N Dula more in less windy conditions. Thus, wind speed is de- Rebecca D Garlinger creasing at this location and it is affecting the timing Robert L Curry of breeding and potentially the reproductive success of tree swallows. Social networks have recently become an important tool for understanding social behaviors in animals. Social networks are beneficial for understanding how individ- uals are affected by the social structure of a community Local meteorological conditions reroute a migration and how individual behavioral phenotypes can medi- ate natural selection. We use social networks to under- Joseph M Eisaguirre stand winter season interactions between two species Travis L Booms of chickadees, Carolina and Black-capped chickadees. Christopher P Barger In years where supplies are limited in Black-capped Carol L McIntyre Chickadee territories, young birds will disperse south- Stephen B Lewis ward into Carolina Chickadee territories, called erup- Greg A Breed tion years. We seek to determine the differences in social structures via social network analysis in Car- Understanding how species respond to changing abiotic olina Chickadee populations in eruption years and non- conditions is increasingly important as climates change. eruption years. We have roughly 60,000 data points For migrating animals, realized migration routes and from 49 birds from the 2016-2017 eruption year and timing emerge from hundreds or thousands of move- roughly 14,000 data points from 13 birds so far from ment decisions made along migration routes. Local the 2017-2018 year of only Carolina Chickadees. The weather conditions along migration routes continually social network metrics, strength (0.156 4.48 to 0.648 influence these decisions, and even relatively small 2.46) and degree (9 35 to 7 12) were greater in the changes in en route weather may cumulatively result eruption year while centrality (3.82e-6 - 0.888 to 0.181 in major shifts in migration patterns. Here, we ana- 1.00) was greater in the non-eruption year. Social net- lyzed satellite tracking data to score a discrete navi- works can help us understand how the social structures gation decision in a large migratory bird, Golden Ea- of winter flocks change in Carolina Chickadees when gle Aquila chrysaetos, as it navigated a high-latitude, Black-capped Chickadee eruption individuals are intro- 4500-m elevation mountain range to understand how duced and how the two species interact. those navigational decisions changed under different weather conditions. Using Bayesian hierarchical mod- els, we showed that wind in a particular area along the migration pathway drove this major navigational de- Effects of changing wind speed on the breeding suc- cision; conditions encountered at the migration route cess of an aerial insectivore break point predictably resulted in migrants routing ei- ther north or south of the mountain range. With abiotic Peter O Dunn conditions continuing to change globally, simple deci- Linda A Whittingham sions, such as the one described here, might additively emerge into new, very different migration routes. Climate change is often thought of in terms of increas- ing temperatures; however, wind speed is also changing and impacting the environment. Surface wind speeds have decreased in the Northern Hemisphere over the Modeling pesticide risk to California Gnatcatchers past 30 years, but little is known about how this impacts wildlife. In this study examined the effect of decreasing Matthew A Etterson wind speed on the breeding success of tree swallows, Nathan Schumaker which feed primarily on flying insects. We analyzed Kristina Garber data collected on wind speed, flying insect availability Steven Lennartz and swallow reproductive success over 21 years (1997- Andrew Kanarek 2017) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Field Jennifer Connolly Station in southeast Wisconsin. We found that cumu- lative wind speed during the breeding season has de- Pesticides are used widely in US agriculture and may creased over the past 21 years, likely increasing food affect non-target organisms, including birds. Recently, availability for swallows. Tree swallows laid their eggs USEPA has worked with other federal agencies, in- earlier when it was less windy and nestlings weighed cluding USFWS and NMFS, to revise and strengthen

179 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 methods for conducting pesticide risk assessments un- the areal, neighborhood, and focal site scales using gen- der section 7 of the U.S. Endangered Species Act. eralized linear modeling. The neighborhood model was Three existing USEPA models, the Terrestrial Inves- most supported (K = 7, wi =0.89), with high LTSP cor- tigation Model (TIM), the Markov Chain Nest Pro- responding with high focal WP, and LTSP of neighbor ductivity Model (MCnest), and the HexSim modeling cells, but not neighbor WP. Thus, we found overall sup- environment were modified to develop an integrated port for the habitat hypothesis at a focal site scale, but model for avian pesticide risk assessment. The model at a neighborhood scale, occupancy patterns may be so- is parameterized using only data currently available un- cially driven. Collectively, these spatial patterns expose der the standard pesticide registration process, together synergistic effects of behavior and landscape features with life history data available in the scientific liter- to shape occupancy and habitat preference at multiple ature. The model will be demonstrated by simulat- spatial scales. ing potential pesticide effects on the federally threat- ened California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica) in the U.S. portion of the species range. Two pesticides, Tracking understudied songbirds in the desert: the malathion (organophosphate), and lambda-cyhalothrin post-fledging period of Gray Vireos (pyrethroid), applied to wheat crops under varying spa- tially explicit usage consistent with the labeling for Sarah E Fischer the two pesticides were modeled. Model-predicted de- Kathy Granillo clines in gnatcatcher abundance and changes in the Henry C Stevens distribution of the species following applications of Claire E Nemes each pesticide will be highlighted. The integrated Henry M Streby TIM/MCnest/HexSim model should allow chemical risk assessors to evaluate spatial and temporal dynamics Gray Vireos (Vireo vicinior) are short-distance migra- that are important to understanding population persis- tory songbirds that breed primarily in pion (Pinus spp.) tence in complex spatial landscapes with multiple stres- juniper (Juniperus spp.) systems in the southwestern sors. United States and northwestern Mexico. Compared to many songbirds in North America, Gray Vireos are un- derstudied throughout their range, making it challeng- ing to develop and implement conservation plans. Ad- Influence of behavior, landscape features, and spa- ditionally, most studies of Gray Vireo demography fo- tial scale on Veery breeding site occupancy and pref- cus on the nesting stage (i.e., nesting success as a mea- erence in NY, USA sure of productivity). However, incorporating data from the post-fledging period is essential to determine full- Elizabeth A Farley-Dawson season productivity and habitat associations. We mon- Kenneth A Schmidt itored nests (n=36 in 2016; n=51) at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico, USA. Nest The Veery (Catharus fuscescens) commonly nests near success was 24% and 25% in 2016 and 2017, respec- wetlands, but it is unclear whether this is due to local tively. Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) para- or macro-scale habitat attributes. The extent that social sitized 38% and 43% of Gray Vireo nests in those years, factors such as conspecific attraction contribute is also respectively. In 2017, we used radio telemetry to track uncertain. We assessed whether long-term breeding site the daily movements of 32 fledglings to determine post- preference (LTSP) was influenced by habitat and be- fledging space use, survival, and habitat features asso- havioral factors using a long-term (2006-2015) nesting ciated with those parameters. Fledgling survival was study from New York. We hypothesized that if LTSP 66% during the dependent stage (i.e., between nest de- was habitat-driven, then high LTSP sites would be posi- parture and independence from adult care). The mean tively associated with the proportion of that site covered distance between daily movements was 241.1 m ( 235.4 by wetlands (WP), and high LTSP sites would cluster SD), and the maximum observed daily distance was 1.4 around wetlands. If LTSP was socially driven, clus- km. These movements increased with age. Like other ters of high LTSP sites should occur away from wet- fledgling studies, the majority of mortality occurred lands. Spatial autoregressive modeling of 6 variables during the first week post-fledging. Our study high- (elevation, aspect, slope, WP, road length, proportion of lights the importance of monitoring fledgling songbirds successful nests) on focal sites showed that in only one when considering full-season productivity and manage- of three study areas did high LTSP sites contain higher ment decisions. WP. High LTSP sites clustered in this area (Moran’s I = 0.324, p < 0.001). We examined summarized metrics at

180 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Variations of Bird Communities in Early Succes- regions and landscapes. This study aims to identify sional Secondary dry forest versus Late Secondary current gaps in the current knowledge of West African dry forest in Salinas, Puerto Rico birds that can guide future avian surveys and invento- ries across the region, and to inform conservation de- Soely E Luyando Flusa cisions. We examined Digital Accessible Knowledge Waleska Vazquez-Carrero (DAK) of the birds of Western Africa, available on- Fred C Schaffner Gibbs line from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and eBird. The data were standardized and This study investigates how forest composition may af- cleaned carefully, and inventory completeness indices fect the abundance and diversity of resident and migra- were calculated at 0.5o, 0.3o and 0.1o spatial resolution tory passerine avian communities on the south coast were calculated across the region. Well-known sites of Puerto Rico at the Jobos Bay National Estuarine were identified as those grid squares with completeness Research Reserve (JBNERR). Site 1, (La Poza) con- indices above 80% and >200 associated DAK records. sists of early successional secondary dry forest, heav- We identified 81 well-known pixels at 0.1o, 73 at 0.3o, ily dominated by a near monoculture of mesquite and 63 at 0.5o. Well-known sites were notably clustered (Prosopis juliflora), while Site 2 (El Corredor) is an around accessible areas (e.g., cities). Countries holding interhabitat corridor between mangrove (mostly black more well-known sites were Ghana, Cameroon, Gam- mangrove Avicennia germinans) and more mature sec- bia, and Ivory Coast. Our results show the biases and ondary dry forest. We used mist netting to evaluate gaps in West African bird data, and identify areas to be the species presence and abundance at each site dur- prioritized in future surveys and inventories. ing the months of January through April (migratory sea- son) and May through July (non-migratory season), us- ing the Shannon-Weiner and Rank-Abundance indices Segregation vs overlapping, small raptors diet in of diversity, and the Simpson Index of Dominance. a fragmented desert in Baja California Peninsula, The Shannon-Weiner Index indicated higher biodiver- Mexico sity at the interhabitat corridor Site 2 (H = 2.2831), with greater species richness and evenness, versus the Mart´ın G Frixione early successional dry forest Site 1 (H =1.8820); simi- Ricardo Rodriguez-Estrella lar results were revealed in the Rank Abundance curves. Contrarily, the Simpson Index indicated higher species The Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) and the dominance in the early successional Site 1 (C = 0.2144) American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) are small size rap- versus the more mature secondary dry forest Site 2 tors, generalists and widely distributed in the Ameri- (C=0.1428). With the results shown in Site 2, we con- can continent. We collected and analyzed pellets dur- sider that the complex vegetative structure and diversity ing the breeding season (A. cunicularia, n = 135; F. provides more diverse niche opportunities for both nest- sparverius, n = 59) from a fragmented habitat with ing resident and intercontinental migratory land birds. agriculture matrix in the sarcocaulescent scrub veg- Our ongoing research and monitoring efforts provide etation in arid ecosystem of Baja California penin- an opportunity for translational ecology to inform con- sula. We estimated frequency of occurrence (O%), servation measures and management actions to enhance items frequency per pellet (N%) and ingested biomass both vegetative and avian biodiversity. (B%). A. cunicularia preyed upon mostly on arthro- pods (O%: 94.2%, mostly orthopterans) and rodents (O%: 3.9%), although rodents contributed the most in Completeness of Digital Accessible Knowledge of biomass (36.1%). F. sparverius preyed upon mostly the Birds of Western Africa and Priorities for Sur- on arthropods (O%: 67.8%, mostly orthopterans) and vey and Inventory reptiles (O%: 15.5%), and reptiles contributed most of the prey biomass (64.7%). Vertebrates biomass in Bur- Benedictus B Freeman rowing Owl diet (66.9%) was lower than in American A T Peterson Kestrel diet (95.5%). Diversity (A. cunicularia: H’ = 1.25, F. sparverius: H’ = 2.14) and niche breadth (A. Primary biodiversity data are widely used to model eco- cunicularia: Ba = 0.07, F. sparverius: Ba = 0.25) was logical niches and geographic distributions of species, lower comparing with other studies. Pianka’s index assess the status of global biodiversity, and inform con- showed an important diet overlap by order (Oij = 0.84) servation decisions. However, these data are often un- and class (Oij = 0.96) frequencies but decreasing by or- available for some taxa or unevenly distributed across der biomass (Oij = 0.59). Species found in pellets were

181 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 mostly the same in this fragmented habitat but different Christopher J Gilbert proportions could evidence segregation by daylapse ac- Erik J Blomberg tivity, extending Burrowing owl preying activity during crepuscular time. Populations along southern range margins are often ex- posed to fragmented habitat and less suitable climatic factors compared to populations within the center of the species’ range. Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) Genomic characterization of the rosy-finch (Leucos- are conifer obligates, endemic to the boreal forests of ticte spp.) species complex North America. At their southern range margin, Spruce Grouse populations are scattered and at risk of local ex- Erik R Funk tinction due to the lack of suitable habitat where conif- Garth M Spellman erous forests interface with deciduous forests, as well Kevin Winker as occurring at the southern end of their bio-climatic Erika S Zavaleta envelope. Occupancy and abundance can be affected Kristen C Ruegg by changes in forest succession and climate. I resur- Scott A Taylor veyed 18 black spruce-tamarack forest stands within Mount Desert Island, Maine, that were originally sur- Alpine and arctic ecosystems are among the most veyed during the early 1990s (Whitcomb et al. 1996) to rapidly impacted environments from climate change. examine changes in spruce grouse population dynamics Their young age and difficult accessibility impede field over 25 years. I measured occupancy and abundance work and contribute to their understudied status. Suc- using callback surveys during the breeding season, and cessful conservation of these ecosystems requires accu- I also recorded micro-climate covariates (temperature rate documentation of standing biodiversity and an un- and humidity) using Thermochron iButtons. I detected derstanding of the processes involved in generating and 7 Spruce Grouse in 4 stands, whereas 40 individuals maintaining it. Rosy-finches are a complex of charis- were detected in 8 stands during the 1990s. I analyzed matic bird species that inhabit these extreme environ- the effects of stand size, average stand humidity, and ments and exhibit extensive plumage variation coupled the average daily maximum stand temperature on oc- with low levels of genetic variation. The number of cupancy using program R. I found that stand size ef- species within the complex is debated, making it ex- fected occupancy, while relative humidity and average cellent for studying the forces involved in the process daily maximum temperature had no statistically signif- of diversification, as well as an important group within icant effect. To preserve populations at southern range which to clarify species boundaries and biodiversity. margins, larger patches of habitat are likely needed to We are sequencing whole genomes from 68 individuals mitigate the effects of habitat loss. to 1) document genomic divergence in the rosy-finch species complex and clarify species boundaries and to 2) examine the genetic basis of plumage differences be- tween the taxa within each of these groups, the genetic Hatching a plan for plover conservation: Preda- controls of which likely played important roles in di- tor exclosures increase Wilson’s Plover (Charadrius versification. We will examine genetic variation across wilsonia) nest success species and populations using FST, a measure of ge- netic dissimilarity, and assess ancestry proportions us- Lauren Gingerella ing NGS Admix. We will also use a Genome-wide Ef- Abby Sterling ficient Mixed Model Association (GEMMA) approach Scott Coleman to identify genetic variation potentially associated with Timothy Keyes plumage color differences. Broadly, this research will Robert Cooper lend insight into patterns and processes of species di- vergence at high latitudes and high elevations. Fur- The effectiveness of predator exclosures on nest success ther, evaluating the distinctness of these evolutionary of Wilson’s Plovers (Charadrius wilsonia) was studied lineages will help inform conservation decisions in en- on Little St. Simons Island, Georgia. Predation is a vironments that are highly affected by climate change. leading cause of nest failure among shorebirds, and a threat that limits the distribution of this species of high concern (according to the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan). Although studied with other plovers, predator Twenty-Five Years of Change in Spruce Grouse Oc- exclosures have been studied minimally with Wilson’s cupancy at Their Southern Range Margin Plovers. Exclosures were deployed at nest sites within

182 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book the first three days of incubation at every other discov- and interior-to-edge ratio, and smaller percentage of ered nest. All nests were monitored until they either tree cover in the patch and surrounding landscape. We failed or eggs hatched, and trail cameras monitored ex- also expect nest predation rates to exhibit a unimodal re- closed nests as well. Exclosed nests had higher daily lationship with small mammal abundance, with lowest survival rate (n=18, DSR=0.984, SE=0.446) than un- predation rates coinciding with a moderate abundance exclosed nests (n=41, DSR=0.959, SE=0.227) in 2016, of small mammals. and the treatment effect was significant (p=0.032). Re- sults were similar in 2017 as exclosed nests (n=23, DSR=0.993, SE=0.5) again had higher survival than un- Why Every Ornithologist Needs a Social Scientist exclosed nests (n=27, DSR=0.931, SE=0.219). No ver- Collaborator tebrate predators depredated exclosed nests, but ghost crabs (Ocypode quadrata) were responsible for partially Ashley R Gramza and fully depredating nests in both treatment groups. Ashley A Dayer No adult mortality was observed during the study. Re- sults show that predator exclosures increase nest suc- Bird conservation fundamentally includes humans, and cess of Wilson’s Plovers, but hatchling mortality re- the most successful conservation actions are those mains high, so that the method may be of limited value aligned with the values, well-being, and perspectives of for increasing overall productivity. people. Therefore, studying and understanding the hu- man aspects of bird conservation is essential for devel- oping effective bird conservation strategies that address Grassland community responses to habitat struc- challenges for birds identified by ornithologists. Hu- ture and restoration management actions man dimensions (HD) is a field of study that applies the social sciences to examine research questions that have Alex J Glass implications for wildlife conservation efforts. Combin- Michael W Eichholz ing expertise from the fields of human dimensions and Stan McTaggart ornithology through interdisciplinary research can im- prove bird conservation approaches and outcomes, and The Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus, here- leverage opportunities for research through a coupled- after bobwhite) has experienced steady population de- human natural systems approach. Biologists and or- clines across its range since the 1960’s, despite be- nithologists are increasingly employing social science ing one of the most widely researched and managed methods in their projects to address pressing conser- species in North America. This study seeks to improve vation issues; these efforts will be further advanced management policy for bobwhites and other grassland- by collaborations with social scientists. Effective col- dependent birds by identifying the mechanisms within laboration requires: 1) involving social scientists and the grassland community that drive bird productivity. ornithologists from the beginning of interdisciplinary We anticipate that bobwhites and grassland songbirds projects; 2) integrating both sciences into conserva- are influenced by the same mechanisms, thus identi- tion planning and implementation; and 3) building HD fying them will allow us to inform management prac- capacity in organizations and agencies. This poster tices that benefit bobwhites as well as other grassland will identify resources and opportunities available to re- birds, many of whom have also experienced large pop- searchers interested in taking such steps. While inter- ulation declines in recent decades. We will monitor disciplinary research can be challenging and time con- invertebrate and small mammal abundance, snake and suming, only through collaboration will researchers be mesopredator activity, songbird nest success and den- able to effectively understand and address conservation sity, and vegetation structure and composition as they threats faced by birds. respond to grassland restoration efforts in the context of varying habitat structure. Specifically, we will consider the effects of vegetation species composition, patch The nestling who lived: predictors of survival dur- size, interior-to-edge ratio, surrounding habitat type, ing harsh weather events in an aerial insectivore and landscape cover on these different facets of the bi- otic grassland community. This study will take place Ilsa A Griebel on restored grassland patches at Burning Star State Fish Russell D Dawson and Wildlife Area in southern Illinois. We expect that productivity for both bobwhites and grassland song- Periods of inclement weather can have devastating ef- birds will generally be higher in patches of larger size fects on aerial insectivorous birds, particularly during

