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Reproductive Success and Nest Depredation of the Florida Scrub-Jay

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Reproductive Success and Nest Depredation of the Florida Scrub-Jay The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 119(2):162–169, 2007 REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS AND NEST DEPREDATION OF THE FLORIDA SCRUB-JAY KATHLEEN E. FRANZREB1 ABSTRACT.—The Florida Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) is listed as a threatened species primarily because of habitat loss throughout much of its range. The Ocala National Forest in Florida contains one of three main subpopulations that must be stable or increasing before the species can be considered for removal from federal listing. However, little information is available on Florida Scrub-jay reproductive success or predation pressure on this forest. I used video cameras during 2002 and 2003 to identify nest predators and timing of predation events. The presence of the video system did not significantly affect the rate of nest abandonment. Thirteen nests were video-monitored of which one was abandoned, five experienced no predation, three were partially depredated, and four had total loss of nest contents. Snakes were responsible for more losses from predation than either mammals or birds. I monitored 195 other scrub-jay nests (no video-monitoring) and mea- sured the mean number of eggs, nestlings, and fledglings produced per breeding pair. No significant difference in reproductive success was detected between years or between year and helper status. Groups with helpers produced significantly more fledglings (0.5 per breeding pair) and had higher daily survival rates of nests in the egg stage, nestling stage, and the entire breeding season than groups lacking helpers. Received 15 July 2005. Accepted 7 October 2006. The Florida Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coeru- ment, has led to an overall reduction in the lescens), federally listed as a threatened spe- amount of suitable scrub-jay habitat (Fitzpat- cies, occurs primarily on lands containing rick et al. 1991). fine, well-drained soils along Florida’s coast- The Ocala National Forest in Florida has a line, and on ancient sand dune ridges in the crucial role in the recovery of this species. interior of peninsular Florida. They are mo- Three meta populations, Ocala National For- nogamous cooperative breeders living in est, Merritt Island/Cape Canaveral, and Lake groups on year-round territories. Groups con- Wales Ridge (Archbold Biological Station tain a mated pair and as many as six helpers near Lake Placid, Florida), must be stable or that may be related to one or both members increasing before the species can be consid- of the breeding pair (Sprunt 1946, Woolfen- ered for delisting by the U.S. Fish and Wild- den 1978). Helpers do not build nests, incu- life Service (U.S. Department of Interior bate, feed the incubating female, or brood, but [USDI] 1990). The Florida Scrub-jay is lim- do feed nestlings and fledglings, and also par- ited geographically because of its specific ticipate in mobbing possible predators (Wool- habitat requirements. The population on the fenden and Fitzpatrick 1984). Pairs will renest Ocala National Forest was estimated to be if the nest is lost in an effort to produce one 2,600–3,400 birds in the 1980s (Cox 1987); brood of fledglings per breeding season current estimates are 851 groups with 2,341 (Woolfenden and Fitzpatrick 1984). Preferred birds (L. S. Lowery, pers. comm.). Informa- habitat consists of dense thickets of scrub oaks tion is needed for the Ocala National Forest (Quercus spp.) Ͻ3 m tall with bare sand sub- population on optimal habitat conditions, sur- strate between them and may develop after land has been burned, harvested, or otherwise vival of young and adults, nesting, reproduc- cleared. The amount of new habitat currently tive success, dispersal, mortality, predation, is inadequate and, coupled with conversion of and territory configuration. A preliminary existing habitat for silviculture, agriculture, study in 2001 indicated nest loss was high and Ϯ commercial as well as residential develop- mean ( SE) reproductive success was only 2.25 Ϯ 0.31 fledglings/successful nest (n ϭ 8) or 0.60 Ϯ 0.20 fledglings/nesting pair (n ϭ 30; 1 USDA, Southern Research Station, Southern Ap- KEF, unpubl. data). Woolfenden and Fitzpat- palachian Mountains Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit, Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, rick (1984) suggested that most nest losses are University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; the result of nest predation. The objectives of e-mail: [email protected] my study were to: (1) examine whether pre- 162 Franzreb • FLORIDA SCRUB-JAY REPRODUCTION AND NEST DEPREDATION 163 dation pressure was affecting nesting success; camera was attached immediately adjacent to (2) identify whether year or the presence of the nest