DOCSLIB.ORG

Yosemite Bird Checklist

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Yosemite Bird Checklist KEY Winter Spring Summer Fall Habitat Elev. Winter Spring Summer Fall Habitat Elev. Bar graphs indicate relative abundance of a species in suitable habitat at a given time of year: Osprey* ● ● ● LR 2-9 Olive-sided Flycatcher* ● P 4-9 POW 2-9 Common or Abundant, present in large numbers. Bald Eagle* RLA 2-12 Western Wood-Pewee* Willow Flycatcher ● ● W 2-6 present in moderate numbers. Northern Harrier ● M 2-11 Fairly Common, ● P 4-8 Sharp-shinned Hawk* PA 2-9d Hammond's Flycatcher* Uncommon, present in small numbers. Dusky Flycatcher* PS 4-10 Cooper's Hawk* WPA 2-9d Rare, present in very small numbers; often highly localized. Pacific-slope Flycatcher* ● WO 2-5 Northern Goshawk* PA 4-10 Very rare, three or fewer occurrences per season; may not be present Black Phoebe* RWM 2-9 Red-shouldered Hawk AOW 2-9d FLYCATCHERS every year. Say's Phoebe ● ● M 2-5 Red-tailed Hawk* MA 2-11d ● Casual, record outside of usual season of occurence. Ash-throated Flycatcher* SWO 2-5u Golden Eagle* MAC 2-11 ▌▌▌or ▪ ▪ ▪ Variable, may be present in a given area one year, rare or absent the next. Western Kingbird M 2-4 HAWKS, EAGLES, FALCONS EAGLES, HAWKS, American Kestrel* MO 2-11d Loggerhead Shrike ● ● ● MO 2-9 Winter January through March Peregrine Falcon* AC 2-7 Cassin's Vireo* ● PO 2-6 Spring April through June Prairie Falcon* ● ● ● ● MAC 8-11 Hutton's Vireo* O 2-5 Summer July through September Virginia Rail* ● L 2-7 VIREOS Warbling Vireo* ● WPO 2-9 Fall October through December Killdeer* ● LMR 2-9 Steller's Jay* PO 2-9d Spotted Sandpiper* ● RL 2-11 Western Scrub-Jay* SO 2-4 Letter symbols denote the habitat(s) in which the species is most likely to occur: Wilson's Snipe ● LMR 2-9 Pinyon Jay PO 3-9 A Aerial California Gull ● ALR 4-11 Clark's Nutcracker* PM 6-12 C Cliffs, rocks, and talus slopes American Crow ● ● M 2-6 Band-tailed Pigeon* ▌▌▌▌▌▌ ▌▌▌▌▌▌OP 2-7 JAYS, RAVENS L Lakes, reservoirs, and marshes Common Raven* AMP 2-10d Mourning Dove* MO 2-6 M Meadows, clearings, and other open terrain Horned Lark* ● M 10-12d Flammulated Owl* PO 4-6 O Oaks, maples, and other hardwoods Tree Swallow* ● WAM 2-9 P Pines, firs, and other conifers Western Screech-Owl* OP 2-5 Violet-green Swallow* APWO 2-9 R Rivers and streams Great Horned Owl* MOPW 2-9 CLRM Northern Rough-winged Swallow* ● ● RA 2-4 S Shrubs Northern Pygmy-Owl* POW 2-6 Cliff Swallow* RCA 2 W Willows, alders, cottonwoods, and other riparian hardwoods PO 2-7 SWALLOWS OWLS Spotted Owl (California)* Barn Swallow* MRA 2-4u Great Gray Owl* MP 4-8u/d Mountain Chickadee* P 2-10 d (down) Winters primarily below heavy snow level (4,000' - 5,000') or wintering and migrant Long-eared Owl* ? ? ? ? ? MW 2-7 Chestnut-backed Chickadee* PO 2-5 (nonbreeding) birds occur below elevation range indicated. POW 2-6 Northern Saw-whet Owl* Oak Titmouse* OW 2-5 u (up) Up-mountain drift or southward migration carries some individuals to treeline Common Nighthawk*? A 2-7 Bushtit* SOW 2-6u/d during summer. Common Poorwill* ● ● ● MS 2-6 Red-breasted Nuthatch* P 2-8u/d ? Available data are inconclusive. Black Swift* ● ● ● AC 4-8 White-breasted Nuthatch* OP 2-10 * Breeds or has bred in park. Vaux's Swift* ● PA 2-7 Pygmy Nuthatch* P 2-7 I Introduced SWIFTS White-throated