183 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 brood rearing when sufficient food must be obtained in technique and theory that are poised to revolution- to sustain both young and parents. Here, we examine ize our understanding of how parasites shape species predictors of survival of whole broods and individual boundaries between naturally hybridizing taxa. I will nestlings in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) dur- also present planned future research focused on under- ing an extreme, two-day harsh weather event in cen- standing the role that nest parasites play in shaping the tral British Columbia, which co-occurred with an ex- black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina (P. car- periment reducing nest ectoparasite loads using an anti- olinensis) chickadee species boundary. My planned parasite drug (ivermectin). We found that middle-aged research will involve geographically replicated field- broods and nestlings were less likely to survive than based nest manipulations within and outside of the hy- those that were younger or older in age. Survival brid zone during which I will examine fledging suc- of broods and individual nestlings was higher when cess and post-fledging survival of parasitized and non- raised by males with bluer plumage, whereas it was parasitized hybrid and non-hybrid chickadees. lower when female parents had brighter and more UV- reflective plumage. Within broods, smaller nestlings had a lower chance of surviving the harsh weather event than their larger siblings. Nestlings in broods where Social Affiliation and Call Sharing in Budgerigars half of the offspring received ivermectin injections had (Melopsittacus undulatus) significantly higher chances of surviving than nestlings from non-experimental broods, suggesting that parasite Clara A Hansen loads can influence survival during inclement weather. Gregory Kohn Our results that identify several factors influencing re- Timothy Wright siliency of nestlings to harsh weather are particularly relevant in the context of declining bird populations and Vocal learning, the ability to modify acoustic sounds climate change. As the frequency of extreme weather based on social context is a trait important for species events are predicted to increase with the progression living in social groups. One hypothesis for the evolu- of global climate change, understanding survival dur- tion of this ability is that shared vocalizations facili- ing harsh weather events may be critical for aerial in- tate social interactions between group members. We sectivores, one of the fastest declining group of birds in investigated whether captive budgerigars who are more Canada. affiliated with each other in a social network share a higher proportion of call types. We examined the re- lationship for 3 different groups, one all-female group A novel host: parasites, hybrid fitness, and species of 5 birds and two mixed-sex groups of 6 male and 6 boundaries female birds. Contact call recordings and behavioral observations were conducted for a period of 4 weeks. Angela N Hansen We predicted that pairs of birds with strong affiliative Amanda K Hund associations would have more shared contact calls. We Scott A Taylor found a weak correlation between birds that shared a higher proportion of call types and birds with strong Hybrid zones have long been viewed as natural ex- affiliative connections. In all experiments, birds shared periments for understanding the evolutionary process. calls with 0-2 other birds but there was no strong affilia- However, despite a long history of study, we still do tive association evident between birds that shared more not have a comprehensive understanding of the underly- calls with each other. We did find, that in the mixed ing mechanisms that maintain or erode species bound- sex group the strongest affiliative correlations were be- aries in the presence of regular hybridization. Previous tween birds of the same sex with the strongest relation- studies have suggested that species boundaries can be ships between males, weakest between females and in- maintained due to hybrid inviability, which has been at- termediate between male-female pairs. This suggests tributed to a variety of both intrinsic and extrinsic mech- that in captivity male budgerigars form strong affiliative anisms. However, a potentially important mechanism ties with other male birds even when potential mates are that has been less well studied is the role that para- present. This study provides insight into the correlation sites may play in either maintaining or eroding species between social networks and call sharing and sets up boundaries. I will present a comprehensive review and future experiments looking at this relationship in larger, synthesis of the literature regarding our current under- more complex groups of birds. standing of host-parasite relationships and hybridiza- tion in nature, and will discuss exciting new advances

184 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Analysis of an Avian Disease Network in the Greater a gauge for how their generation plans to deal with Yellowstone Ecosystem: Opportunities for Under- ACC. This study aimed to determine freshmen attitudes graduate Students towards and knowledge of ACC, which factors affect these variables, and whether there is a correlation be- Kayla M Harakal tween attitude and knowledge. We issued online sur- Chloe D Winkler veys at 7 universities across the eastern United States Eric C Atkinson and received responses from 718 first-semester fresh- men. The survey contained 3 sections assessing the From an ongoing project, we are testing avian species students’ attitude, knowledge, and demographic back- in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for malaria, West ground. Attitude was students’ degree of concern of Nile Virus (WNV) and irides somatic variability. This ACC: Alarmed (26.7%), Concerned (41.4%) Cautious study started in 2013 and over this time frame we sam- (19.6%), Disengaged (3.34%), Doubtful (4.04%), and pled 471 birds of 33 species, covering several altitudes Dismissive (2.92%). Knowledge was students’ total at six sites. In the summer of 2017 alone, we caught score on knowledge questions (mean = 79.9%). We an- over 200 birds within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosys- alyzed attitude and knowledge using ordinal and beta tem. Each individual researcher has chosen an area logistic regressions, respectively. Gender and religion of research: disease comparison between House Spar- affected both attitude and knowledge, whereas college rows (Passer domesticus) and House Finches (Haemor- major and university attended influenced only knowl- hous mexicanus), and color variability of the Com- edge, and political affiliation only explained variation in mon Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) iris. In the disease attitude. Yet knowledge and attitude were significantly comparison of malaria and WNV loads, their sam- correlated, suggesting education is an important tool to ple size consists of 170 different House Sparrows and mitigate ACC. Though limited to the eastern US, our re- House Finches. Screening for malaria provided evi- sults may be used by educators to develop more effec- dence that 18 HOFI and 14 HOSP were suspected to tive study plans and outreach strategies, policymakers have malaria. We have also identified both conjunc- to better tailor environmental legislation to their con- tivitis and Avipoxvirus in a small proportion of sam- stituents, and non-governmental organizations to refine pled House Finches. Recently, we initiated metage- their message about ACC. nomic analysis of the fecal microbiome from 94 dif- ferent samples employing HiSeq protocols. It is our hope that we can further our research in the different diseases present in avian species. We hope to test our Harmful algal blooms, seabirds, and forage fish: as- hypotheses this upcoming summer on the abnormalities sessment of algal toxins during a large-scale Com- found within the female Common Grackle iris as well mon Murre die-off in Alaska as the somatic variability. Through this study we could gain further knowledge of where this abnormality could Caroline Van Hemert have originated. Our poster provides an overview of our Sarah K Schoen continued research throughout the upcoming summer to William C Holland further our knowledge on avian diseases present in the John F Piatt Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Mayumi L Arimitsu Rance Hardison

Factors Affecting Knowledge and Beliefs of College An unprecedented mortality event of Common Mur- Freshmen towards Climate Change res (Uria aalge) was observed across the Northeast Pa- cific Ocean in 20152016 in association with a mass Sara E Harrod of anomalously warm ocean water dubbed The Blob. Virginie Rolland The proximate cause of murre mortality was starva- tion, which appears to have resulted from a shortage Despite overwhelming scientific consensus and educa- of available forage fish. However, birds may have also tional outreach efforts, about 25% Americans remain been exposed to harmful algal blooms (HABs), raising unconvinced of anthropogenic climate change (ACC), questions about the possible role of algal toxins in the and significant misconceptions of its causes and ef- murre die-off. To address these concerns, we tested fects remain. Although many studies have assessed for the HAB neurotoxins domoic acid (DA) and saxi- working adults’ views towards ACC, incoming college toxin (STX) in seabird tissues from deceased Common freshmen remain largely overlooked, yet can provide Murres associated with the 20152016 die-off, as well

185 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 as from apparently healthy murres, Black-legged Kitti- wakes (Rissa tridactyla), and samples of forage fish and invertebrates that were collected during summer 2015 Distribution, abundance, and habitat selection of and 2016. DA occurred infrequently and only at trace breeding Mississippi Kites (Ictinia mississippiensis) concentrations in both bird and forage fish samples. In in southern Illinois contrast, we detected STX across multiple tissue types in both healthy and die-off birds as well as in forage Benton J Hendrickson fish. No reference values currently exist for seabirds, Michael W Eichholz but concentrations of STX in most individuals were rel- atively low, and we found no evidence that acute ex- Mississippi kites (Ictinia mississippiensis) experienced posure to algal toxins was a direct cause of Common a population decline between 1900-1950 due to chang- Murre mortalities. Nevertheless, our results demon- ing agricultural practices, but have since exhibited strate the widespread occurrence of STX in seabirds range expansion throughout the American Southwest, and forage fish across multiple seasons and geographic Great Plains and into urban centers. Although consid- locations in Alaska, and suggest that HABs should be ered a species of continental importance and threatened considered in future assessments of seabird health, es- by the state of Illinois, previous studies suggested that pecially given the potential for greater occurrence of Kite populations in southern Illinois were stable or in- HABs in the future. creasing, and reports from numerous natural heritage biologists, avian conservation organizations, and am- ateur birders suggest a substantial population increase across southern Illinois and range expansion away from historically utilized riparian areas, which may warrant Niche modeling of todies (Todus spp.) in the Greater de-listing the species. Numerous studies have investi- Antilles gated the importance of nest-site selection, habitat qual- ity, and prey abundance on Mississippi kite nesting suc- Kate M Henderson cess, with some suggesting regional variability in extent Peleg Kremer to which these factors are influential. To determine the Holly Garrod status of Mississippi kites in southern Illinois and iden- Robert L Curry tify factors influencing potential population growth and range expansion, high-quality kite nesting habitat will Niche modeling is a powerful predictive tool used to de- be identified through spatial analysis of land cover data termine habitat suitability and potential ranges for spe- in ArcGIS, reports from social media and birding re- cific species, and can be especially useful for filling in sources such as eBird, and auto, foot, and boat surveys knowledge gaps about little-studied species. We used throughout 10 southern Illinois counties. Once located, MAXENT niche modeling software to predict habitat nests will be monitored throughout the season and nest- suitability for the five species of Todus in the Greater ing habitat quality will be recorded quantified. Diet will Antilles based on eBird occurrence data and environ- be analyzed via manual observations of prey delivery mental variables including elevation, land cover, and and fecal DNA analysis using next generation sequenc- WorldClim’s 19 bioclimatic variables. Land cover and ing. The results of this study will help determine current precipitation were important for determining suitable population size and distribution of Mississippi kites in habitat for Todus multicolor in Cuba, Todus todus in southern Illinois and inform management decisions re- Jamaica, and Todus mexicanus in Puerto Rico. On His- garding kite nesting habitat and prey resources. paniola, where Todus angustirostris and Todus subula- tus are both endemic, elevation was the most important variable for determining habitat suitability. The model outputs successfully identified the Cordillera Central, Distribution and population size estimates for land- Cordillera Septentrional, and several parts of the Sierra birds breeding in Edhzhe; a candidate National de Bahoruco and Massif de la Hotte as potential zones Wildlife Area in the Northwest Territories, Canada of overlap between the two species on Hispaniola, which is supported by the current literature available on Kristina G Hick Todus distribution. Based on our suitability models, we Samuel A Hache can make detailed predictions about Todus ranges in the Peter´ Solymos´ Greater Antilles and can identify ideal regions to study Rhiannon F Pankratz interactions and potential hybridization between Todus Erin M Bayne angustirostris and Todus subulatus on Hispaniola. Natasha Annich

186 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Under the Canada Wildlife Act, Canadian Wildlife opportunity to test trade pressure as a cause of popu- Service (Environment and Climate Change Canada; lation declines. And a ban on parrot capture and trade ECCC) establishes and manages National Wildlife Ar- was voted into law in 2004, which provides an oppor- eas (NWAs), for wildlife research, conservation, and in- tunity to test the efficacy of trade bans at the domestic terpretation. Edhzhe (i.e. Horn Plateau area) is 14,000 level. In June 2017, we collected parrot count data at km2 of undisturbed forest being considered for perma- 30 city markets, geographically dispersed throughout nent protection by the Decho First Nations and ECCC Nicaragua to characterize present day trade pressure. in the Taiga Plains ecozone of the Northwest Territo- Parrots were found at 73% of public markets surveyed. ries, Canada. In 2016, ECCC initiated a landbird moni- Ten of the potential sixteen species were recorded, to- toring program where autonomous recording units were taling 420 individuals. We will test species presence deployed at 205 sampling locations (within 41 study and count data against predictions made from several sites) and recorded the vocalizations of 106 species variables, including species distribution and road ac- from early May to the end of July. Count data from cessibility. Additionally, from March to July 2018, we the 38 most common species were converted into den- will return to the primary market, Oriental Market in the sity estimates using offsets generated by the Boreal capital Managua, to conduct once a week surveys. We Avian Modelling Project (http://www.borealbirds.ca/). will directly compare these counts to a 1997 study in We present results from species distribution models, order to understand any potential market impacts from habitat-specific density estimates, and population size the 2004 trade ban. estimates for these 38 species, with emphasis on species at risk (SAR) in Canada (i.e. Common Nighthawk, Chordeiles minor; Yellow Rail, Coturnicops novebora- An indirect mutualism between host-specific insects censis; Olive-sided Flycatcher, Contopus cooperii; and and Hackberry trees (Celtis spp), mediated by mi- Rusty Blackbird, Euphagus carolinus). Data for these gratory songbirds SAR were derived from automated species recognition algorithms, i.e. species recognizers. We report consid- Chance H Hines erably high density estimates given that our study area Eric L Walters is at the northern limit of the breeding range for most of these SAR and current national population size esti- We examined how ephemerally abundant leaf-galling mates. Our results provide important baseline data for hackberry psyllids (Pachypsylla spp) benefit their ob- setting conservation objectives for this candidate NWA ligate hosts, hackberry trees (Celtis spp), by attracting and for identifying important habitats for SAR to in- foraging migratory songbirds in a coastal region of east- form recovery strategies and management plans. ern Virginia. Standardized foraging bird transects con- ducted during the 2016 and 2017 autumn migration re- vealed that hackberry was a preferred songbird forag- Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Domestic Trade ing tree during both years, but the preference was ex- Pressure on Parrots in Nicaragua hibited before and during the psyllid irruption. Hack- berry psyllid abundance was a significant predictor of David C Hille the timing of hackberry seed dispersal. Interestingly, Francisco Munoz˜ areas where hackberry was present were also epicen- Mart´ın Lezama Lopez ters of seed dispersal for other commonly consumed Donald J Brightsmith fruits. The patterns of foraging and seed rain observed Michael A Patten were supported by field experiments where hackberry leaves were placed beneath isolated eastern baccharis Commercial trade in wildlife is a negative contributing (Baccharis hamifolia) shrubs. Migrant songbirds spent factor to the conservation of biodiversity across many more time foraging and deposited more seeds in bac- taxa at a global scale. Parrots (order Psittaciformes) are charis shrubs where hackberry leaves had been placed the most common avian order overexploited by capture relative to controls. To our knowledge, this is the first for trade, a pattern inflated in the Neotropics. Impacts example of migratory songbirds mediating an indirect from the domestic trade of parrots is an important fac- mutualism between a parasitoid and its host. tor to analyze in order to understand the causes of de- clining populations. Nicaragua provides a study system to address multiple questions surrounding this conser- Conspicuous plumage acquisition and its behavioral vation issue. Parrot population trend data is available correlates during the non-breeding season in the in Nicaragua from 1995 to 2013, which provides the red-backed fairywren

187 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Lauren G Hitt not been a family wide molecular phylogeny proposed. Sarah Khalil In this study, we introduce the first molecular phy- Megan L Massa logeny for the family Apodidae. We sequenced ultra- Joseph F Welklin conserved elements (UCEs) from samples and analyzed John P Swaddle data using the program PHYLUCE developed by Brant Michael S Webster Faircloth. Our results provide a preliminary family- wide molecular phylogeny, including most of the 19 Individuals bearing conspicuous plumage might behave genera currently recognized. Future efforts will be to- differently than individuals bearing cryptic plumage as wards adding more samples to complete the genus-level the showy plumage could increase the bearer’s preda- phylogeny for the group. tion risk and heighten their vigilance. The red-backed fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) provides a suit- able system to track how vigilance and other behaviors vary with the acquisition of conspicuous ornamental What’s on the menu? Using next-gen sequencing plumage. Males in a population exhibit flexible repro- to examine diets of Ferruginous Hawks and Golden ductive phenotypes, wherein some males express con- Eagles in the Uintah Basin, UT spicuous red-black plumage and others exhibit cryptic brown plumage. During the breeding season, red-black Dylan J Hopkins males demonstrate territorial, aggressive, and courtship Kim Sullivan behaviors more frequently than do brown males. We do Becky Williams not know whether these plumage-associated behavioral Natasha Hadden differences occur in the non-breeding season, when some males are molting from cryptic brown to conspic- As the sagebrush steppe ecosystem faces continued uous red-black plumage. Therefore we performed be- degradation from climate change and land develop- havioral observations on a population of banded red- ment, researching the response of apex predators may backed fairywrens during the non-breeding season. We indicate the extent of the impacts to the ecosystem. The found that brown males spent the least amount of time Ferruginous Hawk and Golden Eagle are apex predators on anti-predatory vigilance behavior relative to other that rely on the sagebrush steppe and the prey species males, with mid-molt males intermediate and red-black that inhabit it. As prey prevalence is important to rap- males spending the greatest amount of time on vigi- tor occupancy, we seek to understand what prey species lance. These observations are consistent with the idea compose the diets of these understudied raptor species. that showy plumage increases conspicuousness, but that We propose to analyze diet using next-generation se- males may respond to this cost by budgeting more quencing techniques. While this novel method of un- time for vigilance behaviors in the non-breeding season. derstanding avian diet is uncommon throughout the lit- However, unlike in the breeding season, we found a lack erature, there has not yet been any published use of this of other behavioral differences between male plumage technique to examine raptor diet. We will assess the ef- types in this non-breeding season, suggesting flexibility ficacy of this technique in estimating raptor prey usage. in the degree to which behavior and plumage are cou- pled in this system. Using opportunistic citizen science data to estimate avian population trends Preliminary molecular phylogeny of the swifts (Aves: Apodidae) Joshua J Horns Frederick R Adler Jesse M Holmes Cagan H Sekercioglu Robert G Moyle Determining population trends is critical for conserva- Swifts (Aves: Apodidae) are a charismatic group of tion. For most bird species, trends are based on count highly aerial birds within the order Apodiformes. They data gathered by institutions with formalized survey are divided into four tribes: Cypseloidini (”new world protocols. However, limited resources prevent many or- swifts”), Collocalini (”swiftlets”), Chaeturini (”needle- ganizations from maintaining these types of formal sur- tails”), and Apodini (”typical swifts”). Though much veys, especially in developing countries. Ecotourism phylogenetic work has been done on groups within this growth and subsequent increases in opportunistic data family (i.e. the swiftlets and typical swifts), there has from birdwatching may provide a source of population