shrub and positioned so it was on av- helpers affected reproduction in the egg stage, erage 46 cm from the nest. Camera height var- nestling stage, or in the number of fledglings ied from being level with the nest to as high produced per breeding pair; and (3) evaluate as 46 cm above it depending on how the nest success (daily survival rate of nests) in branches were arranged close to the nest. The different stages of the nesting cycle compar- cable connecting the camera to the VCR was ing 2002 to 2003 and nests with helpers to placed on top of small shrubs to prevent dam- those without helpers. age by rodents. I attached the camera directly to a branch above the nest on the shrub in METHODS 2003. Placing the camera equipment at a nest Study Area and Banding.—The study was required between 5 and 15 min. I replaced conducted on the Ocala National Forest be- video cassettes (T-160) and batteries every tween Gainesville and Daytona Beach, Florida 48–72 hrs. Battery replacement required about in Marion, Lake, and Putnam counties. Scrub- 5 min. There were no obvious displays of dis- jays were trapped using a modified Potter trap tress by the birds during that time. The lack and banded with federal aluminum bands and of agitation was attributed to the VCR being a unique combination of plastic colored leg 15–20 m from the nests so the observer did bands to facilitate field identification. Approx- not have to visit the nest itself other than to imately 69% of video-monitored nests and install the camera on the initial visit. The VCR 30% of observer-monitored nests had pairs in recorded images at a rate of one every 0.083 which at least one member was banded. All and 0.150 sec when operating in 48- and 72- nestlings in monitored nests were banded if hr modes, respectively. they survived to 10 days of age. I monitored 13 Florida Scrub-jay nests (6 Data Collection.—Nests were selected by in 2002 and 7 in 2003) between 2 May and 7 randomly driving or walking slowly along July 2002, and 9 April and 5 May 2003. One sandy, one-lane tracks that are numerous in of these nests, monitored during the egg stage the area until a group of jays was detected and from 10 to 11 May 2002, was abandoned the then observing the birds to locate the nest. day after the camera was installed. This nest Thus, most nests were relatively close to one- was not included in the predation analysis. track roads, which provided efficient access to Considering the 13 nests, seven had both territories and nests. There was little human members of the pair banded, two had one foot traffic to disturb nesting birds or to influ- member banded, and four had neither pair ence predator movement patterns. Camera member banded. No pairs were monitored in equipment was placed under concealing veg- both 2002 and 2003. etation to minimize the likelihood that equip- The video camera systems were installed ment would be observed, disturbed, or stolen. either during incubation (n ϭ 11) or after the Nests were monitored using two Fieldcam eggs had hatched (n ϭ 2). Three types of dep- LDTLV video recording systems that consist- redation events were characterized in this ed of a Sony SVT-LCc300 time lapse video- study: a total depredation event in which all cassette recorder (VCR) in a weatherproof nest contents were taken at the same time; a case and a MicroCam 2 black-and-white in- partial depredation event in which a predator frared camera equipped with infrared emitters took only part of the nest contents; and a se- for night recording (Fuhrman Diversified, quential-complete depredation event when Inc., Seabrook, TX, USA) (use of brand one or more predators visited the same nest names does not convey a recommendation of multiple times until all the nest contents had the product by the U.S. Forest Service). Cam- been removed. eras were mounted on an articulated arm for An observer periodically visited the 195 nests monitored in 2002. A 20-m cable con- other nests (73 in 2002 and 122 in 2003) that nected the camera to the VCR, which was were not video equipped approximately every powered by one or two 12-volt deep-cycle 3 days, more frequently around the expected batteries (two batteries if the recording session date of hatching or fledging. The observer re- was going to last longer than 48 hrs). The corded the number of eggs present, number of 164 THE WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY • Vol. 119, No. 2, June 2007 eggs hatched, number of nestlings, and num- status could not be verified were excluded ber of fledglings. These same variables were from all results except in assessment of nest obtained for video-monitored nests by analyz- abandonment. I used the log-likelihood ratio ing content of the video tapes. It is possible (G-test; Sokal and Rohlf 1995) to compare that in some cases one or more eggs were re- rate of nest abandonment for nests with video moved from the nest before the nest was first cameras to those that were observer-moni- observed.
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