Swift* AC 2-8 Brown Creeper* P 4-10u/d Winter Spring Summer Fall Habitat Elev. 2-3, Anna's Hummingbird* SM 2-8 Rock Wren* C Canada Goose* ● ● ● AL 2-7 8-12d Calliope Hummingbird* MSP 4-7u Canyon Wren* C 2-5 Mallard* LR 2-10 Rufous Hummingbird MS 2-12 Bewick's Wren* OS 2-6 Green-winged Teal* ● ● RL 2-9 ● ● WS 4-7 Belted Kingfisher* RL 2-9 WRENS House Wren* Harlequin Duck* R 4-9 Lewis's Woodpecker* ● ● OP 2-10 Pacific Wren* WOP 2-6 LR 4-10 WATERFOWL Bufflehead* Acorn Woodpecker* OP 2-5 Marsh Wren ML 2-5 Common Merganser* LR 2-7 Williamson's Sapsucker* P 6-9d American Dipper* RL 2-10d SM 3-8d P 4-8d Mountain Quail* Red-naped Sapsucker WP 2-7 Golden-crowned Kinglet* OS 2-4 Ruby-crowned Kinglet* PSOW 7-9d California Quail* Red-breasted Sapsucker* WP 2-8u Blue-gray Gnatcatcher* ● S 2-7 White-tailed Ptarmigan (I)* M 10-12 Nuttall's Woodpecker* O 2-4 Western Bluebird* OPM 2-10d Sooty Grouse* PSM 4-8u Downy Woodpecker* WO 2-4u GAMEBIRDS Mountain Bluebird* M 8-11d Wild Turkey (I)* OP 2-4 Hairy Woodpecker* PWO 2-10 P 5-10d WOODPECKERS Townsend's Solitaire* Pied-billed Grebe ● ● ● ● ● L 2-9 PW 4-7 White-headed Woodpecker* Swainson's Thrush ● ● W 2-5 ● L 4-10 Eared Grebe Black-backed Woodpecker* P 7-9 Hermit Thrush* PS 2-10d THRUSHES Great Blue Heron RLM 2-9d Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)* ▌▌▌▌▌▌ ▌▌▌▌POWM 2-10d American Robin* ▌▌▌ ▌▌▌▌▌▌MWPO 2-10d Turkey Vulture AM 2-6 Pileated Woodpecker* PO 4-7 Varied Thrush ▌▌▌▌▌▌ ● ● ▌▌▌▌▌▌OPW 2-5 Winter Spring Summer Fall Habitat Elev. Additional species recorded at least four times: Wrentit* S 2-7d Snow Goose Wilson's Phalarope Wood Duck* Red-necked Phalarope National Park Service California Thrasher SW 2-4 American Wigeon Red Phalarope U.S. Department of the Interior European Starling (I)* MO 2-4 Blue-w inged Teal* Ring-billed Gull American Pipit* CM 10-12 Cinnamon Teal Caspian Tern Cedar Waxwing POW 2-9d Northern Shoveler Rock Pigeon Yosemite National Park Orange-crowned Warbler* WOSP 2-10 Northern Pintail Barn Ow l California Canvasback Burrow ing Ow l OPW 3-8u Nashville Warbler* Ring-necked Duck* Black-chinned Hummingbird Yellow Warbler* WSO 2-9 Lesser Scaup Allen's Hummingbird Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)* POMW 2-10d Common Goldeneye Gray Flycatcher WARBLERS Black-throated Gray Warbler* OP 2-7u Hooded Merganser Black-billed Magpie Yosemite Bird Checklist Townsend's Warbler PW 2-10 Ruddy Duck* Northern Mockingbird Common Loon Sage Thrasher Hermit Warbler* P 4-7 Western Grebe Bohemian Waxw ing MacGillivray's Warbler* SW 2-8u Double-crested Cormorant Phainopepla Common Yellowthroat ● ● MWL 2-6 American White Pelican Black-and-w hite Warbler WARBLERS Wilson's Warbler* WM 4-10 Great Egret American Redstart Snow y Egret Yellow -breasted Chat Green-tailed Towhee* ● S 5-8u Sw ainson's Haw k Black-throated Sparrow * Spotted Towhee* SW 2-7 Rough-legged Haw k Rose-breasted Grosbeak Rufous-crowned Sparrow MS 2-3 Merlin Indigo Bunting California Towhee* OS 2-4 Sora Yellow -headed Blackbird Chipping Sparrow* PM 2-10 American Coot* Great-tailed Grackle Brewer's Sparrow ● ● ● M 2-10d Additional species recorded fewer than four times: Black-chinned Sparrow S 2-5 Tundra Sw an Eastern Kingbird TOWHEES, SPARROWS TOWHEES, Vesper Sparrow ● ● M 2-10d Gadw all Northern Shrike Lark Sparrow M 2-4 Barrow 's