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Population Demography of Gray Catbirds in the Suburban Matrix: Sources, Sinks and Domestic Cats

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Population Demography of Gray Catbirds in the Suburban Matrix: Sources, Sinks and Domestic Cats J Ornithol DOI 10.1007/s10336-011-0648-7 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Population demography of Gray Catbirds in the suburban matrix: sources, sinks and domestic cats Anne L. Balogh • Thomas B. Ryder • Peter P. Marra Received: 14 May 2010 / Revised: 22 November 2010 / Accepted: 3 January 2011 Ó Dt. Ornithologen-Gesellschaft e.V. (outside the USA) 2011 Abstract Understanding factors that limit the productiv- provides parameter estimates for two critical life history ity and survival of birds in rapidly changing human-dom- stages in the avian annual cycle in the suburban matrix and inated landscapes are key to managing future population posits that predation drives differential nest and post- persistence. To date, few studies have quantified both nest fledging survival within human-dominated environments. success and post-fledging survival for birds breeding within the suburban matrix. Here, we estimated nest success and Keywords Cats Á Nest survival Á Post-fledging survival Á juvenile post-fledging survival for Gray Catbirds (Duma- Urbanization Á Source–sink dynamics tella carolinensis) and used those site-specific parameters to model source–sink dynamics at three sites in suburban Zusammenfassung Um zu gewa¨hrleisten, dass Popula- Washington DC (USA). Cumulative nest success proba- tionen in der Zukunft fortbestehen, liegt ein Schlu¨ssel im bility varied substantially among suburban sites and indi- Versta¨ndnis der Faktoren, die in sich rasant vera¨ndernden, cated that in some cases suburban habitats may provide menschendominierten Lebensra¨umen die Produktivita¨t und suitable breeding sites for passerine birds. In addition, we das U¨ berleben von Vo¨geln begrenzen. Bis heute haben nur documented the effects of sex and brood size on post- wenige Studien sowohl den Bruterfolg als auch das U¨ ber- fledging survival rates and determined the role of predation leben nach dem Ausfliegen von Vo¨geln untersucht, die in on dispersing fledglings. Like nest success, estimates of der suburbanen Matrix bru¨ten. Wir haben hier den post-fledging juvenile survival also varied among sites and Bruterfolg und die U¨ berlebensrate von Jungvo¨geln der highlight the importance of site-specific demographic Katzendrossel (Dumatella carolinensis) nach dem Aus- estimates in urban habitats. Predation accounted for 79% fliegen bestimmt und verwendeten diese ortsabha¨ngigen of all mortalities, with 47% of known predation events Parameter fu¨r eine Modellierung der Quellen-Senken- attributable to domestic cats (Felis catus). Our models of Dynamiken an drei Standorten in Vorsta¨dten von Washington source–sink dynamics underscore the importance of sea- DC (USA). Die kumulierte Bruterfolgswahrscheinlichkeit sonal recruitment parameters for calculating population unterschied sich stark zwischen den Standorten und wies growth rate and subsequent persistence. This study darauf hin, dass in einigen Fa¨llen Vorstadthabitate durch- aus passende Brutpla¨tze fu¨r Singvo¨gel bieten. Zusa¨tzlich dokumentierten wir den Einfluss von Geschlecht und Communicated by P. H. Becker. Brutgro¨ße auf die U¨ berlebensraten nach dem Ausfliegen und bestimmten die Rolle von Pra¨dation auf dispergierende A. L. Balogh Jungvo¨gel nach dem flu¨gge werden. Ebenso wie der Department of Biological Science, Towson University, ¨ Towson, MD 21252, USA Bruterfolg variierten die Scha¨tzungen der Uberlebensraten der Jungvo¨gel nach dem Ausfliegen zwischen den Stand- A. L. Balogh Á T. B. Ryder (&) Á P. P. Marra orten und unterstreichen die Bedeutung ortsspezifischer Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, demographischer Bestimmungen in sta¨dtischen Lebens- Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, PO Box 37012, MRC 5503, Washington, DC 20013, USA ra¨umen. Pra¨dation war in 79% die Todesursache, dabei e-mail: [email protected] gingen 47% der Pra¨dationsereignisse auf Hauskatzen (Felis 123 J Ornithol catus) zuru¨ck. Unsere Modelle der Quellen-Senken- portion of juvenile mortality in birds. (e.g., Anders et al. Dynamiken betonen die Bedeutung saisonaler Rekru- 1997; Vega Rivera et al. 1998). Identified causes of fled- tierungsparameter zur Berechnung von Wachstumsraten gling mortality include predation, starvation, collisions and und darauf folgendem Fortbestehen von Populationen. Die disease (Anders et al. 1997; Vega Rivera et al. 1998). To vorliegende Arbeit erlaubt Parameterscha¨tzungen fu¨r zwei date, the only study on Gray Catbirds (Dumatella caro- kritische Lebensphasen im Jahreszyklus von Vo¨geln in der linensis) post-fledging survival found that brood size, age Vorstadtmatrix und stellt heraus, dass in menschendomi- of the parent, date of fledging and fledgling