188 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book trend information if analyses control for inter-observer ments spanning >1200 km of coastline from northern variation. List length analysis (LLA) controls for such Washington to San Francisco Bay. We hypothesize that variation by using the number of species recorded as the anomalous ocean conditions present in Oregon dur- a proxy for observer skill and effort. Here, we use ing the 2017 breeding season reduced available prey LLA on opportunistic data gathered by eBird to es- resources, leading to absence of nesting behavior and timate population trends for 574 species of birds and long-distance movements to locate suitable foraging ar- compare these estimates to population trends based on eas. both formal breeding bird surveys, as well as to pop- ulation estimates from eBird data controlled by using more rigorous means of correction. Our analyses show that eBird data produce population trend estimates that Geographic variation and color polymorphism in differ on average by only 0.4%/year from formal sur- Attila spadiceus (Tyrannidae) veys and do not differ significantly from estimates us- ing more effort control metrics. We find that estimates Jeffrey T Howard do not improve appreciably beyond 10,000 checklists, Rafael S Marcondes suggesting this figure as the minimum threshold of op- Robb T Brumfield portunistic data required for population trend estima- tion. Lastly, we show that characteristics affecting the Detailed, quantitative descriptions of phenotypic varia- ubiquity of a species can affect its population trend es- tion are the inspiration and bedrock of systematic, evo- timate. Our results suggest that opportunistic data can lutionary and genetic studies. In birds, two common be used to approximate species population trends, es- types of intraspecific phenotypic variation in plumage pecially for widespread species. Because our protocol are geographic variation and discrete color polymor- uses information present in all checklists, it can be ap- phism. Here, we study both types of variation in the plied to a diversity of data sources. extraordinarily variable Bright-Rumped Attila (Passer- ifomes: Tyrannidae). We obtained spectrophotomet- ric plumage color data from more than 200 specimens Anomalous ocean conditions coincide with a lack of from all of this species’ expansive range, from Mex- nesting activity in Marbled Murrelets in Oregon ico to Brazil. We show that populations in the low- lands west of the Andes (trans-Andes) present contin- Cheryl A Horton uous geographic variation with little intrapopulational Lindsay J Adrean variation. In contrast, populations east of the An- S K Nelson des (cis-Andes) have three discrete morphs (brown, Daniel D Roby grey and green) and no geographically-structured vari- Matthew G Betts ation. The cis-Andean polymorphism includes multiple James W Rivers plumage patches. The shapes of spectral curves indi- cate variation in pigment types across morphs. Dis- The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) crete plumage polymorphisms are common in orders is a threatened seabird that requires mature forest and such as Strigiformes and Falconiformes but are partic- adequate prey in the nearshore environment for suc- ularly rare within passerines. To the best of our knowl- cessful breeding. Despite being listed under the U.S. edge, this is the first spectrophotometry-based descrip- Endangered Species Act in Washington, Oregon and tion of discrete plumage polymorphism in a passerine. California for more than two decades, the population The molecular systematics of this wide-ranging species is still declining. We established a large-scale, long- have not been studied in detail, but the stark contrast in term study to understand space use and nest success of pattern of variation across the Andes suggest that they murrelets within coastal forests of Oregon, where nest- have been an important feature in shaping the Bright- ing data are especially limited yet needed for effective Rumped Attila’s evolutionary history. It also opens an conservation. In 2017, we captured and radio tagged intriguing avenue of future investigation into the ge- 61 murrelets, and tracked these individuals from April netic and ecological bases of plumage variation in this September to identify nest locations and quantify ma- species. rine and terrestrial habitat use. Although we expected tagged murrelets to undertaken breeding, none of the tagged individuals exhibited nesting behavior, a first for a study of this magnitude. Instead, a majority of in- Aspects of municipalities associated with occupancy dividuals exhibited unprecedented long distance move- and abundance of Chimney Swifts in Illinois

189 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Maureen L Hurd matched their plumage phenotype) and those that de- Thomas J Benson viated from the typical vocalization of their species. Michael P Ward Our preliminary data showed that 75% of males sang their species typical song (i.e. a BWWA singing bee Aerial insectivores such as the Chimney Swift buzz), 12.5% of males sang the typical song of the other (Chaetura pelagica) are experiencing population de- species (i.e. a BWWA singing zee bee bee bee), and clines across North America. While causes of these de- 12.5% sang atypical songs that did not match either clines are unknown, habitat availability is likely a con- of the typical type I or type II songs of the warblers. tributing factor. Chimney Swifts historically nested in We hypothesize that song variation may affect species tree cavities, but switched to nesting in masonry chim- recognition in these warblers and may contribute to hy- neys as North American settlements expanded. With bridization. More research is required to understand the the growing trends of chimney caps and gas/electric effects of atypical vocalizations on species recognition heating, available chimneys are disappearing. We ex- in Golden-winged and Blue-winged warblers and their amined the influence of various habitat and landscape hybrids. factors on Chimney Swift abundance. We conducted surveys for swifts in municipalities of varying size throughout Illinois and recorded the number of visi- DNA markers and discovery of a contact zone sup- ble uncapped chimneys at each survey point. We used port lumping White-naped (Atlapetes albinucha) these data along with landscape-level data such as pro- and Yellow-throated (A. gutturalis) Brush-Finches portion of developed land surrounding points, areal ex- tent of municipality, and age distribution of buildings. Rosa A Jimenez´ We found that 97% of municipalities were occupied Tsang T To by Chimney Swifts, but abundance varied considerably. Zachary R Hanna Our results suggest that although Chimney Swifts are Marie Droual still widespread, contemporary building practices will Rauri CK Bowie continue to drive population declines and management should focus on approaches for providing suitable nest- Atlapetes is a genus with nearly 30 species inhabit- ing sites. ing Neotropical mountains. They are well-known for the geographic replacement that different species show, where the replacements usually have strikingly dif- Singing the wrong song: Mismatching plumage ferent coloration. Current taxonomy recognizes the and song phenotypes in a hybridizing population of White-naped Brush-Finch as a single species with two Blue- and Golden-winged Warblers morphotypes, each of which was previously considered a distinct species. The main difference between the Amy E Janik two morphs is that the White-naped Brush-Finch has Maarten J Vonhof a yellow throat and underparts, whereas the Yellow- Sharon A Gill throated Brush-Finch has a yellow throat with whitish underparts. The similar phenotype and the apparent ge- Golden-winged (Vermivora chrysoptera, GWWA) and ographic isolation of the two morphs resulted in a pro- Blue-winged warblers (Vermivora cyanoptera, BWWA) posal to lump the two species in 1978 and its acceptance are sister taxa that differ by only six genomic regions by AOU in 1997. Recent phylogenies suggest that both and often hybridize despite their distinct plumages and morphs are part of the same clade. However, detailed songs. Although their conservation statuses vary, Blue- phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses have not winged warblers and even more so Golden-winged war- been undertaken to date. Our mitochondrial and nuclear blers, are experiencing population declines. A typical DNA sequence data support the monophyly of the lin- GWWA type I song can be described as zee bee bee bee eage, and suggest that splitting the two morphs would and a typical BWWA type I song can be a bee buzz. We result in paraphyletic groups. The White-naped and recorded songs of males during the breeding season in Yellow-throated Brush-Finches are genetically struc- a hybridizing population of GWWA and BWWA in up- tured, but this structure corresponds with geography state New York. In the field, we classified the plumage rather than with phenotype. The Isthmus of Tehuan- phenotype of males as GWWA, BWWA, or Brewster’s tepec, the Nicaraguan Depression, and the Isthmus of warbler while recording them and then from a subset Panama are major geographic barriers for this taxon. of our recordings (n=24) we quantified the number of The two phenotypes contact in the highlands of Chi- males that gave species-typical songs (i.e. those that apas and Guatemala, and intermediate plumage col-

190 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book oration can be found in the contact zone. Their con- Michael S Webster tinued distinction outside of this zone suggests that Jordan Karubian some selective force may be acting to maintain the two morphs. It seems that Atlapetes albinucha repre- Carotenoid-based signaling is a thought to be a classic sents a species with intraspecific morphologic variation example of honest signaling, in that acquiring or me- in which a northern yellow phenotype undergoes geo- tabolizing carotenoids likely imposes costs, such that graphic replacement by a whitish one in Central and individuals expressing the most carotenoid rich signals South America. should be in the best condition. Yet the proximate mechanisms of carotenoid production remain poorly re- solved, which limits our understanding of the evolution- ary constraints and physiological costs associated with Clutch and egg size in a high-elevation population of this widespread signaling modality. The red-backed Tree Swallows fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) provides a unique opportunity to examine mechanisms underlying expres- L S Johnson sion of carotenoid-based signals: males within a sin- Katie Iser gle population exhibit flexible reproductive phenotypes, Haley Molnar where some males express red/black plumage and other Andre Nguyen males exhibit female-like brown plumage. To better un- Chelsea Connor derstand how individuals regulate signal expression, we asked if circulating carotenoid levels differ as a func- High elevation, montane environments are typically tion of sex and male phenotype, and examined the re- characterized by colder, wetter, windier weather. lationship between circulating carotenoids and hue of Species or populations breeding at high elevations are the red plumage patch in red/black males. Established expected to adapt to these conditions in terms of their theory predicts that red/black males should have the life history strategies. However, researchers have had highest concentrations of circulating carotenoids, and difficulty theorizing exactly how life histories should that levels should peak during molt. We found that change in response to elevation. Perhaps consistent that red/black males did indeed have higher concentra- with this, species studied to date have shown a wide tions of circulating carotenoids than did brown males range of responses to elevation with respect to life his- and females, supporting our first prediction. How- tory traits. More studies on a variety of species are ever, carotenoid concentrations were only loosely as- needed to understand why birds at high elevations do sociated with molt date, and there was no relationship what they do. To this end, we compared clutch and egg between circulating carotenoids and hue for red/black sizes of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) breeding males. This work highlights the complex ways in which at two sites in northern Wyoming, including a lower- carotenoids may be used to signal quality, and raises elevation prairie site at 1350 m (4450 ft) above sea level important questions concerning the physiological costs and a high elevation site on a plateau in the adjacent associated with production of carotenoid based signals. Bighorn Mountains at 2500 m (8150 ft) a.s.l. Com- pared to low-site females, high-site females laid, on av- erage, significantly fewer eggs (on average, 0.4 fewer per clutch) and smaller eggs (on average, 2.4% smaller Avifauna abundance, population trends and threats in volume). When captured during incubation, high- at Mangla Wetland site females were significantly lighter in weight relative to wing length. This suggests that differences in clutch and especially egg size are the result of energetic con- Bushra N Khan straints and not necessarily adaptive adjustments in life Zulfiqar A history strategy. Avifauna of Mangla Wetland AJK, Pakistan was ob- served for three years (2013-2016). The globally im- portant fresh water reservoir was surveyed to observe Circulating carotenoid concentrations differ among distinctive and unstudied avian diversity and major sexes and phenotypes in the red-backed fairywren threats to its existence. A total of 42 surveys of site were conducted to record avian diversity by point count Sarah Khalil method. Meetings with bird watchers, hunters and con- Joseph F Welklin cerned department were also arranged to generate the Kevin J McGraw secondary data. A total of 57,892 birds belongs to 188

191 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 species were observed at wetland. According to lin- backpack, and how other group members respond to in- ear regression estimation 101 birds’ species were de- dividuals wearing backpacks. Comparisons of social clined in abundance. The population size of 54 birds’ interactions before and after backpack fitting is worn species was increasing while 33 avian species were sta- are shown. This system may have general utility for un- ble throughout the research work. On the basis of sea- derstanding the vocal dynamics in complex bird flocks. sonal distribution 72 birds were resident, 64 species of Such a system shows promise as a cost-effective way birds were winter migrant, year round residents were to record detailed vocalizations over time, alongside 28 and summer breeders were 24. Among observed observations of social interactions without the use of birds Sterna acuticauda was endangered, Prinia bur- sound attenuation chambers. , and can easily be ex- nesii, Anhinga melanogaster, Aythya nyroca and Cir- tended to transmit different signals, such as heart rate, cus macrourus were near threatened, and Ficedula sub- in other species. rubra, Saxicola macrorhyncha and Haliaeetus leucory- phus were vulnerable. Various factors that threaten the avian diversity of wetland were water pollution due to municipal and industrial wastes, addition of bicarbonate Movement Patterns, Survivorship, and Home Range through agriculture runoff, sedimentation, deforesta- Size of LeContes Thrasher (Toxostoma Lecontei) tion, annually illegal hunting of more them 10,000 mi- gratory duck, unsustainable fisheries practices, poverty, Christina L Kondrat-Smith illiteracy and poor law enforcement. A management Shawn F Lowery plan has also been designed for conservation and man- agement of unique avifauna of site. The key aspects The LeContes Thrasher (LCTH) is a species of conser- of proposed management plan are betterment of linked vation concern included on the Red Watch List of Part- fauna, flora and living quality of connected communi- ners in Flight. The species distribution range consists of ties without disturbing the natural equilibrium. sparsely vegetated Sonoran Desert landscapes (Lower Colorado Subdivision) across the southwest and north- western Mexico. In southwestern Arizona, the Depart- Backpack microphone system for individualized vo- ment of Defense (DoD) manages large tracts of habitat calization recordings in captive flocks of Budgeri- on the Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) and Yuma gars (Melopsittacus undulatus) Proving Grounds (YPG). Given the scale of this area, DoD installations play a major role in the conservation Gregory M Kohn of this ecoregion. The Arizona Game and Fish Depart- Justin C Apodaca ment (AGFD) conducted occupancy surveys during the Timothy F Wright 2011-2013 breeding seasons on the BMGR and YPG to better understand species distribution and identify po- Accurately measuring complex social interactions tential habitat relationships. Survey results were used while minimizing disruption of natural behaviors is an to develop detection probabilities across the DOD in- important goal of ethologists. This problem is partic- stallations, and a Prediction of Occurrence model was ularly acute for vocal communication signals, where built to provide a predictive index of the species habitat. masking and cocktail-party effects can make it difficult In addition to species surveys, active nests were identi- to track individual behavior within a group setting. Ad- fied to monitor fledglings using VHF telemetry (2013). vances in chip manufacturing and embedded systems Fourteen birds were radio-tracked from the nestling to are providing behavioral researchers with novel tech- post-fledgling dispersal periods. Tracking results pro- nological toolkits to measure acoustic signals in natu- vided an understanding of survival, movement, and ralistic contexts. Here we introduce a wearable back- home range size of LCTH post-fledging. Results from pack microphone system that allows for continuous this study allowed military installations in this ecore- recording of individual specific vocalizations in free- gion to adapt their Integrated Natural Resource Man- flying captive bird flocks. The backpacks use small pro- agement Plans to better conserve LCTH habitat while grammable FM transmitters to transmit vocalizations to maintaining military readiness into the future. a communications receiver. We used a software-defined radio (SDR) to receive and analyze FM signals and to assess signal strength from each unit. These recordings were then compared with standard recordings made in Nest success and brood parasitism of birds in re- sound attenuation chambers. Behavioral observations sponse to grazing of Conservation Reserve Program were made to see how quickly individuals adapt to the grasslands

192 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

Heather M Kraus satellite data of 18 individuals preliminarily show that William E Jensen two females traveled up to 8000 km while two males moved up 5000 and 7000 km into the peninsula. No Grassland bird populations have experienced declines distance patterns were found by sex and age nor season- in recent decades that coincide with fragmentation and ally. Some females used more frequently habitats mod- loss of prairie habitat. The Conservation Reserve Pro- ified by human activity (grasslands and agricultural ar- gram (CRP) has benefitted grassland birds through eas) than males did, however the proportion of females grassland restoration. Although the CRP provides bet- using modified habitats vs natural vegetation was 50:50. ter habitat than row crops, grazing by domestic cattle More males used mostly chaparral vegetation, and the (Bos taurus), which is currently restricted in CRP, might proportion of males using modified habitats vs natural improve habitat structure for some bird species. How- vegetation was 30:60. We conclude that there is not a ever, such changes in habitat structure, and the presence clear pattern of distance movements no related to sex of cattle, might affect nest concealment from preda- or age, and more eagles used natural vegetation (cha- tors and attract brood parasitic Brown-headed Cowbirds parral) but a moderate proportion used human-modified (Molothrus ater). We investigated daily nest survival habitats. Our information has important implications of Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) and Dickcis- for conservation of the Golden eagle in both countries. sels (Spiza americana), and brood parasitism of Dick- cissel nests, in response to experimental grazing by cat- tle across CRP fields in central Kansas. Daily nest sur- Characterizing avian social networks using banding vival rates were not strongly related to grazing. Brood station capture data parasitism rate (presence or absence of cowbird off- spring) was similarly unaffected by grazing but was Katie LaBarbera negatively related to nest concealment. The number of cowbird eggs per parasitized nest (parasitism intensity) Many bird species form flocks for at least part of the was higher in grazed CRP, suggesting the presence of year. Membership in a flock may aid in foraging, preda- cattle might increase parasitism pressure by cowbirds, tor avoidance, and securing a mate; many species form at least in years when cattle are present. Although daily complex dominance hierarchies, and social interactions nest survival and brood parasitism rate were unaffected in the flock may have large effects on fitness. Yet due by cattle grazing, we may observe lag effects in coming to the difficulty of long-term studies, research on the years due to changes in nest concealment from grazing duration of social associations and changes in flock so- in 2017. cial structure over time is scarce. We use 29 years of year-round bird banding data from the San Fran- cisco Bay Bird Observatory’s Coyote Creek Field Sta- Movements and habitat use of golden eagles in Baja tion to investigate the temporal and demographic pat- California peninsula, Mexico terns of social associations in local species (Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus, Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poe- Tomas´ Lopez´ cile rufescens, Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia Ricardo Rodr´ıguez-Estrella atricapilla, Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calen- Peter H Bloom dula, White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys, Jeff Tracey Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata). Social Robert Fisher associations are inferred from captures at close spatial and temporal proximity, an imperfect but likely conser- Golden eagles have long-distance movements during vative metric. We will present results on the shape of migration and juvenile dispersal. Distances up to 5000 intra- and interspecies social networks, their age and km have been recorded for some Golden eagles in North sex structures, and the duration of social bonds. America, from Alaska to Canada and USA. During dis- persal and migration Golden eagles of southwestern USA enter Mexico. No published information exists Pneumoconiosis in a hurricane-stranded Least on habitat use and habitat selection into Baja California Storm-petrel (Hydrobates microsoma) peninsula during the first years after fledging. Here, we present the movement patterns and habitat use of golden Patricia J Latas eagles banded while nestlings in San Diego, Califor- nia and moving southwards to Baja California penin- Hurricane Newton swept northward over the Gulf of sula, Mxico. Golden eagles were tagged with PTTs and California during the first week of September 2016.