Goldeneye Red-eyed Vireo Savannah Sparrow* ● M 2-10 Greater Sage-Grouse Yellow -billed Magpie Pacific Loon Bank Sw allow S 5-8d Fox Sparrow* Horned Grebe Gray Catbird Song Sparrow* WM 2-9 Clark's Grebe Chestnut-collared Longspur Lincoln's Sparrow* MW 4-10 Brow n Pelican Tennessee Warbler White-crowned Sparrow (Mountain)* MW 8-11 American Bittern Virginia's Warbler White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's) MW 2-4 Green Heron Northern Parula Black-crow ned Night-Heron Magnolia Warbler Golden-crowned Sparrow SW 2-5 White-faced Ibis Yellow -rumped Warbler (Myrtle) SPARROWS, JUNCOS SPARROWS, Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)* MOPW 2-10d White-tailed Kite Palm Warbler Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) MOW 2-4 Ferruginous Haw k Blackpoll Warbler Western Tanager* PW 2-8 Yellow Rail Cerulean Warbler Black-headed Grosbeak* ● ● ● OWP 2-6 Sandhill Crane Ovenbird Black-necked Stilt Hooded Warbler Lazuli Bunting* WMS 2-7 American Avocet Painted Redstart Red-winged Blackbird* ● MLW 2-9 Solitary Sandpiper Clay-colored Sparrow Western Meadowlark* ● M 2-6u Greater Yellow legs Sage Sparrow Brewer's Blackbird* MWP 2-10u Willet Grasshopper Sparrow Least Sandpiper White-throated Sparrow Brown-headed Cowbird* ● MWPO 2-10 BLACKBIRDS Eurasian Collared-Dove (I) Harris' Sparrow Bullock's Oriole* WO 2-4 Greater Roadrunner Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed) This checklist includes the 265 species of birds presently Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch* CM 9-13 Short-eared Ow l Blue Grosbeak known to have occurred within the boundaries of Yosemite Pine Grosbeak* ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ PM 7-10 Broad-tailed Hummingbird Bobolink National Park and in El Portal. The bar graphs indicate Purple Finch* ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ OP 2-6 Vermilion Flycatcher Scott's Oriole Cassin's Finch* ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ PM 4-11 seasonal occurrence and abundance of birds. For more Compiled in 1977 by David Gaines; revised in 1983 by D. Gaines, 1990 by Kristine detailed information, consult Birds of Yosemite and the East House Finch MOPW 2-5 Fister, Marla LaCass, Jon Winter, and Len McKenzie, 1993 by K. Fister, and 2009- Red Crossbill* ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ P 4-11 2014 by Sarah Stock w ith assistance from Travis Espinoza (2009), Matt Brady Slope (Gaines 1992). Help improve this checklist by reporting FINCHES Pine Siskin* ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ MP 7-10d (2011), and Kim Hastings (2012). all unusual observations. Happy Birdwatching! MS 2-6u Report detailed observations of less common species to [email protected] or: Lesser Goldfinch* Sarah Stock, Wildlife Biologist Lawrence's Goldfinch* MW 2-4 Observers_____________________ Date_________ American Goldfinch ● WM 2-4 Resources Management and Science Yosemite National Park PO 2-9 Evening Grosbeak* ▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌▌ P.O.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • American Redstarts