condition nierten Lebensra¨umen Pra¨dation maßgeblich zu Unter- affected fledgling survival time (Maxted 2001). schieden in der U¨ berlebensrate im Nest und nach dem Despite advances in our understanding of avian post- Ausfliegen fu¨hrt. fledging survival, we still know next to nothing about this stage of the avian life cycle in human-modified landscapes. Moreover, estimating survival in these contexts is important because factors that affect the survival of nestlings and Introduction fledglings may differ substantially along urbanization gra- dients. For example, in some instances, species may benefit Urban areas cover over 100 million acres (c. 404.6 million from urbanization via reduction in native predators (Gering ha) within the continental US and are spreading throughout and Blair 1999); increased supplemental food (bird feeders) the United States at an unprecedented rate, having in- (Brittingham and Temple 1986; Fuller et al. 2008), avail- creased by 48% from 1982 to 2003 (US EPA 2009). ability of nest sites (nest boxes) (Gaston et al. 2005) and Urbanization has tremendous impacts on wildlife directly altered microclimates (Marzluff et al. 2000). Conversely, through land conversion or indirectly from human popu- urban environments have a host of factors that could nega- lation pressure (Chace and Walsh 2004). Unfortunately, tively impact species persistence including competition with ecologists know relatively little about the factors that limit exotics (Chace and Walsh 2006); introduced predators the productivity and survival of birds breeding in urban/ (Churcher and Lawton 1987; Sorace 2005), and contami- suburban environments (Chamberlin et al. 2009). To date, nants and toxins (Roux and Marra 2007). In particular, novel most studies have focused on nest success along an urban predators like the domestic cat (Felis catus) may dispro- gradient using artificial nest studies (e.g., Gering and Blair portionately impact avian populations because they are 1999; Jokima¨ki and Huhta 2000; Thorington and Bowman subsidized enabling them to exist at densities exceeding any 2003; Blair 2004), or less commonly, real nests (Blair native predator (Lepczyk et al. 2003; van Heezik et al. 2004), although some have measured bird productivity in 2010). Given that nest predation and subsequent post-fled- undeveloped fragments within urban environments (e.g., gling survival limit avian populations, quantifying which Leston and Rodewald 2006; Marzluff et al. 2007; Reidy factors impact survival probability in variable environ- et al. 2008). Only two studies have quantified nesting mental contexts remains crucial to understanding avian (Ryder et al. 2010) or post-fledging survival (Whittaker and population demography (Anders et al. 1997; Vega Rivera Marzluff 2009) for birds within the urban/suburban matrix. et al. 1998). Although recent work has begun to quantify Nest success, defined as the probability that a brood will how urbanization impacts avian nest predators and subse- survive both incubation and nestling stages, is a common quent nest success (see Marzluff et al. 2007; Ryder et al. metric used to estimate avian reproductive success (Rick- 2010), little is understood about how novel predators present lefs 1969). Nest success, however, is only a partial estimate in the urban/suburban matrix impact post-fledging survival of reproductive output because it fails to account for sur- (Whittaker and Marzluff 2009). vival during the post-fledging period for birds (i.e., survival Research on the population dynamics of birds has taken between departure from the nest and migration). The post- a variety of approaches to differentiate sources from sinks. fledging phase is key to population recruitment and per- Studies have used the number of female offspring per adult sistence yet remains one of the least understood stages of female, adult survival and juvenile survival (both apparent the avian life cycle for all species (Whittaker and Marzluff and simulated estimates) to categorize populations (e.g., 2009), largely because relocating fledglings to estimate Donovan et al. 1995). Moreover, given the challenges of survival has been limited by applicable techniques. Fortu- estimating recruitment, many studies have applied the nately, the application of radio telemetry for tracking small constant post-fledging survival probabilities (see Temple passerines has advanced considerably making studies of and Cary 1988), regardless of species or habitat type (e.g., post-fledging survival feasible. Cumulatively, radio te- Noon and Sauer 1992; Donovan et al. 1995). If the post- lemetry estimates of habitat use and post-fledging surviv- fledgling period is characterized by low survival then use orship of young birds indicate that despite species-specific of constant values may limit our ability to assess popula- variation, the post-fledging period accounts for a significant tion viability. Indeed, if species-specific
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