193 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

The well-organized remnants of the storm crossed best suited to inform post-fire management and restora- southern Arizona 6-7 September, and deposited numer- tion treatments in dry mixed conifer forests. Incorpo- ous and diverse pelagic seabirds. Several species of live ration of additional species and forest conditions in the storm petrels were presented, by the public, to a lo- future could broaden the scope of this toolset. cal wildlife care center for urgent veterinary attention. Samples from post-mortem examination of deceased specimens were submitted for histologic and other anal- yses. Findings from an individual Least Storm Petrel Modes of Sexual Dichromatism in New World Hydrobates microsoma included pathological changes Blackbirds (Icteridae) of the lungs indicative of pneumoconiosis, and foreign material associated with the lesions. Pneumoconiosis Gabriella M LeFevre has not been described in storm-petrels and this ac- Jordan J Price count documents the clinical presentation, histological Muir D Eaton and pathological findings, analysis of the material asso- ciated with lesions. Since Darwin and Wallace defined natural and sexual selection, research has demonstrated that males and fe- males can undergo different selective pressures, poten- tially resulting in various levels of sexual dichromatism Fire-Bird Gis Tools for Applying Habitat Suitability over evolutionary time. Icteridae is a monophyletic Models to Inform Forest Management assemblage of 108 species of blackbirds’ distributed throughout the Americas. Within this clade, species Quresh S Latif exhibit a broad range in levels of sexual dichromatism Victoria A Saab as well as a diversity of life history traits and ecolo- Jessica R Haas gies. Using a model of avian perceptual color space, Jonathan G Dudley we quantified several color variables representing sex- ual dichromatism from plumage reflectance data for Habitat suitability models are used to guide land man- males and females of 89 species. We also scored lev- agement for species of conservation concern. Models els of color pattern differentiation using human visual quantify relationships between known species locations criteria and attempted to define modes of sexual dichro- and environmental attributes, which are used to iden- matism given concurrence between these two methods. tify areas most likely to support species of concern. We further tested for correlated evolution of quantified Managers can then limit human activities with nega- measures of sexual dichromatism and various life his- tive impacts on habitat in areas of high suitability. Ap- tory traits across the family, given a robust molecular plication of habitat suitability models, however, typi- phylogeny of the icterids. We find that clades within cally requires technical expertise not available to most Icteridae have largely experienced different selective land managers. FIRE-BIRD is a series of ArcGIS tools pressures on male and female color differences during that facilitates application of habitat suitability models their respective evolutionary histories, reiterating the to inform forest management for disturbance-associated complexity in broadly explaining how and why sexual woodpeckers of conservation concern. By operating dichromatisms evolve across birds. within an ArcGIS environment, FIRE-BIRD is well po- sitioned to integrate with forest planning. Tools are currently developed for black-backed (Picoides arcti- cus) and white-headed woodpecker (P. albolvartus) in Nesting Ecology of Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii bellii) in Inland Northwest burned forests; black-backed, white- north east Texas headed, and hairy woodpecker (P. villosus) in Northern Sierra burned forests; and white-headed woodpecker in Natasha R Lehr Inland Northwest unburned forests. The toolset auto- Hannah S Dill mates both model application and preliminary data pro- Johanna Delgado-Acevedo cessing to minimize required technical expertise. An Dean Ransom accompanying manual describes implementation and interpretation of resulting habitat suitability maps. Tool The Bell’s vireo (Vireo bellii) is a neo-tropical migrant prototypes have been tested by National Forest biolo- that breeds throughout the central and southwestern US. gists, and their feedback has been incorporated. The Unlike many states in this species range, Bell’s vireos suite of species currently included makes this toolset populations are increasing in Texas. In 2016 and 2017,

194 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book we studied the nesting ecology of a recently estab- Carlos Garcia Linares lished breeding population of V. b. bellii on two sites Megan McKenna in north east Texas. We located 107 nests from which Jacob Job we quantified nest success, daily nest survival (program George Wittemyer MARK), and nest site vegetation. We modeled nest site Erik Meyer selection using logistic regression models in an infor- mation theoretic model selection approach and evalu- Sequoia forests are some of the oldest forests in the ated best models using AIC and odds ratios. Appar- world, housing a unique variety of habitats and species. ent nest success was 39 % (n=30); 36 % and 25% of The oldest Sequoia trees grow to over a hundred me- nests failed due to nest predation and cowbird para- ters in height, and can persist through disturbances sitism, respectively. Bell’s vireo preferentially nested (e.g., fire) that decimate other tree species within these in Honey Locust (Gleditsia tricanthos), in which they forests. Many species rely on this unique habitat, yet realized higher nest success; vireos nested in Osage we lack understanding how species are spatially dis- Orange (Maclura pomifera) in direct proportion to its tributed across sequoia forests and how the combina- availability, and Hackberry (Celtis laevigata) less than tion of wildfire and prescribed burns affect their dis- its availability in which nest success was lowest. Daily tribution. We deployed automated acoustic recording nest survival was 0.9640.005 and did not differ between devices in Sequoia National Park across different fire nest tree species, nest fate, or early versus late season, treatments and along a vertical gradient within an in- but was positively associated with distance of the nest dividual Sequoia tree to uncover patterns of bioacous- to nest tree canopy edge and canopy cover. Nest sites tical activity, focusing specifically on avian vocaliza- differed from random sites by lower concealment be- tions. We manually identified species-specific vocaliza- low the nest, greater concealment lateral to the nest, and tions from a subsample of acoustic recordings, account- higher shrub density within a 10 m radius of the nest. ing for nearly 5000 vocalizations. Using these manual detections, we then constructed automatic detectors to analyze the remainder of our data, focusing specifically on American Robins (Turdus migratorius) and Pacific- From Kingbirds to Kinglets: Where are the Queens Slope Flycatchers (Empidonax difficilis), two species of ornithology? associated with fire events. Here we present prelimi- nary results on differences in bird distributions along Susannah B Lerman the different fire treatments, as well as the vertical gra- Kimberly Sullivan dient. We are currently expanding our study to detect Bonnie S Bowen a broader suite of species to examine community dis- tribution as a whole, as well as using acoustic indices Although for a generation, women have made up 50% to more broadly examine ecological patterns in these or more of the student membership in the fields of ecol- forests. ogy, behavior, and ornithology, few women are found in positions of leadership in these fields. Having vis- ible role models for women during their early career stages can address the attrition, and has the potential A bird survey: Assessment of migratory birds on to influence impressions on whether women can attain Punta Cucharas Nature Reserve, Ponce, Puerto Rico success in their scientific field. We present data on the before and after Hurricane Maria representation of women as editors (i.e., gatekeepers’ of science), society officers, recipients of senior awards, Eduardo M Llegus-Santiago fellows, and plenary and symposium speakers across Ian L Maldonado-Ortiz the ornithological societies, and compare them with the Jose´ G Rodriguez-Ramirez representation of women in behavior and ecological so- Gilmarie Rivera-Castellar cieties. We examine several hypotheses to explain these Cecilia M Jimenez-Figueroa´ results including pair formation in early career scien- tists, persistence and societal expectations of service Our bird survey has been conducted between 2016 and and leadership. 2018 on Punta Cucharas Natural Reserve on Ponce, Puerto Rico. It serves as habitat and stopover site for more than 70 species of endemic and migratory birds, other fauna and flora. Our aim was to determine val- Using Automated Acoustic Recorders to Uncover ues of importance and compare diversity indexes of avi- Patterns of Avian Presence in a Sequoia Forest fauna in Punta Cucharas, according to their adaptation

195 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 and food source, in six ecosystems: Mangroove, Sec- using Hemagglutination Inhibition tests. Our results ondary Forest, Lagoon, Salitral, Flooded Muddy Bot- demonstrate local circulation of all five viruses in both tom, and Coastal Beach. In a monthly basis, 10-minute Oklahoma and Texas. These data will serve as a foun- bird count was carried out by a group of volunteers from dation for future work to study the geographic ecology July 2016 to 2018 in the six habitats. The statistical of birds and arboviruses in the southern Great Plains analysis included a Student’s t-Test, paired two samples and into tropical and subtropical regions to the south. assuming equal variances (α=0.05) comparing six habi- tats from years 2016, 2017 and 2018 in Bird Diversity using Inverse Simpson and Simpson Diversity Index. Facilitating Frugivory by Birds: A Novel Applica- We are currently comparing numbers after Hurricane tion of Conspecific Attraction Maria impacts on Puerto Rico landscapes. A total of 2,374 individuals have been counted, we classified them Sean E MacDonald as aquatic or terrestrial adapted. There was no signifi- Jinelle H Sperry cant difference (P=0.056) between years 2016 and 2017 Michael P Ward in bird diversity composition, we plan to compare with recent bird counts (2018) after a natural disturbance. Conspecific attraction is the propensity for members of Our findings have demonstrated high diversity and rich- the same species to settle near one another and is a be- ness of birds on this community before the hurricane. havior that has been successfully exploited by conser- The data suggests that species diversity increases in the vation practitioners to augment bird populations in tar- months of migration (September-October) and nesting get areas. Methods of attracting birds include visual (May). This place serves as critical habitat for avifauna (i.e. decoys) and audio cues (i.e. playback of song). and our future approaches include: bird nest monitor- There is a growing body of literature surrounding so- ing, citizen science programs, and compare our bird cial information and habitat selection in birds but, to counts throughout years. date, all studies in this area focus on the birds them- selves and not the ecological relationships they support. Here we explored the effectiveness of enticing birds Disease Dynamics in Migratory and Resident birds to targeted fruiting plants using playback experiments, of Eastern Oklahoma and Texas thereby facilitating seed dispersal. Our study was con- ducted from June 2016 to July 2017 on Oahu, Hawaii. Krisangel Lopez We performed 80 experiments across 25 plant species Matthew J Miller using vocalizations from four resident bird species. The average number of birds that consumed fruit from a Emerging infectious diseases represent a significant target plant per trial during the control (no playback) threat to global health and security. Wild birds play was 0.130.08 and increased to 1.580.5 during the treat- an integral role in pathogen dispersal dynamics. Ok- ment (playback). Strength of response appeared to be lahoma and Texas serve as breeding locations and mi- plant species-specific with nearly 90% of observed fru- gration routes for many bird species, as well as are po- givory events occurring on common plants. 30% of tri- tential sites for virus amplification, host switching, and als (24/80) resulted in frugivory from a target plant dur- geographic expansion. Various studies have demon- ing treatments. All species were significantly attracted strated that wild bird populations are persistently im- to conspecific vocalizations with Japanese white-eye pacted by an assortment of encephalitic viruses, with being the only species significantly attracted to het- consequences for both wildlife and human health. For erospecific vocalizations. Our results suggest that cer- instance, the number of human West Nile Virus cases tain species may be using social information, both from in Oklahoma has doubled since 2016. This study fo- within their species and species in their dietary guild, cuses on surveying viral prevalence in breeding birds when making foraging decisions and that bird behavior from Oklahoma and eastern Texas, and furthering the can be manipulated to facilitate mutualistic interactions. understanding of the roles both migrant and resident birds play as amplifying hosts for multiple arthropod- borne viruses (arboviruses). We surveyed three loca- The effects of land-cover and invasive species on the tions in Oklahoma and Eastern Texas in 2017. We bird community along the Rio Grande, Big Bend collected blood serum from 200 wild caught birds and National Park, Texas screened for five encephalitic viruses (West Nile Virus, St Louis Encephalitis, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Heather L Mackey Western Equine Encephalitis and Highlands J virus) Eric M Wood

196 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

L Y Pomara mimetic eggshells resembling the host’s own shell col- J E Coffey ors and maculation. In turn, hosts have counter-evolved increasingly more sophisticated detection methods such Along the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, as narrowing visual discrimination thresholds or even Texas, land use, such as agriculture and urbanization, using non egg-specific cues. However, multiple sen- have altered natural land cover composition and bio- sory and cognitive mechanisms acting simultaneously diversity outside the boundaries of the protected area. could theoretically interfere with one another and ulti- Further, an invasive grass species, giant cane (Arundo mately decrease egg rejection accuracy. Through an ex- donax) has infested the floodplain, altering natural con- perimental parasitism protocol, we tested a host species ditions. Our goal was to determine the effect of broad- of the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus, the great reed scale habitat variables, such as land-cover composition, warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus’s response to 1, 3, and local-scale habitat variables, such as cover of in- or 5 model foreign eggs of varying color and unifor- vasive species, on the bird community. We quanti- mity. Using reflectance spectra of egg background col- fied the broad-scale habitat variables from satellite im- oration and avian perceptual modeling, we then esti- agery and aerial photographs, and they included a mea- mated the sensory thresholds triggering egg rejection sure of greenness (NDVI), habitat structure (image tex- by this host. As previously reported, rejection rates ture), and land cover (e.g. developed land). We col- were positively related to the perceptual distance be- lected the local-scale variables at field sites, and they in- tween own and foreign eggs in the nests in all treat- cluded plant composition and vegetation structure. We ments, but rejection thresholds were more permissive used a linear mixed-effects analysis to determine the (error-prone) both with greater proportions of foreign strength of the relationship among independent vari- eggs per clutch and/or also when the suite of foreign ables and bird richness and abundance of breeding bird eggs were perceptually more variable within the nest. guilds (e.g. riparian, synanthrope). Additionally, we These results suggest that the evolution of host recog- used an occupancy analysis to model habitat associa- nition of parasite mimicry can be partially overcome by tions of riparian-affiliated birds in relation to broad- and multiple parasitism and its impact on hosts’ egg recog- local-scale variables. We found that broad-scale vari- nition thresholds, thus making them vulnerable to such ables had the highest support in models, explaining up- specific parasitic strategies. wards of 40% of the variance in bird guild richness and abundance (e.g., habitat structure), whereas local-scale variables explained up to 30% of the variance (e.g. A. Bright coloration does not incur predation cost in donax). We found that occupancy of the Yellow-billed red-backed fairywrens Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) was best explained by tree cover surrounding territories. Our results under- Megan L Massa score the importance of both land-cover and invasive Samantha J Hagler species in structuring the avian community along the John Swaddle Rio Grande. Michael Webster Jordan Karubian Joe Welklin

Multiple parasitism relaxes egg rejection thresholds Though many studies have documented fitness costs as- in hosts of mimetic avian brood parasites sociated with the expression of secondary sexual traits, there is inconsistent evidence that apparently conspicu- Tommy Manna ous plumage increases the risk of depredation in birds. Lainga Tong Therefore, we investigated whether bright, sexually at- Csaba Moskat tractive coloration increases predation risk in a dimor- Miklos Ban phic passerine bird, the red-backed fairywren (Malu- Zachary Aidala rus melanocephalus). Males of this species can breed Mark E Hauber in either a bright red-black plumage or a female-like dull brown plumage. We examined predator prefer- A host which has been targeted by an avian brood par- ence for 3D-printed models of birds that were painted asite can recover most of its potential fitness loss by to simulate bright or dull plumage, with the models ejecting the foreign egg(s) or offspring from its nest. affixed to tall poles in grassland habitats. Accord- The propensity for some hosts to engage in this behav- ing to the conspicuous-plumage hypothesis, we pre- ior has put selective pressure on their parasites to evolve dicted that predatory birds would preferentially attack

197 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 the red-black model at each site. We also quantified in non-migratory populations. This research will con- antipredatory behavior and habitat preferences of free- tribute to our understanding of how ecology affects sex- living bright and dull males in response to experimen- ual signaling and speciation processes. tal playback of predator vocalizations, and predicted that bright males would show relatively increased an- tipredatory responses and would favor habitats with a greater cover of dense vegetation types. Contrary to A comparative genomic study of introgression in our predictions, avian predators did not preferentially secondary contact in lowland Panamanian birds attack the bright or the dull models. Likewise, we did not find any differences in antipredatory responses or Jessica F McLaughlin habitat preferences between males of the two plumage Matthew J Miller types. We suggest that predation risk does not differ no- tably between the bright and dull color morphs of male In the Neotropics, many show strong phylogeographic red-backed fairywrens and, further, that these color dif- structure across space. Often geographically-separated ferences are not strong constraints on the evolution of lineages do no interact, because of the presence of phys- sexually selected traits in this species. ical barriers such as mountains, rivers, or strong eco- logical gradients. However, when they meet, there are multiple potential outcomes, ranging from the reticu- lation of the lineages in contact to the maintenance of How does non-breeding environment affect sexual reproductive isolation between the populations. Multi- signaling? A comparative analysis of two subspecies ple bird species show abrupt mitochondrial breaks be- of Barn Swallow tween eastern and western populations in Panama and meet in secondary contact in central Panama, where Molly T McDermott there is no obvious geographic barrier to gene flow. Rebecca J Safran Previous work demonstrates this abrupt turnover of mi- tochondrial lineages, but the extent to which this geo- Sexually selected traits, such as the colorful plumage of graphic pattern of sharp divergence is also reflected in many birds, advertise to potential mates an individual’s the nuclear genome is unclear. Here, we use loci as- genetic quality and access to resources. These traits sociated with ultraconserved elements (UCEs) to mea- are used in species recognition, and differences can sure introgression between eastern and western popula- contribute to divergence among populations. Within tions of eight species of Panamanian birds and to begin migratory songbirds that molt on their non-breeding to characterize the nature of hybridization in secondary grounds, the relevance of environmental information contact. We compare patterns of nuclear introgression encoded in sexual signals is particularly puzzling. If to those observed in mtDNA. Typically, though levels females use plumage signals to gain information about of UCE introgression are greater than mtDNA, most a male’s access to resources, what information do they species show geographically-limited, often asymmetri- gain from feathers developed thousands of miles away? cal, introgression consistent with a pattern of restricted I outline a comparative approach to study environmen- admixture expected with speciation and reproductive tal effects on sexual signals in two subspecies of Barn isolation. This comparative study lays the foundation Swallow (Hirundo rustica) that differ in sexually se- for future studies into ecological and evolutionary pre- lected plumage traits and migratory behavior. I will dictors of the outcome of secondary contact, and pro- use miniaturized GPS tags to identify non-breeding vides an initial dataset for going forward to investigate grounds used by each subspecies, and global climate what mechanisms may determine this outcome. databases to ask how environmental parameters af- fect annual changes in plumage traits. By comparing the same individuals in two consecutive breeding sea- sons, I will control for genetic differences and quan- Epigenetic variation between urban and rural pop- tify the relative influence of environmental conditions ulations of Darwin’s finches on plumage variation. Condition-dependence is an im- portant component of sexually selected traits, therefore, Sabrina M McNew I predict that sexually selected plumage traits will have Daniel Beck more environmentally-induced variation than naturally Ingrid Sadler-Riggleman selected plumage traits. Due to occupancy of a sin- Sarah A Knutie gle area year-round, I predict that environmental effects Jennifer AH Koop will explain a greater proportion of variation in plumage Dale H Clayton