    San Antonio Audubon Society May/June 2021 Newsletter American Redstarts By Mike Scully At the time of this writing (early April), the glorious annual spring migration of songbirds through our area is picking up. Every spring I keep a special eye out for one of my favorite migrants, the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). These beautiful warblers flutter actively through the foliage, tail spread, wings drooped, older males clad in black and orange, females and second year males in shades of gray, olive green and yellow. For years, the American Redstart was the only species remaining in the genus Setophaga, until a comprehensive genetic analysis of the Family Parulidae resulted in this genus being grouped with more than 32 species formerly placed in the genus Dendroica and Wilsonia. The name Setophaga was applied to the whole by virtue of seniority. Though now grouped in a large genus, the American Redstart remains an outlier, possessing proportionately large wings, a long tail, and prominent rictal bristles at the base of the relatively wide flat beak, all adaptations to a flycatching mode of foraging. Relatively heavy thigh musculature and long central front toes are apparently adaptations to springing into the air after flying insects. The foraging strategy of redstarts differs from that of typical flycatchers. Redstarts employ a more warbler-like maneuver, actively moving through the foliage, making typically short sallies after flying insect prey, and opportunistically gleaning insects from twigs and leaves while hovering or perched. The wings are frequently drooped and the colorful tail spread wide in order to flush insect prey.
    [Show full text]
  • American Redstart Setophaga Ruticilla
    American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla Folk Name: Butterfly Bird, Candelita (Spanish) Status: Migrant and local Breeder Abundance: Common in migration Habitat: Bottomland hardwoods, wide creek floodplains, moist deciduous forest slopes The American Redstart is a spectacular black-and-red- colored bird that is one of our most common migrants and one of the easiest of our warblers to identify. It migrates through this region in good numbers each spring and fall and some stop to breed at scattered locations across both states. The Charlotte News published this description, written by an avid North Carolina birder, on October 11, 1910: Another “find” in which the bird lover takes much pleasure is in the locating of that marvelously colored member of the great Wood Warbler family, the American Redstart. …The great passing flocks of migratory warblers drop the Redstart off each spring on their Northern journey, and pick him up each fall. A full mature male Redstart, which by the way, acquires his plumage only after two years in shrubs or the branches of trees. It’s easy to observe this growth, is truly an exquisite specimen of nature’s behavior while out birding during migration. handiwork. Imagine a wee small bird, smaller than Leverett Loomis reported the redstart as “abundant” a canary, of shining black on breast, throat and back, during spring and fall migration in Chester County while on it wings and tail and sides are patches of during the late 1870s, and one year he collected three bright salmon color. These strangely colored birds males on 17 August. William McIlwaine provided the are called in Cuba “Candelita,” the little torch that first records of the American Redstart in Mecklenburg flames in the gloomy depths of tropical forests.
