148 Ontario Birds December 2012 Figure 1
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Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida ) as a Food Source for Autumn Migrants and Winter Birds in the Grand River Basin Kenneth W. Dance, Kevin S. Dance and Michael B. Dance Introduction Subsequent literature research and dis - An intense interest in foods of birds in cussions with colleagues revealed the fol - southern Ontario has led us to prepare a lowing: series of papers over the last 25 years, • Giant Ragweed is a native plant with starting with Dance (1986). a widespread distribution across During research for one of these Canada and the United States; papers, on the use of Black Alder ( Alnus • it favours riparian habitats, particu - glutinosa ) by birds in southern Ontario, larly where flooding and erosion have it was observed that the seeds of Giant occurred — this apparently facilitates Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida ), a prominent establishment of this annual plant woodland edge and field species, were from seed (Abul-Fatih and Bazzaz being consumed consistently by birds at 1979a, b); a study site in the Nith River floodplain, • Giant Ragweed is becoming an ag - Oxford County (Dance 2008). gressive, invasive weed in cropland in 148 Ontario Birds December 2012 Figure 1. Size and shape of Giant Ragweed seeds. “Knowing what a bird eats is • Giant Ragweed was considered to pose only a minor threat as an invas - fundamental if not ive weed, to upland natural areas central to understanding the (White et al. 1993); mysteries of its survival” • the seeds of this plant have been known to have high nutritional value (Heinrich 2003) for millennia, as witnessed by native peoples cultivation and consumption the mid- U.S. and Asia (Ishikawa et of Giant Ragweed seeds in the Mis - al. 2003, Kong et al. 2007, Shutte sissippi basin 3000 to 5000 years ago 2007); (McCann 1999); • some colleagues (K. Parker pers. • Giant Ragweed is also of broad eco - comm. and W.G. Wilson pers. logical and economic interest since it comm.) think that it has become has recently been confirmed to be the more widespread in the Grand River first weed species in Ontario to be basin during the last two decades; resistant to Roundup (glyphosate) — Volume 30 Number 3 149 a herbicide in widespread use to con - Other authors have reported Red- trol weeds in soybean and corn fields breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta canadensis ) (Ontario Farmer 2010, 2011); and and Red-winged Blackbird ( Agelaius • from a wildlife perspective, the high phoen iceus ) foraging for arthropods on nutrient content of the seeds (Will - Giant Ragweed plants (Miller 1914, son and Harmeson 1973) is of value Fischer 1953). to migrating and wintering bird Martin et al . (1961) reported on the species. occurrence of ragweed seeds in bird stomachs sampled across the United The size and shape of Giant Rag - States. They did not differentiate be - weed seeds are shown in Figure 1. tween Giant Ragweed and Common When first observed by us at one Ragweed ( Ambrosia artemisiifolia ), study site in 2005, Giant Ragweed grew which is more widespread and abun - in small patches. Following a signifi - dant in Ontario (Montgomery and cant flood in April 2008 (one of the two Switzer 1967). There are also additional largest floods during the preceding 50 Ambrosia species within the United years [ Ayr News 2009, Water loo Region States which do not occur in Ontario. Record 2009, 2010]), we observed that The Martin et al. (1961) findings the Giant Ragweed patches were several indicate that ragweeds in general are times larger in area during the growing consumed by a variety of chickadee and season of 2008, than they had been in titmouse, Emberizid, cardinal and ally 2005. Presumably the scouring, silt dep - and blackbird taxa. osition and attendant widespread seed Martin et al . (1961) also list rag - transport had created suitable condi - weed among the plant taxa that bear tions for a localized expansion of the their seeds high enough that they are Giant Ragweed population. This situa - not covered by snow, making it a taxon tion seemed to be ideal for document - that has seeds available as bird food dur - ing the nature of bird species’ use of the ing much of the winter. seeds and cover provided by the large The principal purpose of the present dense Giant Ragweed beds present fol - study was to document the relative mag - lowing the April 2008 flood. nitude of use by autumn migrants and Documentation of wild birds con - winter birds of a weedy herb which may suming Giant Ragweed seed in North increase in prominence in riparian habi - America is limited but includes: Black- tats in the future. A secondary purpose capped Chickadee ( Poecile atricapillus ), was to document, in a preliminary way, Tufted Titmouse ( Baeolophus bicolor), the use of Giant Ragweed by spring Northern Cardinal ( Cardinalis cardi - migrants and breeding birds at two nalis ) and Common Redpoll ( Acanthis Southern Ontario sites. flammea ) (Fox 1940, Shepherd 2007). 