198 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

The molecular basis of evolutionary change is assumed of birds in relation to more back country use and prox- to be genetic variation. However, growing evidence imity to the park road. We also detected birds at greater suggests that epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA distances in areas including trails than in area’s with- methylation, may also be involved in rapid adaptation out a trails. We also monitored reproductive success for to new environments. An important first step in evalu- five tundra shorebird species at three sites (29 breeding ating this hypothesis is to test for the presence of epige- territories and 17 nests, which produced 22 flying off- netic variation between natural populations living under spring). Our results suggest that birds may be avoiding different environmental conditions. In the current study some locations with higher recreational use within De- we explored variation between populations of Darwin’s nali National Park. We will continue the study in 2018. finches, which comprise one of the best-studied exam- ples of adaptive radiation. We tested for morphologi- cal, genetic, and epigenetic differences between adja- Spatiotemporal patterns of habitat use during in- cent urban and rural populations of each of two species cubation by a uniparental shorebird in a heteroge- of ground finches, Geospiza fortis and G. fuliginosa, on neous landscape Santa Cruz Island in the Galpagos. Using data collected from more than 1000 birds, we found significant mor- Tyler J Michels phological differences between populations of G. for- Angela M Dwyer tis, but not G. fuliginosa. We did not find large size Kristen Philbrook copy number variation (CNV) genetic differences be- Michael B Wunder tween populations of either species. However, other ge- netic variants were not investigated. In contrast, we did The mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) is a migra- find dramatic epigenetic differences between the urban tory shorebird that breeds in rangelands of the western and rural populations of both species, based on DNA Great Plains. Populations have declined sharply since methylation analysis. We explored genomic features the 1960s and the species is of conservation concern and gene associations of the differentially DNA methy- in most states and provinces where it occurs. Nesting lated regions (DMR), as well as their possible func- behavior involves an unusual split-clutch mating sys- tional significant. In summary, our study documents tem; females typically lay 3 eggs in a nest tended en- local population epigenetic variation within each of two tirely by the male, before laying another 3 eggs in a species of Darwin’s finches. different nest for the female. Mated birds do not provi- sion each other during the incubation and brood-rearing periods (raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$29 and raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$35 days, respec- Influence of Recreation on the Occupancy, Abun- tively). Because of this, nesting habitat must also pro- dance, and Breeding Performance of Alpine Tundra vide efficient foraging for incubating adults. Plovers birds in Denali National Park are known to have nested on fallow cultivated fields since the 1980s, but little information exists about adult Avery L Meeker plover behavior and habitat use during the incubation John M Marzluff period on croplands. To determine how incubating plovers use habitat in a mixed habitat and ownership In Denali National Park, over 50 years of traditional landscape, we deployed and recovered 11 miniature ecological knowledge suggests that many bird species global positioning system (GPS) dataloggers on adult within the park are being displaced from historical plovers incubating nests on cultivated fields in Weld breeding areas. Population declines are most notable County, Colorado. We estimated home-range size while for tundra species such as American Golden-Plover foraging using 95% kernel density contours and report (Pluvialis Dominica) and Long-tailed Jaeger (Sterco- a median of 259.5 ha (range 20.04-1555). We recorded rarius longicaudus). This change has coincided with the proportion of foraging locations per habitat type an increase in tourism, including increased recreational throughout the deployment period and found plovers opportunities like hiking trails, back country camping foraged the most on cropland. These data will help permits, and daily bus trips. Our project investigates understand how landscape level habitat fragmentation the impacts of these recreational activities on birds in brought about by changes in farming economics, en- alpine tundra habitats. In our first year we repeatedly ergy development, and/or climate may impact mountain surveyed birds using 600-m- long line transects at 81 plover breeding biology. sites using the Land-bird Monitoring Protocol for the Arctic Alaska Network. We found decreasing densities

199 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Ecological niches and environmental overlap of the and ancestral species and uncovered the overwhelm- Arremon brunneinucha (Aves: Passerellidae) com- ing effect of preexisting metabolic network structure plex in Mesoamerica on carotenoid diversification over the last 50 million years of avian evolution. Over evolutionary time, birds Israel Moreno-Contreras repeatedly subsampled and recombined conserved bio- Adolfo G Navarro-Siguenza chemical modules, which likely preserved access to the Luis A Sanchez-Gonz´ alez´ same metabolic network during avian evolution. These Mar´ıa del Coro Arizmendi findings explain the recurrent convergence of evolu- tionary distant species and weak phylogenetic signal Speciation can either proceed as gradual divergence, in avian carotenoid evolution. Remarkable retention of mostly in allopatry or parapatry, or may instead consist an ancient metabolic structure throughout extensive and of, most likely, a series of genomic events, which re- prolonged ecological diversification in avian carotenoid sult in the establishment of new evolutionary lineages. metabolism illustrates a fundamental requirement of or- To better predict the widely recorded species geograph- ganismal evolution historical continuity of a determin- ical and environmental shifts, it is crucial to first de- istic network that links past and present functional as- fine and understand species environmental niches and sociations of its components. their variability in light of their biotic contexts. A good way to examine niche shifts and niche partition- ing is to measure and test the overlap and the differ- ence in the environmental space occupied (i.e. realized Aggressive females trade-off resource defense niche) over time and across species. Indeed, the real- with parental investment in blue tits (Cyanistes ized niche reflects the action of both abiotic and biotic caeruleus) factors on species distribution. Environmental Niche Models (ENMs) have been used to model and predict Troy G Murphy species distributions according to changes in climatic Peter Korsten and environmental variables, considered to be the main Martje Birker drivers of species distribution at large and small spatial- Reinaldo Marfull scales. Here, we investigate the ecological niche of the Jan Komdeur Arremon brunneinucha complex (Aves: Passerellidae) in Mesoamerica and examine how they overlap in geo- Understanding the causes of sexual differences in ag- graphical and environmental space. We used a correl- gression is a major goal in studies of evolution. Al- ative method (Maxent) for the generation of ecological though males are widely considered the more aggres- niches in this complex. sive sex, females often accrue substantial fitness bene- fits through competition. However, despite such bene- fits, substantial costs are associated with aggressive be- Structure versus time in the evolutionary diversifi- havior in females, and some of these costs are female- cation of avian carotenoid metabolic networks specific. Female costs can arise from the aggression- mediating hormones which can interfere with breeding Erin S Morrison physiology. Additionally, female aggression may be es- Alexander V Badyaev pecially costly because offspring survival and condition is so dependent on maternal investment – from develop- Historical associations of genes and proteins are ment through dependency. A tradeoff is therefore ex- thought to delineate pathways available to subsequent pected to exists between the benefits arising from ag- evolution, however the effects of past functional in- gression (e.g., resource defense), and the depression of volvements on contemporary evolution are rarely quan- reproductive output. We investigated the costs associ- tified. Here we examined the extent to which the ated with female aggression in the blue tit (Cyanistes structure of a carotenoid metabolic network persists caeruleus). To do this, we elicited female aggression by in avian evolution. Specifically, we tested whether repeatedly presenting stuffed female taxidermic models the evolution of avian carotenoid networks was most on top of nestboxes before egg laying. We additionally concordant with phylogenetically structured expansion ran a control treatment by placing empty cages on top of from core reactions of common ancestors or with sub- nestboxes. We measured whether females that expend sampling of evolutionary conserved biochemical path- energy and resources in defending nests (augmented- way modules. We compared structural and histori- aggression-females) shifted energy and resources away cal associations in 467 carotenoid networks of extant from producing multiple high-quality offspring. We

200 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book found that augmented-aggression-females suffered re- R L Nelson duced reproductive performance, and that offspring Jonathan A Eisen of augmented-aggression-females showed less begging Madhusudan Katti vigor compared to offspring from control females, sug- Tricia A Van Laar gesting that there is an across generational reproductive cost associated with female aggression. Our results pro- American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) are well vide evidence that there are substantial costs associated adapted to living closely with humans, roost in large with female aggression. numbers, and feed at waste-treatment facilities and on human-generated trash. These characteristics make them likely to encounter antibiotic resistant (AR) and/or enteric pathogens and deposit them in anthropogenic Temporal covariation of demographic rates in settings. Our study areas are Fresno and Davis (urban) Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) and management im- and Critter Creek Wildlife Station (rural). We hypothe- plications size the urban fecal microbiota would share many taxa with the rural (core microbiota), but to also have sig- Kelsey L Navarre nificant differences due to different food sources (vari- David N Koons able microbiota). We also hypothesize the resistomes of the urban crows will be different from rural as the The continental population of scaup remains well below urban crows are exposed to organisms associated with population objectives. Previous analyses of long-term antibiotics used in agriculture and medicine. We am- demographic data have revealed recruitment, which is plified and sequenced the 16S rRNA gene of DNA ex- a combination of multiple vital rates (e.g., nest success, tracted from crow feces. Sequencing data was ana- duckling survival, juvenile survival), as the likely driver lyzed using QIIME2. For resistome analysis, DNA of the decline in population growth. Vital rates are of- from feces at each location was pooled, giving one ten assumed to be independent in population models; sample for each location. We are performing metage- however, this is a costly assumption because covaria- nomic sequencing of the pooled DNA. We also cul- tion in vital rates can have a greater influence on pop- tured bacteria from feces and identified AR pathogenic ulation dynamics than variation in any vital rate on its genera including Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, and En- own. To study covariation, vital rates of a population terococcus. Through 16S rRNA sequencing, we iden- must be measured over long periods of time. We are us- tified pathogen-containing taxa like Legionellales, Tre- ing the long-term dataset at Red Rock Lakes National ponema, Rickettsiaceae, and Clostridia. The diversity Wildlife Refuge, Montana and the creation of demo- of the microbiota within the roosts was not significantly graphic models to explore the implications of environ- different when comparing roosts, however there was a mental variability on lesser scaup population dynamics. significant difference between the composition of the Specifically, we are: continuing to monitor and estimate microbiota from the urban and rural settings. The data seasonal survival of adult females, breeding propensity, from this study will provide insight into potential health clutch size, nesting success, duckling survival, and first- of urban versus rural crows and risks to humans near winter survival of females, developing models to evalu- roosts. ate the relative contribution of habitat and climate fac- tors to variation and covariation of demographic rates, creating populations models for lesser scaup that incor- porate covariation in key demographic rates as a func- Effects of nocturnal luminance and weather on East- tion of environmental variables, and exploring implica- ern Screech-Owl vocal activity tions of environmental variation on vital rates by exam- ining alternative life-history responses to such variation Kimberly M Nijoka and consequent impacts on population dynamics. Re- Leesia C Marshall sults from this study will inform which vital rates are most important to population growth rate as well as the The Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) is a small best management actions for increasingly variable en- owl common throughout eastern North America. East- vironmental conditions due to climate change. ern Screech-Owls are nocturnal and cryptic, making usual methods of sampling birds unsuitable. Broadcasts of taped calls have been an effective technique in detec- tion. However, lunar and weather factors and threat of Characterizing the Microbiota and Resistome of predation by larger owls could influence calling rates. American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) Feces Effects of these variables on calling rates and activities

201 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 of owls have been studied, but often reach contradictory results within a species. Previous studies have not di- The fledgling doesn’t roam far from the nest: Red- rectly quantified crepuscular and nocturnal luminance. headed Woodpecker fledgling movement patterns Our study uses a night sky brightness photometer that during parental dependence measures luminance in magnitudes per square arc sec- ond to better quantify the brightness of the night as it is R Kyle Pagel experienced by owls within the forest. This measure is Elena H West taken along with moon-phase, temperature (C), % hu- Henry M Streby midity, wind speed (mph), % cloud cover, and a mea- sure of background noise (dB). Broadcasts of Eastern The Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythro- Screech-Owl vocalizations are followed by broadcasts cephalus) is a flagship species of the oak savanna of Barred Owl (Strix varia) and Great Horned Owls ecosystem found in small isolated areas throughout the (Bubo virginianus) vocalizations to determine if calling Midwest. Populations have declined by 70% across the by screech owls is restricted by the presence of a preda- species’ breeding range over the past 50 years. To iden- tor. Principal components analysis is used to determine tify drivers of these population declines, monitoring de- which variables best explain vocal activity of the East- mographic parameters (e.g., nest productivity, fledgling ern Screech-Owl in the pinewoods of central Louisiana. survival, adult survival) is vital. In 2017, during the first year of a long-term study of full annual cycle ecology of red-headed woodpeckers, we used radio telemetry to Song Variation of Cerulean Warblers in Northeast track daily movements of fledglings at Oak Openings Iowa Preserve Metropark in northwestern Ohio, USA (n=9) and Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in central EmiLee A Novak Minnesota, USA (n=15). Daily locations, parental care, Jon W Stravers and habitat use of fledglings were recorded to iden- Paul DB Skrade tify movement patterns and potential factors influencing survival. Our findings suggest that fledglings are de- The Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) is a species pendent upon parental care for 4-8 weeks after leaving of conservation concern across its breeding range. the nest cavity and do not range far from the nest dur- However, one of the most western breeding populations ing this period (max = 653 m). On average, fledglings of this species located in northeast Iowa near the Missis- ranged 104 m ( 119 SD) and 87 m ( 62 SD) from the sippi River appears to be doing well, with annual point nest in Minnesota and Ohio, respectively. Further re- count surveys finding territories consistently occupied search is required to understand whether these small- from year to year. Territorial male Cerulean Warblers scale fledgling movements are consistent from year to will sing a three-part song throughout the day. This con- year, or if there are drivers that influence the duration sists of intro figures, a middle section of shorter figures, and dispersal range of fledglings during parental depen- and ending with a trill. Previous studies in other parts dence (e.g., food availability, habitat availability, popu- of their range have found seasonal variation in song. lation density, etc.). We hypothesize about the poten- During the 2016 breeding season we made several hun- tial implications of these fledgling movement patterns dred recordings of territorial males to examine the song in behavioral and conservation contexts. pattern for this western population. Mean song length across the season was 1.27 seconds (SE 0.04) with early songs generally longer (mean 1.31 secs, SE 0.05) Population genetics of Alaska Common Raven and late songs shorter (mean 1.17 secs, SE 0.05). This was likely due to additional intro notes sung by early- Christin L Pruett season birds, as mean trill length was similar early and Tianyu Li late in the season. Mean song length was similar in the Kevin Winker mornings and afternoons, as was trill length, although birds more frequently had an additional intro figure in The Common Raven (Corvus corax) is widespread at the afternoon. The length of time between songs was high latitudes and a noted disperser. Based on their similar in the mornings and afternoons, but there was dispersal abilities, we hypothesized that Alaska popula- much more variation in the amount of time between tions would be genetically similar and maintain genetic songs. Overall, song patterns for this population are diversity across thousands of kilometers. We sampled similar to Cerulean Warblers in other geographic re- 134 ravens from 9 areas in Alaska, including six pop- gions. ulations we considered as mainland and three as island

202 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

(Kodiak, Adak, and Attu islands). We examined eight a MiSeq using degenerate bird and vertebrate primers. microsatellite loci and found that in most Alaska popu- Illumina sequencing results are pending. lations gene flow is high. However, we found that here are at least two raven populations in Alaska. The Attu Island population was quite different from the other Woodpeckers and parasites: Testing the relation- sampled populations, and it was the only location that ship between immune function and carotenoid levels appeared to be completely isolated from other Alaska locations. Prior work suggests that the uniqueness of Ashleigh M Rhea the Attu Island population could be due to isolation in Shawn M Billerman a glacial refugium. Postglacial dispersal has not erased Ryan J Weaver this signal, suggesting limits to the species’ movement Douglas K Eddy abilities. The Attu Island population underwent a sub- Matthew D Carling stantial decline raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$ 4 Kya, which roughly coincides with the arrival of hu- Many physiological processes must take place in or- mans. Traditional cultural values suggest that any effect der for an immune response to be activated. Ade- of humans would likely be indirect. quate nutrition providing all of the body’s essential vita- mins, minerals, pigments is a necessary component of normal health responses. Diet-based carotenoids have Using environmental DNA sampling methods to de- been linked with activating the immune response. What termine cryptic wetland bird occupancy is unclear is whether the concentration of carotenoids present, as measured in the surface area of carotenoid- Anastasia A Rahlin based plumage coloration, correlate with the presence Mark A Davis of parasitic infection. To answer these questions, we Matthew L Niemiller used 65 Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) and 16 Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) Wetland fragments in Illinois support over 100 bird specimens to determine carotenoid concentration from species, 15 of which are state threatened and endan- red-colored breast and crown feathers via gas chro- gered. Wetland birds are of particular concern under matography. These data were analyzed in conjunction the Illinois State Wildlife Action Plan due to the lack with avian malaria (Plasmodium spp. and Haemopro- of information about their population sizes and distri- teus spp.) infection rates obtained by polymerase chain butions. Traditional playback methods fall short in elu- reaction (PCR). We found that 40% of our sample size cidating cryptic wetland bird occupancy due to small was infected with avian malaria. We also compared body sizes, infrequent vocalizations, and unique habi- standardized measures of the estimated red coloration tat requirements. In this study, we investigated whether on the breast and crown using ImageJ. We found that environmental DNA (eDNA) methods could be used to there is a significant (p=0.0116) difference between the detect multiple rail species, and also hypothesized that red feather proportions on the breasts of infected in- taking environmental DNA samples over time would al- dividuals in comparison with uninfected individuals. low us to temporally track rail migration. We collected The findings of our study will help shed light on how and filtered water samples from four sites from north- climate change facilitating the northern expansion of ern Illinois. We collected and purified DNA from filters Culex mosquitos and avian malaria will impact these using a Qiagen DNeasy kit, and quantified extracts on woodpeckers. Additionally, these data indicate differ- a Qubit 3.0 fluorometer. We amplified a short fragment ences in the reproductive and survival costs associated of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 lo- with avian malaria infection. cus using newly designed degenerate bird primers. We positively detected eDNA in our samples, with Qubit concentrations ranging from 1.30 ng/ml to 80.3 ng/ml. Haemosporidian Diversity and Prevalence in a As expected, negative control samples collected in the Chickadee Hybrid Zone field yielded no eDNA. Degenerate primers positively detected GBHE and SORA DNA extracted from liver Ari A Rice controls, with band fragment sizes of approximately Robert L Curry 125 base pairs. Degenerate primers also yielded multi- Jason D Weckstein ple raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$125 bp bands, showing strong evidence for wetland bird DNA detec- Avian haemosporidians are single-celled parasites that tion from eDNA samples. Samples were sequenced on cause malaria and malaria-like diseases in a wide range