    [Show full text]
  • Wood Warblers Wildlife Note
    hooded warbler 47. Wood Warblers Like jewels strewn through the woods, Pennsylvania’s native warblers appear in early spring, the males arrayed in gleaming colors. Twenty-seven warbler species breed commonly in Pennsylvania, another four are rare breeders, and seven migrate through Penn’s Woods headed for breeding grounds farther north. In central Pennsylvania, the first species begin arriving in late March and early April. Louisiana waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) and black and white warbler (Mniotilta varia) are among the earliest. The great mass of warblers passes through around mid-May, and then the migration trickles off until it ends in late May by which time the trees have leafed out, making it tough to spot canopy-dwelling species. In southern Pennsylvania, look for the migration to begin and end a few days to a week earlier; in northern Pennsylvania, it is somewhat later. As summer progresses and males stop singing on territory, warblers appear less often, making the onset of fall migration difficult to detect. Some species begin moving south as early as mid and late July. In August the majority specific habitat types and show a preference for specific of warblers start moving south again, with migration characteristics within a breeding habitat. They forage from peaking in September and ending in October, although ground level to the treetops and eat mainly small insects stragglers may still come through into November. But by and insect larvae plus a few fruits; some warblers take now most species have molted into cryptic shades of olive flower nectar. When several species inhabit the same area, and brown: the “confusing fall warblers” of field guides.
    [Show full text]
  • Delayed Plumage Maturation and the Presumed Prealternate Molt in American Redstarts
    WilsonBull., 95(2), 1983, pp. 199-208 DELAYED PLUMAGE MATURATION AND THE PRESUMED PREALTERNATE MOLT IN AMERICAN REDSTARTS SIEVERT ROHWER, WILLIAM P. KLEIN, JR., AND SCOTT HEARD The American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) is one of about 30 sexually dichromatic North American passerine species in which males exhibit a delayed plumage maturation (Rohwer et al. 1980). Males in their first win- ter and in their first potential breeding season are largely like females in coloration. These young males have only a few scattered black feathers on their head, hack, and breast, areas where adult males are solid black, and they have yellow rather than the orange patches characteristic of adult males in their wings and tail. Two of four hypotheses reviewed by Rohwer et al. (1980) are relevant to the delay in plumage maturation characteristic of these 30 dichromatic passerine species. Both describe hypothesized best-alternative responses by which young males have minimized their disadvantage in one or both forms of sexual competition. The first, which we here rename, is the Cryptic Hypothesis (CH). Selander (1965) devel- oped this hypothesis by arguing that the costs of a conspicuous breeding plumage would not he repaid in yearling males because of their very lim- ited breeding opportunities. This was called the sexual selection hypoth- esis by Rohwer et al. (1980) and the delayed maturation hypothesis by Procter-Gray and Holmes (1981). The second is the Female Mimicry Hy- pothesis (FMH). Rohwer and his coworkers (Rohwer et al. 1980, Rohwer 1983) developed this hypothesis by arguing that young males increase their chances of obtaining female-worthy territories and breeding as yearlings by mimicking females and, thus, eliciting less aggression from adult males in the early stages of territory establishment.
    [Show full text]
  • American Redstarts
    American Redstarts By Mike Scully At the time of this writing (early April), the glorious annual spring migration of songbirds through our area is picking up. Every spring I keep a special eye out for one of my favorite migrants, the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). These beautiful warblers flutter actively through the foliage, tail spread, wings drooped, older males clad in black and orange, females and second year males in shades of gray, olive green and yellow. For years, the American Redstart was the only species remaining in the genus Setophaga, until a comprehensive genetic analysis of the Family Parulidae resulted in this genus being grouped with more than 32 species formerly placed in the genus Dendroica and Wilsonia. The name Setophaga was applied to the whole by virtue of seniority. Though now grouped in a large genus, the American Redstart remains an outlier, possessing proportionately large wings, a long tail, and prominent rictal bristles at the base of the relatively wide flat beak, all adaptations to a flycatching mode of foraging. Relatively heavy thigh musculature and long central front toes are apparently adaptations to springing into the air after flying insects. American Redstart by Dan Pancamo The foraging strategy of redstarts differs from that of typical flycatchers. Redstarts employ a more warbler-like maneuver, actively moving through the foliage, making typically short sallies after flying insect prey, and opportunistically gleaning insects from twigs and leaves while hovering or perched. The wings are frequently drooped and the colorful tail spread wide in order to flush insect prey. Among birds in general it is common for sometimes minor differences in coloration to exist, depending on the age of the bird, with full adult plumage not achieved until one or more years of age.