150 Ontario Birds December 2012 Methods Mos t observations were made in the Detailed notes were kept on the species, morning, shortly after dawn, when birds numbers, uses and behaviour of birds ob - were active. Over 90% of t he obser - served on or immediately adjacent to the vation dates were between 21 September plants and stands of Giant Ragweed. The and 21 March. observation period ranged between 5 Sep - Results tember 2005 and 30 December 2010. Ten bird species were observed consum - Specific use(s) by birds were observed ing Giant Ragweed seed with Black- during 91 trips. capped Chickadee and Nort hern More than 95% of the observations Car d inal being observed the most fre - were recorded in the Nith River valley, quently foraging on Giant Ragweed seeds Blandford-Blenheim Township, Oxford (Table 1). County, Ontario. Many observations We observed seven bird species for - (September 2005 to December 2008) aging on Giant Ragweed plants for were near the confluence of Wolverton arthropods (Table 2). More intensive obs - Creek (a coldwater stream) and the Nith ervation effort during bird migration sea - River (17T 538500E 4790100N NAD sons would undoubt edly have revealed 1983). Giant Ragweed stands line the additional species searching for arthro - banks of both Wolverton Creek and por - pods in the dense Giant Ragweed stands tions of the Nith River in this location. present in the riparian zone. The second principal location of observations was along the Nith Table 1. Bird species observed consuming River upstream and downstream Giant Ragweed seed. of the Silver Bridge, located on NUMBER OF DATES Blenheim Road, south of County WHEN SEED CONSUMPTION SPECIES WAS OBSERVED Road 29 in Bland ford-Blenheim Township, Oxford County (17T Downy Woodpecker ( Picoides pubescens) 14 539951E 4787789N NAD 1983). Black-capped Chickadee ( Poecile atricapillus) 49 The Nith River is a tributary of Tufted Titmouse ( Baeolophus bicolor) 1 the Grand River. Less frequently Song Sparrow ( Melospiza melodia) 6 observations were recorded in Cambridge, Ontario, near the White-throated Sparrow ( Zonotrichia albicollis) 1 mouth of the Speed River and its Dark-eyed Junco ( Junco hyemalis) 1 confluence with the Grand River. Northern Cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis) 24 The two principal study sites Red-winged Blackbird ( Agelaius phoeniceus) 18 are within the extreme northern Purple Finch ( Haemorhous purpureus) 2 tip of the Norfolk Sand Plain House Finch ( Haemorhous mexicanus) 1 (Chapman and Putnum 1973). Total # Observation Dates 91 Volume 30 Number 3 151 Twenty-four bird species which Wild Turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo) N(3) were observed making other use(s) of Giant Ragweed plants are shown in Killdeer ( Charadrius vociferus) C(1) Table 3. Many of these bird species Spotted Sandpiper ( Actitis macularius) C(1) benefited from the cover and perch Ruby-throated Hummingbird sites provided by Giant Ragweed. Since (Archilochus colubris) PO(1) Black-capped Chickadees fed on Giant Downy Woodpecker Ragweed seed so frequently, separate (Picoides pubescens) PE(4) observations of cover use and perching Tufted Titmouse by chickadees were not recorded. (Baeolophus bicolor) PE(2), C(1) Two species were found nesting in Winter Wren ( Troglodytes hiemalis) P(1) or under Giant Ragweed stands and American Robin two species appeared to consume the (Turdus migratorius) C(1), P(1) pollen of this plant (Table 3). American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) C(4) Table 2. Bird species observed foraging for arthropods on Giant Ragweed plants Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) C(1) SPECIES NUMBER OF OBSERVATIONS Fox Sparrow ( Passerella iliaca) C(1) Golden-crowned Kinglet Song Sparrow (Regulus satrapa) 2 (Melospiza melodia) C(16), PE(22) Ruby-crowned Kinglet Swamp Sparrow (Regulus calendula) 2 (Melospiza georgiana) C(2), PE(2) Nashville Warbler White-throated Sparrow (Oreothlypis ruficapilla) 1 (Zonotrichia albicollis) C(4), PE(3) Yellow-rumped Warbler Dark-eyed Junco ( Junco hyemalis) C(6), PE(2) (Setophaga coronata) 1 Northern Cardinal Common Yellowthroat (Cardinalis cardinalis) C(6), PE(6) (Geothlypis trichas) 2 Indigo Bunting ( Passerina cyanea) PE(1), PO(1) Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1 Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus ) C(5), PE(4), N(3) Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 1 Common Crackle ( Quiscalus quiscula) C(2) Pine Siskin ( Spinus pinus) PE(2) Table 3. Bird species showing other uses American Goldfinch ( Spinus tristis) C(3) of Giant Ragweed House Sparrow ( Passer domesticus ) PE(1) SPECIES OTHER USE S* Canada Goose ( Branta canadensis) C(1) * Number of observations: C – provision of cover, N – nest cover, PO – pollen consumption Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) C(2) and PE – perching 152 Ontario Birds December 2012 Discusssion months of 2010 had very little snow Four bird species were observed to and the Giant Ragweed seed crop had make considerable use of Giant Rag - not been knocked down by snow, ice or weed seeds as a food source: Downy floods. Woodpecker ( Picoides pubescens) , Black- Song Sparrows ( Melospiza melodia ) capped Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, were observed eating Giant Ragweed and Red-winged Blackbird.