203 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 of bird taxa throughout the world. However, not all color) and their offspring during the breeding season. birds are equally susceptible to infection, and these We took blood samples from females and supplemented differences in parasite resistance are thought play a nests with calcium (crushed oyster shell) or a control major role in shaping the evolutionary processes, ge- (local soil) at the beginning of nest construction. Once ographic distributions, and interspecific competition chicks were 12 days old, a second blood sample was among certain birds. We are investigating whether host- taken from mothers as well as nestlings. Other factors, specific haemosporidians play a role in the ongoing such as clutch size, brood size, and age of the mother, range shifts in Carolina Chickadees (Poecile carolinen- were measured to determine their influence on telom- sis) and Black-capped Chickadees (P. atricapillus). In ere length. This study gives insight into the factors that southeastern Pennsylvania, these species are largely al- influence longevity in breeding Tree Swallows that act lopatric except for within a narrow hybrid zone. For via telomere length. By having a better sense of the role the past century, this zone has been shifting northward that calcium availability has on Tree Swallow telomere as the more southerly carolinensis seemingly outcom- length, we can then gain insight on the impact that vary- petes atricapillus and displaces them. In this prelim- ing amounts of calcium has on avian health and lifes- inary study, we examined the prevalence of haemo- pan. sporidians in chickadees from three populations: one south of the hybrid zone (n = 73 individuals tested), one north of it (n = 48), and one in its current center (n = 67). These screenings revealed infection rates of Pathway to a Global Analysis of Geographical Vari- 35% in the southern (Carolina) population, 35% within ation in Avian Life History Patterns the hybrid zone, and only 15% in the northern (Black- capped) population. These results suggest the possi- John T Rotenberry bility that carolinensis is transferring a novel strain of Priya Balasubramaniam haemosporidian to atricapillus within the hybrid zone and providing this less resistant species with a compet- Avian life histories are shaped by both the environ- itive disadvantage. Ongoing screenings, sampling from mental attributes associated with a species’ geograph- other chickadee populations, and information involv- ical distribution and phylogenetic constraints, the lat- ing haemosporidian gene sequences will ultimately test ter associated with the species’ evolutionary history. whether this phenomenon occurs. As information concerning all three elements becomes increasingly available it is now possible to imagine a global analysis of life history patterns encompassing the majority of avian species. Identifying sources of The effect of calcium on the life-span of breeding data, we outline a path for combining individual species Tree Swallows life history attributes with environmental data extracted from individual species breeding distributions, which Marina D Rodriguez can then be analyzed in a phylogenetic context to test Susan Bailey alternative theories of life history evolution. We illus- Kathryn P Huyvaert trate the process using a globally distributed order, Ac- Paul F Doherty cipitriformes, examining the relative roles of breeding latitude and elevation in explaining clutch size varia- Stress can have various effects on the health and tion. longevity of organisms. One mechanism whereby stress exposure affects health and lifespan is telomere length. Telomeres are non-coding, repetitive DNA sequences that cap the end of eukaryotic chromosomes whose How have ecosystem services such as bird diver- length is highly correlated to lifespan. Telomeres can sity changed since the development of the Schoodic shorten due to stress and age, and telomere length can Woods campground in Acadia National Park? be inherited from parents. While many studies focus on factors that cause telomere shortening, very few wild Katharine J Ruskin studies have looked at factors that slow down or even re- Alyson M East verse the shortening of telomeres. Because calcium has Joseph J Cicero been shown to increase reproductive success in passer- Aaron L Strong ines, our study utilized calcium supplementation to de- termine if the nutrient can act as a buffer to shorten- In 2015, Acadia National Park opened the 97-site Sc- ing telomeres in female Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bi- hoodic Woods Campground, as well as 7 miles of new

204 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book gravel bicycle paths, 5 miles of new hiking trails, and Recordings of 191 individuals from 1970 and 175 in- a new visitor center. With opportunities for increased dividuals from 2015 were used to analyze the differ- tourism, the ecosystem services the real economic ben- ences in song frequency, amplitude, and song duration efits to humans provided by ecosystems have likely between and within populations along an urban to rural changed on Schoodic Peninsula, with some ecosystem gradient stretching from Berkeley to the foothills of the services such as tourism likely increasing, while others Sierra Nevadas in El Dorado County, CA. The results such as biodiversity and carbon storage likely decreas- of this study will shed light on how song characteristics ing. With this study, we aimed to (1) quantify the valua- change due to anthropogenic affects over temporal and tion of ecosystem services provided by Schoodic Penin- geographic scales. sula, focusing on the three greatest contributors: recre- ation and tourism, biodiversity, and carbon storage, and 2) estimate how these values have changed with the development of Schoodic Woods. We conducted 184 Frugivorous birds in recovering sagebrush steppe avian point counts and 19 vegetation transects to esti- habitat: Frenemies of restoration? mate biodiversity, used these vegetation transects and 8 woody debris transects to calculate carbon storage, Gabriel L Sandoval and gathered 790 visitor surveys along with 15 semi- Dana M Sanchez structured stakeholder interviews to estimate value of Jacob W Dittel tourism opportunities. Preliminary results suggest that bird species richness is highest near human develop- Sagebrush steppe is an imperiled ecosystem due to nu- ments, especially the campground, and decreases mov- merous interacting pressures such as the expansion of ing away from it. The results of this project will inform western juniper, which exerts strong negative effects the evolution of development on Schoodic Peninsula, on native plants and wildlife. The Phillip W. Schnei- creating an opportunity for strategic growth that pre- der Wildlife Area (PWSWA) is a degraded sagebrush serves ecosystem services such as biodiversity and car- steppe ecosystem undergoing management to restore bon storage, while optimizing tourist revenue and ben- wildlife habitat through reduction (cutting) of juniper. efitting local businesses. Ironically, through eating and dispersing juniper berries into restoration treatment patches, birds may be coun- tering efforts to restore shrubs and understory plants. Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) song character- Species composition of the area’s breeding season bird istics at two time points across an urban gradient community had not previously been documented. Fur- thermore, the relationship among birds, fruits of juniper Karina A Sanchez trees bordering restoration patches, and potential perch- Lauryn Benedict ing (and seed deposit) structures, specifically downed Carla Cicero juniper, within the restoration patches was unexplored. Kristina Fialko Our objective was to understand the role that frugivo- rous birds might play in this restoration landscape. We Bird songs and calls serve numerous functions includ- conducted point-count surveys during the 2017 breed- ing resource defense, species identification, and attract- ing season to document the bird community composi- ing and retaining mates. As ecosystems are altered due tion. We observed that 14% of the species were frugiv- to the rapid growth of human populations, avian species orous. Then during fall behavioral observations we ob- have been observed to alter song behaviors, which are served four common species of birds consuming juniper critical to individual fitness. For organisms that rely berries, with the American Robin and Townsend’s soli- heavily on acoustic communication, it is important to taire being the most frequently observed. During obser- understand the effects of anthropogenic environmental vations, birds spent an equal time foraging and roosting. changes on signaling behavior and outcomes. Stud- Birds, however, spent the most time and defecated most ies have shown that birds alter the temporal timing, often within living juniper stands and not within cut ju- frequency, amplitude, and duration of their songs to niper patches. Many of our observations demonstrate a avoid being masked by anthropogenic noise. In this common pattern in seed dispersal mechanisms, in that study, we examined the effects of urban environment most seeds are likely deposited relatively close to the over time and space on song characteristics of the Spot- parent tree, suggesting frugivorous birds are not dispro- ted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus). Over time and with portionately dispersing seeds into restoration patches. an increase in urbanization, we should see an increase in minimum frequencies, amplitude, and song length.

205 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

On the fruit color preferences of the Southern Cas- Birds depend on acoustic signaling to attract mates, de- sowary (Casuarius casuarius) fend territories, and warn neighbors of predators. To minimize acoustic masking by noise, male songbirds Vinodkumar Saranathan can increase the rate, frequency, duration, and ampli- Adam HY Goh tude of their songs. Military noise reduces breeding success and habitat occupancy, but the effect of high- The ratite, Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), intensity, intermittent noise on avian communication is is a keystone’ fruit disperser in the Australian rain- not well understood. Thus, the objective of our study is forests. And yet, currently it is unclear whether they to analyze the temporal and spectral song adjustments exercise any fruit color preferences while foraging in used by males to reduce noise masking and maintain the wild, and if so, what colors they do prefer. Towards signal transmission across a gradient of military train- this end, over six non-consecutive days, we presented ing noise intensity. We recorded the songs of focal three female adult captive cassowaries with a total of 45 male Golden-winged (n=31) and Blue-winged Warblers model fruits each dyed with nine artificial food colors (n=51) and their hybrids (n=9) across the training areas corresponding to three distinct categories: naturally- at Fort Drum, New York. We analyzed song spectral occurring fruit colors that also occur on the bodies of characteristics, and preliminary analysis suggests that cassowaries (red, blue, black), naturally-occurring fruit both Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers occu- colors that are absent in cassowaries (yellow, purple, pying noisier territories produce songs with higher peak pink), and novel hues outside the gamut of available frequency and of longer duration than warblers from fruit colors (grey, gold, turquoise). We observed their quiet territories. Our study is a critical step in inform- feeding behavior and compared both the order and fre- ing habitat management of military lands for species quency of each fruit color consumed. The choice of that depend on vocal communication. model fruits is non-random with red and pink colors significantly preferred when all three individuals are considered, consistent with prior studies of color choice Southeastern American Kestrel nestling provision- in frugivorous (passerine) birds, suggesting perhaps a ing in the West Gulf Coastal Plain conserved innate fruit color preference in Aves. While there were no significant differences in the choices Richard R Schaefer between the individuals, they did consistently exhibit D C Rudolph some idiosyncratic differences in preferences (one in- dividual preferred more yellow and gold fruits over red The Southeastern American Kestrel (Falco sparverius or pink). Based on tetrachromat visual analyses of the paulus) is a permanent resident of the southeastern model fruit colors in relation to the visual ecology of United States, and reaches its western range limit in these ratites, we conclude with important implications the pine-dominated forests of eastern Texas. This sub- on the evolution of fruit colors in the Australian rain- species has declined in many areas due to the loss of forest ecosystem (e.g. in Elaeocarpaceae). nesting and foraging habitat, and there has been little research in the western portion of its range. A ma- jority of kestrel nests we found (83%) were located in forest stands managed for Red-cockaded Woodpeck- Do Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers ad- ers. We recorded 412 prey deliveries (males = 225, fe- just their songs in response to military noise? males = 187) to nest sites by breeding kestrels in east- ern Texas and west-central Louisiana. Females deliv- Joanna M Sblendorio ered mostly invertebrates (88% of all female deliver- Amy E Janik ies), and grasshoppers were the most common prey item Eric R Britzke (n = 55). Other invertebrates occasionally provided to Maarten J Vonhof nestlings included dragonflies, cicadas, katydids, crick- Sharon A Gill ets, roaches, spiders, and caterpillars. The most sig- nificant vertebrate prey delivered by females was the The military manages large expanses of land across the ground skink (Scincella lateralis). However, males de- United States that serve as breeding habitat to threat- livered primarily vertebrate prey (85% of all male de- ened species, such as the Golden-winged Warbler. Mil- liveries), with green anoles (Anolis carolinensis) being itary training operations on these lands produce an- the most common prey item (n = 121). Other vertebrate thropogenic noise that can either be chronic or sudden, prey provided by males included several other lizard and disrupt bird breeding activity and communication. species, and rarely a mouse or bird nestling. The green

206 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book anole was the single most common prey item delivered Soely Luyando-Flusa to kestrel nestlings by males and females combined, and Braiam A Rosado-Ramos accounted for 36% (147 obs.) of prey deliveries. Green Ian J Perez–Cruz´ anoles are an abundant and relatively conspicuous prey Linoshka M Flores-Garc´ıa source, favoring shrub-level vegetation within South- eastern American Kestrel nesting territories in the West On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria struck the is- Gulf Coastal Plain. land of Puerto Rico, and is considered the worst natural disaster on record for the island. It was the tenth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record and the most in- tense tropical cyclone worldwide of 2017, the thirteenth Recoveries of Archival Light-Level Geolocators named storm, eighth consecutive hurricane, fourth ma- from Northern Waterthrushes (Parkesia novebora- jor hurricane, second Category 5 hurricane, and the censis), in Puerto Rico Size Matters deadliest storm of the hyperactive 2017 Atlantic hur- ricane season. This storm had devastating effects on Fred C Schaffner habitat throughout the entire island of Puerto Rico, in- Ivelisse Rodr´ıguez-Colon´ cluding massive crown loss and defoliation of man- Soely Luyando-Flusa groves and coastal secondary dry forest. Herein we Mariangely Cruz-Colon´ present the results of our mist netting sampling of res- Braiam Rosado-Ramos ident and migratory land birds, a preliminary assess- Ian J Perez-Cruz´ ment of hurricane impact in an interhabit corridor con- necting mangroves with coastal dry forest at Jobos Bay The effective conservation of long-distance migratory in Salinas, Puerto Rico (Jobos Bay National Estuarine birds requires the identification and protection of the Research Reserve, JBNERR). This assessment includes birds’ stopover and wintering habitats, in addition to sampling just a few days before the storm and from 2 nesting habitat. We wish to establish the specific months onwards after the storm, with notable changes intercontinental migratory connectivity of the 15-20 in species composition and relative abundance. g Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis), a species breeds in North America and passes the win- ter in the Caribbean, Central and South America. We deployed 40 archival light-level geolocator data log- Comparison of DNA extraction methods from mu- ger units of two different designs and total masses on seum specimens Northern Waterthrushes at two sites at Jobos Bay in Salinas, Puerto Rico (Jobos Bay National Estuarine Re- Margaret E Schedl search Reserve, JBNERR) in early successional and Whitney LE Tsai late successional coastal dry forest habitat from Sep- James M Maley Dec 2015 (19 units) and Jan-Apr 2016 (21 units). Of John E McCormack the 40 geolocators deployed, overall, 11 (27.5%) were recovered from September 2016 to April 2017, while Next Generation Sequencing has greatly expanded the 47 of 152 non-tagged birds (30.9%) were recaptured utility of museum collections by making specimens for these same periods. However, only 3 of 20 birds available as genomic resources. For avian museum (15.0%) carrying the larger units were recaptured, while specimens, the established method of taking tissue from 8 of 20 birds (40.0%) carrying the smaller, lighter units toe pads works well for most specimens. However, for were recovered. Despite the potential confounding ef- some types of very small and very large specimens, toe fects of season and habitat, we conclude that size (mass) pads are a poor source of DNA. As the field of mu- is the most important factor influencing the recovery of seum genomics grows, so does the need for extraction geolocator-tagged Northern Waterthrushes. methods that maximize DNA yields. In this study, we examined alternative sources of tissue from avian spec- imens, and compared two methods for DNA extraction. We collected toe pads, skin punches, and bone frag- Abundance and Diversity of Land Birds in Puerto ments from 10 bird specimens over a range of species Rican Coastal Dry Forest in the Aftermath of Hur- from the teaching collection of the Moore Laboratory ricane Mara of Zoology. For each sample, we extracted DNA using a modified Qiagen DNeasy protocol and a phenol chlo- Fred C Schaffner roform protocol. Samples extracted using the phenol Mariangely Cruz-Colon´ chloroform protocol yielded more DNA than samples