    [Show full text]
  • Taxonomic Relationships Among the American Redstarts
    TAXONOMIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE AMERICAN REDSTARTS KENNETH C. PARKES N recent years certain bird taxonomists have indulged in what might be I described as a veritable orgy of genus-lumping. Small genera, particularly monotypic genera, must, it seems, be somehow combined with one another, or shoehorned into larger genera (see, for example, the footnote on Uropsila, Paynter, 1960:430). To some extent this is a healthy trend, as many bird families are undeniably oversplit. Much of the recent lumping, however, has a fundamental shortcoming; the authors make little or no effort to re-evaluate the composition of the currently accepted genera before simply emptying the contents of two bureau drawers into one. It is possible, indeed probable, that some of our genera as they now stand are composite and artificial, not reflecting actual relationships. The answer to such problems is not simple lumping, but rather redefinition of genera, with the generic lines drawn in different places. An excellent example is provided by the case history of the North American forest thrushes. Ridgway (1907:19, 35) pointed out many years ago the close relationship between the thrushes generally placed in the two genera Hylocichlu and Cutharus. Ripley (1952), in a paper which advocated merging a number of genera of thrushes, formally proposed the lumping of Hylocichlu and Cutharus under the latter name, but without any analytical study of the species currently placed in these two genera. This proposition had already been made in several unpublished theses dealing with regional avifaunas (Loetscher, 1941:664; Phillips, 1946:309; Parkes, 1952:384), also as a straight lumping of the two genera.
    [Show full text]
  • Master Wildlife Inventory List
    Wildlife Inventory List The wildlife inventory list was created from existing data, on site surveys, and/or the availability of suitable habitat. The following species could occur in the Project Area at some time during the year: Common Name Scientific Name Bird Species Bitterns, Herons, & Allies Ardeidae D, E American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus A, E, F Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias E, F Green Heron Butorides virescens D Least bittern Ixobrychus exilis Blackbirds Icteridae B, E, F Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula B, E, F Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus B, E, F Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater B, E, F Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula B, E, F Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna B, E, F Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Caracaras & Falcons Falconidae B, E, F, G American Kestrel Falco sparverius B Merlin Falco columbarius D Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Chickadees & Titmice Paridae B, E, F, G Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus E, F, G Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor Creepers Certhiidae B, E, F Brown Creeper Certhia americana Cuckoos, Roadrunners, & Anis Cuculidae D, E, F Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus E, F Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus Finches Fringillidae B, E, F, G American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis B, E, F Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina G Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea B, E, F Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus E, F, G House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus B, E Pine Siskin Spinus pinus Page 1 Eight Point Wind Energy Center E, F, G Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus B, E Red Crossbill
    [Show full text]
  • STABLE HYDROGEN ISOTOPE ANALYSIS of AMERICAN REDSTART RECTRICES Elior Anina, Alessandra Cerio, Ashilly Lopes, Yasmeen Luna, Lauren Puishys
    2016 STABLE HYDROGEN ISOTOPE ANALYSIS OF AMERICAN REDSTART RECTRICES Elior Anina, Alessandra Cerio, Ashilly Lopes, Yasmeen Luna, Lauren Puishys A Major Qualifying Project submitted to the Faculty of Worcester Polytechnic Institute in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree in Bachelor of Science in Biology and Biotechnology Project Advisor: Marja Bakermans, BBT Laboratory Advisor: Mike Buckholt Massachusetts State Ornithologist: Andrew C. Vitz This report represents work of WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its web site without editorial or peer review. For more information about the projects program at WPI, see http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Projects Abstract Understanding avian migration patterns between breeding, stopover, and wintering sites is crucial for the creation of conservation efforts. Stable isotope analysis is rising in popularity due to its ability to track avian migration without the use of satellites and traditional banding methods. Hydrogen isotope signatures vary by latitude due to fractionation during evaporation of ocean water. As warblers molt on their breeding grounds, the hydrogen isotope signatures are incorporated into their growing feathers through trophic-level interactions. We used a stable hydrogen isotope analysis of American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) rectrices using feather samples collected from the Powdermill Avian Research Center in Pennsylvania. We found no significant difference in δD values and migration timing between the two sample years (2010 and 2011). A significant difference in migratory patterns between adult male and adult female warblers was present, where males appear to migrate before their female counterparts. This pattern may be a result of the need for females to recover after the breeding season and gain fat reserves before strenuous migration.
    [Show full text]
  • American Redstart Purple Finch Yellow Warbler White-Crowned Sparrow
    BIRDSWild About Western meadowlark Sturnella neglecta 21–28 cm The western meadowlark is a 2bird of open spaces, such as fields, grasslands or pastures. If your property includes or is adjacent to such areas, be sure to avoid the use of pesticides so meadowlarks can find plenty of insects, such as beetles, cut- American redstart worms, caterpillars and grass- Setophaga ruticilla hoppers. Allow a corner of your property 12–14 cm to go a bit wild so they can also feed on the seeds of weeds and grasses. To attract this striking woodland bird, you will definitely need trees This bird will also use areas of dense vegetation to locate its ground nest, on your property, preferably combined with lots of shrubs. Insects so avoid mowing, especially in the spring. It is very sensitive to human make up the bulk of the American redstart’s diet, so don’t use pesti- disturbance when nesting, so be sure to avoid nesting areas during the cides on the trees where it likes to forage. The redstarts themselves breeding season. will take care of any problem insects, such as leafhoppers or cat- erpillars. In late summer or fall, the fruits of serviceberry or native barberry are a great attraction. This bird likes to nest in deciduous Dark-eyed junco trees or tall shrubs, such as maple, birch, hawthorn or alder. Junco hyemalis 14–16 cm The dark-eyed junco likes to forage for insects and seeds on the ground, staying close to cover for a quick escape from predators. If you want it to feel safe in your gar- den, be sure to add some dense shrubs, especially evergreens like cedar that provide year-round Common redpoll shelter.
    [Show full text]
  • Armbrust Hill Bird Walk
    LHA A VE IN N V ARMBRUST HILL BIRD WALK L A T N S D T R U Armbrust Hill is owned by the town of Vinalhaven. There is no parking at the preserve trailhead, please park in town and walk. To see the following songbirds, the oak trees near the trailhead behind the medical center is the best place to look for these woodland birds. Early mornings are best for bird watching, and also a cooler time of day! There are many apps that can help with identification on bird songs. See the walks and talks page for a list of bird apps. Shhh...be quiet. Listen for the birdsong that can identitfy the birds, and avoid scaring them away. Take photos and send them to us! Happy Birding. Vinalhaven Land Trust 12 Skoog Park Vinalhaven Maine 04863 vinalhavenlandtrust.org Northern parula A small warbler of the upper canopy, the northern parula nests can be found in old man’s beard lichen. It hops through branches bursting with a rising buzzy trill that pinches off at the end. Its white eye crescents, chestnut breast band, and yellow-green patch on the back set it apart from other warblers. Photo by Kirk Gentalen. Tennessee warbler A dainty warbler of the Canadian boreal forest, the Tennessee warbler specializes in eating the spruce budworm. Consequently its population goes up and down with fluctuations in the populations of the budworm. Common yellowthroat Common yellowthroats spend much of their time skulking low to the ground in dense thickets and fields, searching for small insects and spiders.