207 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 extracted using the modified Qiagen DNeasy protocol. up in the environment. This is a peculiar observa- While toe pads yielded more DNA on average than skin tion given that feathers are composed primarily of punches, skin punches proved to be a reliable alterna- keratin, a tough and decay-resistant protein. I con- tive source for DNA when toe pad samples fail. ducted a series of experiments to evaluate the fate of shed feathers under natural conditions. First, I placed flight feathers of Gray Catbirds and Cedar Waxwings in Evolution and Taxonomy study of Herons in East litter bags for raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$2 Africa years on the forest floor in Western Massachusetts. Litter bags eliminated feather removal and gnaw- Golya Shahrokhi ing by rodents, Trogid and Dermestid beetles, and Michael A Patten Teinid moths. While a few feathers were mostly de- composed over these two years, some remained re- The herons (Aves: Ardeidae) constitute one of the taxo- markably intact, and overall, mass loss was negligi- nomic families with many unresolved phylogenetic re- ble (raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$2%, p=0.4). lationships, both within and among clades. Although Second, I tethered flight feathers from Barred Owls to some morphological and molecular studies have been the forest floor without the protection of litter bags. Af- done on different species and resolved some basic rela- ter 12 months, the feathers remained largely intact, but tionships, several species of this family have not been by 20 months, most of the feather was gone, except studied at all. The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), the calamus which was tied to the fishing line. Third, Western Reef-Heron (Egretta gularis), and Dimorphic I placed trail cameras in front of piles of feathers and Egret (Egretta dimorpha) are three members of Ardei- individually tethered feathers. Most animals detected dae with many ambiguities in their taxonomic relation- on the trail cameras ignored the feathers. However, a ship. Their similar morphology, overlapping ranges, few rodents (eastern chipmunk, gray squirrel, and Per- and reports of possible inbreeding has pushed tax- omyscus) were detected (<5% of observations) gnaw- onomists and ornithologists into controversial conflicts ing on the feathers. I failed to detect a single keratin- about how to classify them. The primary objective consuming insect during this study. of this research is to use mitochondrial and nuclear markers to help clarify the phylogenetic relationships of these three taxa. I also will test for the prevalence and origin of hybridization among them using both molec- Habitat-specific variation in bobwhite chick body ular markers and spatial analyses. I plan to use tissue condition on native prairies and traditionally man- and blood samples from both preserved (from muse- aged Conservation Areas in Missouri ums) and wild specimens. After collecting samples, the extracted DNA will be amplified for both mito- Emily A Sinnott chondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear markers. The mtDNA Frank R Thompson markers are cytochrome b (cytb) and cytochrome c ox- idase subunit I (COI) and the nuclear markers are the Growth rates of precocial chicks reflect variation in lo- color morph gene (MC1R) and two additional mark- cal forage condition and habitat suitability of brood- ers. For hybridization, I would screen single nucleotide rearing areas. Environments with lower food quality or polymorphisms (SNPs) to obtain abundant data on the abundance may result in starvation-induced weakness, extent of interbreeding as well as obtain a picture of reduced body mass, and lower chick survival. Body dispersal trends. The analyzed data will be joined with size is positively associated with speed and endurance geographical and spatial analyses to clarify the history and advanced mobility may improve foraging success and evolutionary pattern of their speciation and diver- and predator avoidance of young. Bobwhite chick sur- gence. vival remains low until young reach a mass of 50-g. Habitat conditions that constrain growth rate may be an ultimate factor affecting juvenile survival. Our ob- Secondary Market for Bird Feathers: What Hap- jective was to assess habitat-specific variation in body pens to Feathers After Birds Shed Them? condition of bobwhite young. We captured 21 broods on five Conservation Areas in southwest Missouri in Daniel P Shustack 2017. Three sites were native prairie and two were traditionally managed areas with patches of grassland Every year billions of birds shed and replace trillions and agriculture. We captured broods at 512 and 1635 of feathers. Yet these dropped feathers do not build days of age and measured mass and tarsus length of

208 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book all individuals. We used a mixed models with a ran- dom brood term to account for intra-brood dependence, Mapping patterns of vocal variation in the native a random intercept for each individual to account for range of an invasive parrot repeated measures of subjects, a fixed effect of tarsus to account for structural size, and a fixed effect for We Grace Smith-Vidaurre found support for an effect of both tarsus length and Tim Wright dominant cover type. Mass was significantly higher in native-grass plantings and agricultural units, followed Biological invaders that have repeatedly and indepen- by native prairie, mixed grass, and restored prairies. dently colonized human-altered habitats provide natural Insight into juvenile physiological responses to habitat experiments to ask how processes like social learning type and management will enhance our understanding facilitate rapid adaptation to human-induced environ- of mechanisms underlying survival of young. mental change. Monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) have invaded cities across the world through disper- sal for the global pet trade. Previous work with var- Rain or shine, telomeres are fine: Variable weather ious parrot species has shown that geographic vari- influences incubation length, but not telomere length ation in call types often results from social learning at hatch in house sparrows rather than genetic differentiation. Previous research with invasive monk parakeets in the U.S. described dis- Aubrey E Sirman crete, dialect-like patterns of contact call variation, even Aurelia C Kucera over short geographic distances. Here we mapped ge- Britt J Heidinger ographic variation in contact calls in a region of monk parakeets’ native South American range that is consid- In our free-living nest box population of house sparrows ered a source for invasive populations. We recorded na- (Passer domesticus) in Fargo, North Dakota, incubation tive monk parakeet populations at over 40 sites across length varies considerably. During the breeding season, a 400km transect along the coast of Uruguay from May summer weather is also highly variable. Previous re- November 2017. We used Raven and the recently de- search in birds has demonstrated that telomere length at veloped warbleR package to select, filter, and visual- hatching is predictive of lifespan, and impacts lifetime ize calls. We used machine learning approaches in R reproductive success. However, little is known about to classify calls across the geographic transect. Geo- the factors that influence early life telomere length. Be- graphic variation patterns in native monk parakeet con- cause incubation length is variable it may play a role tact calls are complex, characterized by high levels of in telomere length at hatching. Several factors might variation within sites and clinal changes in acoustic also influence incubation including weather variables. structure across the transect. These patterns are dif- This is supported by previous data in our population ferent from previous findings of discrete (rather than that demonstrated that early life telomere length is im- clinal) contact call variation in invasive U.S. popula- pacted by weather. We collected blood samples from tions, pointing to changes in social structure and/or so- nestlings in the summer of 2016 and measured telom- cial learning processes as likely signatures of invasion. eres using quantitative PCR. We hypothesized that in- Our findings will provide a foundation for future work cubation length may mediate the relationship between investigating how acoustic signals change after invasion weather and early life telomere length. To explore this of human-altered habitats. relationship, we did a principle components analysis (PCA) to reduce the dimensionality of the weather data and then used path analysis to identify relationships be- Landbird Species at Risk in Forested Wetlands of tween weather, incubation period, and telomere length. Nova Scotia We found that weather components did influence in- cubation length, supporting previous findings. How- Cindy A Staicer ever, incubation length did not impact telomere length Erika Nissen at hatching. Interestingly, nest attempt positively in- Suchinta Arif fluenced telomere length at hatch, which subsequently positively impacted telomere length near fledging. To- Forested wetlands are declining, understudied and im- gether, these results suggest that while weather does portant ecosystems rich in biodiversity. In Nova Sco- play a role in incubation length, the relationship be- tia, three landbird species at risk (SAR), the Olive- tween weather and early life telomere length is more sided Flycatcher (OSFL; Contopus cooperi), Canada complex than predicted. Warbler (CAWA; Cardellina canadensis), and Rusty

209 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Blackbird (RUBL; Euphagus carolinus), breed mainly factor in the species decline, it may not be the immedi- in forested wetlands. This project aims to help con- ate factor impeding its recovery. Reasons for the con- serve these species through research, stewardship, out- tinued decline of the western yellow-billed cuckoo are reach, and volunteer involvement in monitoring. Cur- unclear, and new research into potential causes of de- rent research focuses on identification of high quality cline, including prey availability and wintering habitat habitat that supports greater densities, higher reproduc- conditions, need to be explored if the cuckoo is to be tive rates, and more stable populations. In 2017, 10-min saved from extinction in the U.S. point counts were conducted at 120 sites to document breeding bird communities across a range of forested wetland types. CAWA (at 19 sites) co-occurred less of- ten than chance with 3 other species, and OSFL (at 17 American Crows Roost Near Development and sites) co-occurred less often than chance with 2 species Roads, but in Different Places Each Night During but more often with 4 species. We obtained densities the Winter of 2016-17 of breeding birds using the R packages detect, to model detectability using both distance and time to first de- Ben Steele tection, and cmulti. To increase SAR detection rates, Jeremy Johnston playback surveys (30-s of conspecific songs and calls) were conducted following point counts or listening pe- American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) collect in riods. Playbacks yielded 31% of CAWA, 24% of OSFL, large roosts at night during the non-breeding season. and 17% of RUBL detections in these surveys. Ad- We observed a roost near Lebanon, NH to determine ditional SAR occurrence data were obtained through the location and size of the roost. We located the roost opportunistic encounters and from volunteers, mainly on most nights between Oct 26, 2016 and March 19, through eBird. We extracted landscape-scale habitat 2017. Although it was rare to see all the crows at one variables using ArcGIS. Detailed vegetation surveys time before it was dark, our maximum estimate was conducted at 37 sites revealed the importance of cin- 6000 crows. With a few exceptions, the roost was in namon fern, high shrub cover and coarse woody debris a different location each night, although always near for CAWA, and the cover of low shrubs and conifers for (within .2 mi. of) roads, parking lots, businesses, and OSFL. streetlights. The crows spent the night in trees or on the tops of buildings, and occasionally on the ground. Over the course of the winter, the roost moved more than 9 mi., but was always close to the location of the previous Continued Decline of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo in night. Our observations were consistent with the hy- California potheses that roosts serve as protection from predators or as pooled information on food resources, but collec- John R Stanek tive warmth was rejected as a hypothesis because crows never perched more than one foot from each other and Thirty years ago cuckoo biologists Laymon and Hal- roosted in deciduous rather than pine trees even on cold terman (1987) asked can the western Yellow-billed windy nights. Cuckoo be saved from extinction. They cite a south- ward range contraction, extirpations and significant population declines observed in the western U.S. over the last century. California’s then estimated cuckoo Balancing personal maintenance with parental in- population of 50-75 pair was largely restricted to two vestment in a long-lived seabird, the common murre populations found along the Sacramento River and in the Kern River Valley. Despite its listing as a Threat- Anne E Storey ened species in 2014, the downward population trend Michelle G Fitzsimmons has continued. The Sacramento River population ap- Amy-Lee L Kouwenberg pears to be locally extinct, and the Kern River Valley Greg J Robertson population experienced an 85% decline in the last five Carolyn J Walsh years and was down to one pair in 2017. The last known viable population in CA resides on the Lower Colorado We examined whether variation in several physiologi- River and in 2017 experienced its first population de- cal indicators reflects the balance between parental in- cline in over a decade of monitoring. Across the species vestment and survival in common murres (Uria aalge) range apparently suitable habitat remained unoccupied under a wide range of foraging conditions. Blood sam- and while habitat loss has been attributed as the major ples were taken from adults during mid chick rearing in

210 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book eight breeding seasons and analysed for corticosterone but gradually increasing collateral development. Our (CORT, stress hormone), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BUTY, results suggest that roads may have been less impor- lipid metabolism reflecting ongoing mass loss), and tant for early colonization by some widespread gen- haematocrit (reflecting blood oxygen capacity). These eralists (e.g. Columbina spp., Tyrannus melancholi- measures, plus body mass, were related to three lev- cus, and Troglodytes aedon) but have probably facili- els of food availability (good, intermediate, and poor tated expansion by more localized vrzea species (e.g. years) for capelin, the main forage fish for murres in Megascops choliba, Megarynchus pitangua, and Caci- this colony. Results indicate that in good years, mur- cus cela). Continued expansion of road networks into res can delay their mass loss, yet adequately provision terra firme rainforest will likely lead to novel bird com- their chicks (higher mass, higher BUTY levels, higher munities that include species whose central Amazonian chick-feeding rates). In contrast, murres appeared to distribution was previously restricted to major rivers. work harder in intermediate years (higher CORT, higher haematocrits, lower mass), and they shifted to increased personal maintenance in poor years (lower mass, lower chick-feeding rates). Heavier birds had higher cur- Arizona Lovebird Habitat Selection Inquiry Project rent reproductive success and birds with lower CORT fledged more chicks across years. Our multi-year data Katherine A Studey set provides insight into how decisions about resource allocation reflect physiological indicators under differ- The rosy-faced, or peach-faced lovebird, (Agapornis ro- ent foraging conditions. This relationship between for- seicollis) is a small parrot native to southern Africa. aging conditions and physiology may help us under- Lovebirds are also popular pets in the United States. stand how seabirds will respond to changes in marine Due to a number of releases of captive birds in the ecosystems as ocean temperatures continue to rise. Phoenix Metropolitan area, this particular species of lovebird is in the process of establishing a feral pop- ulation. Observations of these birds over the past few 35 years of avian colonists to disturbed Amazon decades indicates that the population is successfully rainforest: Which birds, and how did they get there? breeding and increasing in numbers in the Phoenix area. In order to better understand how rosy-faced lovebirds Philip C Stouffer have been able to adapt to their non-native habitat, an Cameron L Rutt analysis of land cover types present at lovebird obser- Vitek Jirinec vation locations was conducted. This was accomplished Mario Cohn-Haft by using ArcGIS mapping software and observations reported to citizen science websites. I hypothesized that Removal of rainforest inevitably leads to an altered avi- lovebirds would be found more often in urban habitat fauna as deforested areas are colonized by non-forest types rather than non-urban habitats. The results of the species. These birds may be dispersing broadly, set- study supported my hypothesis, and they indicate that tling based on their attraction to features of the mod- the success of this non-native bird is due to resources ified landscape, or they may be passively diffusing available in an urban environment. along dispersal corridors. The avifauna of the Biolog- ical Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP), on three large ranches north of Manaus, Brazil, has been well characterized for over 30 years. Deforesta- Land Trusts and Birds: Partners in Strategic Con- tion in the 1980s led to an influx of non-forest species servation to pastures and second growth. Since then, there has been little additional deforestation, and forest has re- Sara Barker Swarthout turned in much of the landscape. Despite the land- Ronald W Rohrbaugh scape becoming generally more like the original terra Ashley A Dayer firme rainforest, we have gradually recorded 21 new Amanda D Rodewald bird species, 75% of which are species associated with vrzea and second growth (i.e. river margins and urban More than 60% of the land area in the United States Manaus). These birds appear to represent populations is privately owned, and more than 100 bird species expanding along 80km of modified landscapes on the have >50% of their U.S. breeding distributions on those highways between Manaus and the BDFFP. The roads lands. Unfortunately, conserving private lands is com- have been in place since the 1970s, with relatively little plicated by both individual and institutional barriers,

211 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 thus leaving birds reliant on private lands with inad- plot types. Vegetation analyses compared the three equate protection and management. Land trusts are plot types and available vs. territorial sites. Terri- an increasingly popular mechanism to protect private tories were significantly more common in barberry- lands and potentially conserve birds and their habitats. containing plots. Only three nests were monitored due In 2013, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology used social to difficulties visually locating nests. A significantly science-based methodology to conduct a national, on- higher frequency of ASY (older) birds was found in line survey of land trusts and their attitudes toward plots containing barberry. Too few HOWA returned to bird conservation. Results indicated that land trusts, if compare site fidelity among plot types. Understory Im- supported with science and technology, could achieve portance Values for Japanese Barberry, Spicebush (Lin- landscape-scale conservation for birds. To develop mu- dera benzoin), and Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium tually beneficial collaborations between land trusts and corymbosum) were higher than expected in territories the bird conservation community, we established the compared to available habitat. Three predictors, under- Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative. The initiative story density, barberry coverage, and shrub height, con- provides: 1) access to science-based information about tributed significantly to the response variable of pres- birds to inform strategic conservation planning, invest- ence/absence of HOWA territories in a binary logistic ment decisions, prioritization of easements and acquisi- regression. Territory occurrence and age suggest that tions, grant writing, and landowner engagement; 2) re- HOWA prefer barberry as a nesting substrate. Range sources and tips on bird-focused funding opportunities; expansion of both HOWA and this exotic invasive bar- 3) ideas to cultivate new members and volunteers by en- berry species in the Northeast coincide anecdotally. gaging birdwatchers, bird organizations, and bird con- servation advocates; 4) guidance for habitat manage- ment on fee-owned lands and resources for landowners Inside the Birds of the World: CT-scanning fluid- holding easements; 5) connections with science-based preserved bird collections via the oVert Thematic bird conservation resources and land trust success sto- Collections Network ries; and 6) assistance with monitoring birds and visu- alizing data through eBird.org. Our poster will summa- Oona M Takano rize the survey and describe how the Initiative is using John M Bates science and outreach to conserve bird populations on John P Dumbacher private lands. Ben D Marks Robert G Moyle A T Peterson Hooded Warbler Habitat Use in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and an Association The oVert (openVertebrate) Thematic Collections with Japanese Barberry Network is a new collaborative initiative among museums across the U.S. which aims to CT-scan Brandon W Swayser raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$20,000 fluid- Jennifer A Kutch preserved vertebrate specimens, representing over 80% Terry L Master of extant vertebrate genera. This project will gener- ate free, publicly available three-dimensional anatomi- Hooded Warblers (HOWA) (Setophaga citrina) have be- cal data housed in the online MorphoSource database. come common in the Delaware Water Gap National These data will facilitate research in various branches Recreation Area (DEWA) of Pennsylvania/New Jersey of biology, including exploration of taxonomic rela- in the last decade. Point counts from a previous study tionships, developmental morphology, and evolution. (2011-2012) in randomly-chosen locations, each con- Additionally, the scans generated by oVert will be made taining Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) dom- accessible to K-12 students through teacher workshops inated, transitional, and native-dominated understory to create anatomy lesson plans incorporating both dig- plots, revealed significantly more detections from plots ital and 3D printed specimens. Among major taxo- with barberry (barberry-dominated and transitional) vs. nomic groups included in the oVert scanning effort native-dominated understory. The objectives of the cur- will be raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$1700 gen- rent study (2016-2017), largely using the same study era of birds representing approximately 70% of bird plots, were to confirm HOWA preference for barberry diversity. While fluid preservation is an uncommon as a nesting substrate by monitoring territories/nests, method for preserving bird specimens, initial searches determine the age of breeding HOWA (mostly males) for this project have uncovered a large number of fluid- in each plot type, and measure site fidelity in the three preserved birds in U.S. collections allowing this project

212 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book to tap into a long overlooked resource for ornithological studies. Initial searches for fluid-preserved birds have The link between social/familial relationships and also highlighted a challenge of using informatics ap- ecto-parasite infection proaches to query existing specimen databases, exem- plified by the raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$600 Jesse A Taylor different descriptions of preparation types presently M M Webster used on VertNet to identify bird specimens that are J F Welklin partially or completely fluid-preserved. Applications S Khalil for present and future research include comparative pa- J P Swaddle leontological studies and functional morphology, but Jordan Karubian these data will also facilitate teaching and access to anatomy for rare taxa. Physical interactions between animals increase their risk of a host of negative consequences from spread- ing pathogens to being the victim of aggressive behav- Monitoring the Response of the Bird Community to ior. This makes understanding the patterns of when and Restoration of the Owens River, California with whom animals choose to interact an interesting subject; it implies that whatever is gained from these Robert D Taylor social interactions outweighs the potential risks. The Eric M Wood purpose of this study was 1) to determine if the removal Sacha K Heath of ectoparasites from the receiving bird was the reason Deborah House that allopreening is such a common behavior and 2) what social factors influence patterns of allopreening. The vast majority of river systems in the US have been Through behavioral observations of color banded birds, altered by humans, especially through water abstraction I was able to determine the proportion of time each bird for domestic and industrial use. A striking example spent allopreening with the individuals in their group. is the Owens River in California, which was diverted By comparing the amount of time a bird received allo- from its natural channel in 1913 to provide water for preening to the number of parasites present on its wing I the Los Angeles metropolitan region. Diversions left saw that increased allopreening was loosely correlated the river dry and drastically reduced the availability of to a decrease in an individual’s ectoparasite infection. riparian habitat throughout the Owens Valley. In 2006, In fairy-wrens some males have brightly colored red a restoration plan was implemented to restore water to and black plumage and they were the ones most com- the natural channel of the Owens River. I used a before- monly allopreened. Bright males were preened most by and-after’ survey design to quantify the responses of females but also by the younger, dull brown males in bird communities and vegetation to rewatering. Prior to their group. There was also evidence that allopreen- rewatering, Point Blue Conservation Science (formerly ing was highly reciprocal, with dull birds who allo- PRBO) established 173 point count stations along 62 preened the bright male the most also received the most miles of the Owens River and surveyed bird commu- allopreening from him. The difference in allopreening nities and vegetation in 2002 and 2003. After rewa- based on identity supports the idea that allopreening is tering, the County of Inyo and the Los Angeles De- a parasite removal technique but also could serve as a partment of Water and Power completed additional sur- method for strengthening social relationships and/or in- veys in 2010 and 2015. I completed surveys at ex- creasing the fitness of related individuals. isting point count stations in 2017. Using a general- ized linear modeling approach, I found that riparian- affiliated bird species increased in abundance following Avian Malaria and Vertebrate Host Population Dy- rewatering, likely due to increased riparian vegetation namics in Southern Louisiana cover. For example, Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) and Eric J Tobin Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) increased Elizabeth C Heintz in abundance by 185%, 126% and 311%, respectively. Scott M Duke-Sylvester In general, bird community composition has shifted towards dominance by riparian-affiliated bird species. Avian malaria (Genera Plasmodium & Haemoproteus) These results indicate a gradual recolonization of the ri- is a cosmopolitan infection, found in nearly every bird parian zone by a riparian-affiliated bird community fol- species surveyed for the Apicomplexan parasite. De- lowing rewatering of the Owens River. spite this, few studies have assessed the fitness effects

213 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 of chronic avian malaria infections in natural popula- A complete evolutionary history of New World Jays tions. In conjunction with Louisiana Bird Observatory, we have collected demography data and blood sam- Whitney L Tsai ples from April 2013 to present, giving us a long-term Elisa Bonaccorso dataset with which to model reductions in fitness on Emiko M Schwab two resident Passerine species, Northern Cardinal (Car- Benjamin Scott dinalis cardinalis) and Carolina Wren (Thryothorus lu- James M Maley dovicianus). We have developed mark-recapture mod- John E McCormack els and epidemiological models to test hypotheses to explain the patterns of malaria diversity and infection New World Jays are a clade within the broader Corvi- prevalence in our systems. Our study populations have dae, comprising a radiation of 38 species in North estimates of infection prevalence over 90%. In addition and South America. The group has been an interest- we have used molecular techniques to determine sex of ing system in which to study the biogeography of the T. ludovicianus which allow us to estimate differential Americas and its colonization by endemic radiations, survivorship of males and female, providing a more de- as well as the evolution of cooperative breeding be- tailed view in to the ecology of this species. havior. We present the first complete dated phylogeny of New World Jays including 83 New World Jay taxa (all species and many subspecies) and 4 outgroups built from 3,142 UCE loci. In addition to providing new res- Increasing survival of wild macaw chicks using fos- olution on the timing of divergences and taxonomic rec- ter parents ommendations for this group, we also assess its impli- cations for biogeography and phenotypic evolution. Gabriela Vigo Trauco Donald J Brightsmith

The use of foster parents in avian population manage- Distribution and Ecology of the Birds of the Sierra ment is a technique with great potential to aid in the Cacachilas, Baja California Sur recovery of highly endangered species. However, few studies have studied how to accomplish this success- Philip Unitt fully. Our research shows that Scarlet Macaws in south- Lori Hargrove eastern Peru hatch 2-4 chicks per nest but just 1.3 of Gorgonio Ruiz-Campos them fledge. Here about 22% of all hatched chicks die Daniel Galindo of starvation and starvation is the most common cause Lea Squires of chick death. Parents always raise the first chick that Kevin Clark hatches, but 45% of second chicks, 97% all of third and 100% of all fourth chicks are left to starve to death by Previously unexplored biologically, the Sierra Cacachi- their parents. Our goal was to develop and test new las, just east of La Paz, Mexico, reaches a maximum techniques to increase survival of wild Scarlet Macaw elevation of 1277 m. It is an outlying range of the well- chicks by reducing chick starvation. We hypothesized explored Sierra de la Laguna, home to many endemic that we could pull chicks at risk of starvation, raise them montane taxa. We documented its biota with respect in captivity to about 18 days of age then move them to to elevation and habitat, and to ascertain whether the nests with only one chick to increase their chances of Sierra Cacachilas supports outlying populations of the survival. Our results show that all translocated macaw endemics of the Sierra de la Laguna. We investigated chicks were successfully accepted by their foster par- birds’ use of the elephant tree (Bursera microphylla), ents (N=15 chicks, 2 consecutive breeding seasons) which Bates hypothesized had coevolved with the Gray and 93% of the translocated chicks fledged success- Vireo (Vireo vicinior). Our seven surveys, 20132016, fully. Overall we increased fledging success per avail- included 181 point counts during fall/winter with dis- able nest from 18% (1999 2016 average) to 29% (2017 tance sampling along transects at elevations 1521277 and 2018) and decreased chick death by starvation from m. We used Unmarked to model bird abundance and 19% to 4%. These findings show that the use of foster probability of detection in relation to habitat, elevation, parents in the wild is a promising management tool to and temporal variables. Of 27 species modeled, 5 in- aid wild parrot population recovery in areas with low creased in abundance with elevation; 13 decreased. The reproductive success. fruit of Bursera microphylla was eaten by 15 species, including Vireo vicinior, which defended territories and contested fruit with other fruit-eaters. Cover of Bursera

214 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book microphylla was important in models for Vireo vicinior, Lorraine K Waianuhea Melozone crissalis, and Amphispiza bilineata but nega- Joan C Hagar tively correlated with some other fruit-eaters. We iden- tified 102 species of birds, but of 13 possible montane The marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is endemics, found only Aimophila ruficeps sororia. Ev- federally listed as threatened under the Endangered idently the sparse oak woodland in the Sierra Cacachi- Species Act in Washington, Oregon, and California. las is insufficient for the montane forest birds endemic The loss and fragmentation of historical old-growth for- to the Cape Region. However, we suggest that Bursera est nesting habitat over the last two centuries has been microphylla is a keystone species, and if Vireo vicin- the greatest threat to the marbled murrelet. One con- ior is its primary seed disperser, the vireo’s continuing sequence of forest fragmentation is an increase in nest decline may alter the ecosystem broadly. predation rates. Corvid predators are the leading cause of marbled murrelet nest failures and the second great- est threat to murrelets after loss of habitat. For this Demography of sooty fox sparrows following a shift project, we analyzed bird survey data that were col- from a migratory to resident life history lected between 1992 and 2007 as a part of the Young Stand Thinning and Diversity Study (YSTDS) which Hannah E Visty investigated the effects of the forest management prac- Scott Wilson tice of thinning on songbird communities. Our research Ryan Germain questions focused on the abundance of corvids in forest Jessica Krippel stands of varying levels of thinning intensity: (1) Was Peter Arcese there a difference in the number of corvids observed N/A before and after thinning treatments? and (2) Did the trends in corvid numbers for each treatment change Identifying causes and consequences of variation in over time? Preliminary results indicate that there were species life history has the potential to improve pre- statistically significant differences in the number of dictions about how climate and land use change may corvids observed before and after thinning treatments affect the demography and distribution of species in and that the response of corvids over time varied by future. Sooty fox sparrows (Passerella unalaschcen- treatment. These findings add to recent studies which sis J.F. Gmelin, 1789; or commonly grouped within suggest that forest harvest may increase the abundance Passerella iliaca B. Merrem, 1786) were migrants that and activity of corvids. Overall, the results of this anal- rarely bred in the Georgia Basin of British Columbia ysis will contribute to the knowledge of corvid response prior to raise.17exhbox$scriptstylemathttsim$1950 but to forest thinning in the Pacific Northwest, and may in- have since established resident populations. Data on form decisions related to murrelet conservation and for- 270 color-banded birds and 54 nests on Mandarte Is., est management. BC, allowed us to estimate demographic vital rates and population growth in one recently established popula- tion. Annual fecundity (F), estimated as the product of Newfoundland Gray-cheeked Thrush migration and the number of broods initiated (1.5 0.01; mean sd), wintering - from oceanic island to habitat island clutch size (2.82 0.44), and probability of survival to fledging (0.68 0.02), exceeded values reported for mi- Ian G Warkentin grants, supporting the hypothesis that residents invest Darroch M Whitaker more in reproduction on average than migrants within species. Estimating juvenile and adult overwinter sur- Gray-cheeked Thrushes (Catharus minimus) fitted with vival (Sj = 0.32 0.06, and Sa = 0.69 0.05) next allowed GPS tags during summer 2016 were subsequently re- us to simulate an expected distribution of population captured during summer 2017 at a breeding site in west- growth rates as: exp = Sa + (Sj F), given parameter ern Newfoundland occupied by a distinct subspecies error. Our estimate of exp (1.61 0.57) implies expe- (C. m. minimus) which is imperiled. Although dam- ditious population growth, consistent with the species’ aged, the four tags retrieved provided a total of 15 recent colonization of the region. locations. These locations indicated similar migra- tory routes along the eastern seaboard of the U.S. but subsequent divergence to either fly directly across the Corvid Response to Forest Thinning in the Caribbean to South America or travel via the Caribbean Willamette National Forest: Implications for the islands and east coast of Central America. Final win- Conservation of the Marbled Murrelet ter locations for the three birds with readings in South

215 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

America suggest a high degree of migratory connectiv- are any differences in carotenoid distribution patterns ity for the Newfoundland population. All three were between ALAN-exposed and control birds. located in the vicinity of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, an isolated mountain range that runs from the Caribbean coast of Colombia southwards and from which several historical specimens in museum collec- Influence Of Environmental Factors On Vital Rates tions have been identified as being C. m. minimus. Of Rufous Hummingbirds Breeding In British These highland areas are surrounded by lands which Columbia have been extensively converted from forest to agricul- tural cover types, while forests of the highlands them- Susan M Wethington selves are also being converted to shade coffee which Kira A Monroe appears to be low quality habitat for Gray-cheeked Patrick Jantz Thrush. Routes of travel and wintering will be com- Alison J Moran pared to that known for other breeding populations and the potential impact of habitat degradation in wintering The hummingbird species of highest conservation con- areas will be discussed in the context of dramatically cern in the USA and Canada is the Rufous Humming- reduced Newfoundland Gray-cheeked Thrush popula- bird (Selasphorus rufus). Based upon data from the tions. Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) since the mid-1960s, Ru- fous Hummingbird has an estimated 63% population loss and is considered a common species in steep de- cline by both Partners In Flight and National Audubon Effects of artificial light at night on carotenoid dis- Society. Understanding the drivers underlying these tribution patterns in king quail steep declines requires an understanding of how vital rates such as survivorship are affected by environmen- Emily A Webb tal conditions and a species’ life cycle. To investi- Pierce Hutton gate factors influencing survivorship, we combined cap- Kevin J McGraw ture/mark/recapture (CMR) data from seven breeding sites in British Columbia with remote-sensing and cli- With the increased prevalence of urbanized landscapes, mate data and used Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) open there is also an increase in spread and intensity of ar- population models with predictions that migration strat- tificial light at night (ALAN). Currently, there are very egy, sex, and environmental conditions such as precipi- few experiments that manipulate ALAN as a separate tation, temperature, and vegetation productivity will af- stimulus from other urban-associated stimuli (e.g. an- fect survivorship in Rufous Hummingbirds. Resulting thropogenic noise, heat islands, etc.). Carotenoids in survivorship estimates suggest populations are stable animals, since they cannot be produced de novo, must and that male survivorship has consistently increased be consumed and are usually in limited dietary and during the time of the study (2002-2017). Decreasing physiological supply. The ability to absorb and dis- minimum temperatures and increasing precipitation are tribute carotenoids in tissues is known to be sensitive the environmental factors having the greatest negative to changes in individual condition and the environment. effect on Rufous survivorship. These results suggest Because ALAN may alter stress, nutrition, and other that the BBS data may not represent trends in Rufous physiological variables (e.g. production of reactive populations and these populations may benefit from oxygen species), we hypothesized that experimental ex- predicted climate changes. posure to ALAN would alter carotenoid accumulation in the body and distribution among tissues. To explore this, we raised king quail (Excalfactoria chinensis) from hatch under two different light conditions. Both were The paradoxical Giant Hummingbird: comparison on a 18h:6h light-dark cycle, but the experimental group of Andean and coastal subspecies with respect to received exposure to weak blue LED night lights from blood, migration, and genes weeks 2-8 of development. Throughout the study, plasma levels of carotenoids were monitored. At the Jessie L Williamson end of the study, tissues including eyes, liver, adipose, S M Bauernfeind spleen, gonads, and legs were collected for carotenoid C R Gadek analyses. We found that plasma carotenoids were not N Ricote-Martinez significantly different in quail exposed to ALAN than F Bozinovic in control quail. Further analyses will reveal if there Christopher C Witt

216 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book

The Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas) is twice as by CP (CP2 vs. CP25) or grazing. Ordination analyses large as the second largest hummingbird species and (NMDS) also showed that bird communities are indis- has long been considered paradoxical with respect to tinguishable between CP2 and CP25 fields and between flight biomechanics. It is also an extreme outlier in grazed and ungrazed fields. Analyses from the next two other respects. For example, it is the only humming- years of data collection might reveal lag effects of graz- bird species that breeds above 4000 m elevation and ing in 2017 on grassland bird communities. also along the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. The high Andean populations of Giant Hummingbird (P. g. pe- ruviana) that we have studied previously have a beta- hemoglobin genotype (serine at beta-hemoglobin A po- Analysis of an Avian Disease Network in the Greater sitions 13 and 83) that is characterized by high O2- Yellowstone Ecosystem: Opportunities for Under- affinity and is only shared with four unrelated hum- graduate Students mingbird taxa that are also restricted to extreme high altitudes. Here we report that lowland-breeding popu- Chloe D Winkler lations of Giant Hummingbird (P. g. gigas) are geneti- Kayla M Harakal cally highly similar to their high-elevation counterparts; Eric C Atkinson they even share the same beta-hemoglobin genotype, a unique characteristic among lowland hummingbirds. From an ongoing project, we are testing avian species We found that hemoglobin concentration is lower and in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for malaria, West red blood cell volume is higher in the lowland P. g. gi- Nile Virus (WNV) and irides somatic variability. This gas compared to their high Andean relatives. Compli- study started in 2013 and over this time frame we sam- cating this comparison is the possibility that coastal P. pled 471 birds of 33 species, covering several altitudes g. gigas may be a seasonal elevational migrant, but nei- at six sites. In the summer of 2017 alone, we caught ther the geographic range nor elevation of non-breeding over 200 birds within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosys- P. g. gigas are known at present. We describe our efforts tem. Each individual researcher has chosen an area to describe its migratory behavior using geolocators. of research: disease comparison between House Spar- rows (Passer domesticus) and House Finches (Haemor- hous mexicanus), and color variability of the Com- Response of bird communities to cattle grazing and mon Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) iris. In the disease plant diversity in Conservation Reserve Program comparison of malaria and WNV loads, their sam- grasslands ple size consists of 170 different House Sparrows and House Finches. Screening for malaria provided evi- Benjamin S Wilson dence that 18 HOFI and 14 HOSP were suspected to William E Jensen have malaria. We have also identified both conjunc- tivitis and Avipoxvirus in a small proportion of sam- Grassland bird populations have been in decline, par- pled House Finches. Recently, we initiated metage- tially due to the loss of contiguous grassland habitat to nomic analysis of the fecal microbiome from 94 dif- row-crop agriculture. However, the Conservation Re- ferent samples employing HiSeq protocols. It is our serve Program (CRP) is helping to restore grassland hope that we can further our research in the different habitat in the United States. Conservation practices diseases present in avian species. We hope to test our (CP) for CRP grasslands include varying levels of plant hypotheses this upcoming summer on the abnormalities diversity in seed mixes (e.g., higher in CP25 vs. CP2); found within the female Common Grackle iris as well however, there are disincentives for cattle grazing in as the somatic variability. Through this study we could CRP, which limits an important management option for gain further knowledge of where this abnormality could improving habitat and avian diversity in these grass- have originated. Our poster provides an overview of our lands. We hypothesize that increased plant diversity continued research throughout the upcoming summer to and conservative grazing will promote higher species further our knowledge on avian diseases present in the diversity of grassland birds in CRP. We are testing this Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. hypothesis by doing line-transect surveys of birds on 108 CRP fields in Kansas that were treated in a factorial design: fields were either CP2 or CP25 plantings and were grazed or ungrazed by cattle in 2017. The prelim- Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) hunting be- inary results of our 3-year study show that species di- havior at an urban population of Free-tailed Bats versity of birds in CRP were not substantially affected (Tadarida brasiliensis)

217 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018

Katherine M Winston Daniel M Brooks Jeremy R Winston

Large colonies of bats that emerge from roosts en masse can provide unique opportunities and challenges for predators. Several species of raptors have been doc- umented preying on bats. However, sustained preda- tion by raptors on large bat colonies and the factors contributing to predation success or failure have rarely been studied. We investigated the sustained predation of free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) by Swainson’s hawks (Buteo swainsoni) in an urban setting and sought to determine factors that correlate with hawk predation attempts and successes. Additionally, we documented the hunting and post-catching techniques utilized by hawks. We collected observational data on Swainson’s hawks hunting and feeding on free-tailed bats in ur- ban Houston, Texas during the summers of 2014 and 2015. Hawk hunting attempts significantly correlated with date (cumulative experience) during 2015 (r = 0.83, P = 0.04, N = 6) but not 2014, as well as temper- ature (r = 0.54, P = 0.02, N = 14) and relative darkness during hawk arrival (r = 0.47, P = 0.05, N = 14). We ob- served aerial hunting behavior in three general patterns: diving (recorded during 93% of all sampling sessions, n = 13), in-flight pursuit (71%, n = 10) and circling (50%, n = 7). The hawks consumed bats both in-flight (43%, n = 6) and while perched in a tree after catching (50%, n = 7). Our work might help to explain the mechanisms of novel prey selection by hawks in an unusual habitat.

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