    [Show full text]
  • Parasite Assemblages Distinguish Populations of a Migratory Passerine on Its Breeding Grounds K
    Journal of Zoology. Print ISSN 0952-8369 Parasite assemblages distinguish populations of a migratory passerine on its breeding grounds K. L. Durrant1, P. P. Marra2, S. M. Fallon1, G. J. Colbeck3, H. L. Gibbs4, K. A. Hobson5, D. R. Norris6, B. Bernik1, V. L. Lloyd1 & R. C. Fleischer1 1 Genetics Program, Smithsonian Institution, NW, Washington, DC, USA 2 Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, NW, Washington, DC, USA 3 School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA 4 Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Aronoff Laboratory, Columbus, OH, USA 5 Environment Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada 6 Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada Keywords Abstract Setophaga ruticilla; migration; Plasmodium; Haemoproteus; avian malaria; blood parasite. We attempted to establish migratory connectivity patterns for American redstarts Setophaga ruticilla between their breeding and wintering grounds by characteriz- Correspondence ing the composition of their haematozoan parasite assemblages in different parts Kate L. Durrant. Current address: of their range. We detected significant but limited geographic structuring of Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, haematozoan parasite lineages across the breeding range of the redstart. We found The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 that redstarts from the south-eastern (SE) region of the breeding range had a 2TN, UK. significantly different haematozoan parasite assemblage compared with popula- Email: k.l.durrant@sheffield.ac.uk tions sampled throughout the rest of the breeding range. Evidence using stable isotopes from feathers previously demonstrated that redstarts from the SE of the Received 19 July 2007; accepted breeding range also have a unique and separate wintering range.
    [Show full text]
  • American Ornithological Union (AOU) Bird Species List 1
    American Ornithological Union (AOU) Bird Species List 1 Alpha Alpha Species Code Species Code Western Grebe WEGR Glaucous-winged Gull GWGU Clark's Grebe CLGR Hybrid Gull HYGU Red-necked Grebe RNGR Great Black-backed Gull GBBG Horned Grebe HOGR Slaty-backed Gull SBGU Eared Grebe EAGR Western Gull WEGU Least Grebe LEGR Yellow-footed Gull YFGU Pied-billed Grebe PBGR Lesser Black-backed Gull LBBG Common Loon COLO Herring Gull HERG Yellow-billed Loon YBLO California Gull CAGU Arctic Loon ARLO Unidentified Gull UNGU Pacific Loon PALO Ring-billed Gull RBGU Red-throated Loon RTLO Band-tailed Gull BTGU Tufted Puffin TUPU Mew Gull MEGU Atlantic Puffin ATPU Black-headed Gull BHGU Horned Puffin HOPU Heermann's Gull HEEG Rhinoceros Auklet RHAU Laughing Gull LAGU Cassin's Auklet CAAU Franklin's Gull FRGU Parakeet Auklet PAAU Bonaparte's Gull BOGU Crested Auklet CRAU Little Gull LIGU Whiskered Auklet WHAU Ross' Gull ROGU Least Auklet LEAU Sabine's Gull SAGU Ancient Murrelet ANMU Gull-billed Tern GBTE Marbled Murrelet MAMU Caspian Tern CATE Kittlitz's Murrelet KIMU Royal Tern ROYT Xantus' Murrelet XAMU Crested Tern CRTE Craveri's Murrelet CRMU Elegant Tern ELTE Black Guillemot BLGU Sandwich Tern SATE Pigeon Guillemot PIGU Cayenne Tern CAYT Common Murre COMU Forster's Tern FOTE Thick-billed Murre TBMU Common Tern COTE Razorbill RAZO Arctic Tern ARTE Dovekie DOVE Roseate Tern ROST Great Skua GRSK Aleutian Tern ALTE South Polar Skua SPSK Black-naped Tern BNTE Pomarine Jaeger POJA Least Tern LETE Parasitic Jaeger PAJA Sooty Tern SOTE Long-tailed Jaeger LTJA
    [Show full text]