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Breeding Biology Behavior and Ecology of the Water Pipit ( Anthus Spinoletta)

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Breeding Biology Behavior and Ecology of the Water Pipit ( Anthus Spinoletta) University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1965 Breeding biology behavior and ecology of the water pipit ( Anthus spinoletta) Nicolaas A. Verbeek The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Verbeek, Nicolaas A., "Breeding biology behavior and ecology of the water pipit ( Anthus spinoletta)" (1965). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 7035. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/7035 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BREEDING BIOLOGY; BEHA.VIOR AND ECOLOGY OF THE WATER PIPIT (Anthus spinoletta) by NICOLAAS A. M. VERBEEK B.8. University of British Columbia; 1962 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Zoology MDNTANA STATE UNIVERSITY 1965 Approved by: Chairman; Board 61 Examiners Deauy'" Graduate School APR 2 0 1965 Date UMI Number: EP37836 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction Is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, If material had to be removed, a note will Indicate the deletion. UMT OisMrtation Publwhing UMI EP37836 Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Elsenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 -1346 / Cl - û> iT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS* First and foremost I wish to thank Dr. R. S. Hoffmann for his interest in this study^ his help and his final editing of the manu­ script. This study was made possible by a grant from the Frank M. Chap­ man Memorial Fund of the American Museum of Natural History and a Louis Agassiz Fuertes Research Grant from the Wilson Ornithological Society. I also wish to acknowledge funds from National Science Foundation Grant no- B 1 ^ 0 8 9directed by Drs. R. D. Taber and R. 8. Hoffmann. Special thanks are due to Mr- D. L. Pattie and Mr. C. I. Fudge for their companionship in the field. I also wish to thank Mr. Pattie for the weather data he supplied. Thanks are also due to the members of the Beartooth Highway road crew, especially their foreman, Mr. C. 0. Owens and his wife Mary. Without their ever ready assistance our continuous stay in the alpine would often have been difficult. For their special interest, shown in frequent discussion and help given, I wish to thank Dr. P. L. Wright and Dr. R. W. Fields, Montana State University; Dr. M. D. F. Udvardy, University of British Columbia and my fellow graduate students Mr. R. W. Pearcy and Mr. R. P. Stoneberg. * Please note: this dissertation is not a publication, and no portions herein may be quoted without express permission of the author and the Department of Eoology, Montana State University- —ii— TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.................................................... 1 THE STUDY AREA.................................................. h Climate..................................................... T Flora and Vegetation......................................... 10 Fellfield........................................ 11 Dry Meadow.................................................. 11 Moist Meadow.............................................. 11 Car ex Hummock............................................. 12 Willow Bog.................................................. 12 Snow Accumulation.......................................... 12 SPRING ARRIVAL................................................ l4 HABITAT AND NEST SITE SELECTION................................ IT TERRITORY....................................................... 21 Density and Size of* Territories............................ 21 Defense of Territory and Associated Behavior............... 22 Threat Display.............................................. 22 Alert Display............................................... 23 Flight Display.............................................. 23 VOCALIZATION.................................................. 2k Song......................................................... 2k Notes.......................................................... 25 NESTS............................................................ 2T Nest Location............................................... 27 Sod Nests................................................... 28 -ill- -IV- I*age Erosion Nests.............................................. 28 Rock Nests................................................. 28 Hummock Nests.............................................. 28 Nest Location and Compass Direction.......................... 30 Nest Materials............................................... 32 Duration of Nest Construction ............................. 32 Behavior Associated with Nest Building...................... 3& Nest Dimensions.............................................. 37 THE EGGS ...................................................... 38 Egg Morphology............................................... 38 Time of Egg Laying .......................................... '^1 Clutch Size ................................................. Temperature and the Onset of the Breeding Cycle............. ^5 INCUBATION.................................................... 51 Incubation Period............................................ 51 Incubation and Associated Behavior.......................... 52 Incubation Temperatures..................................... 55 HATCHING ....................................................... 60 NESTLINGS....................................................... 61 Nestling Period................................. 61 Brooding of the Young........................................ 62 Development of the Young.................................... 63 Behavior of Nestlings.,...................................... 65 Nest Sanitation.............................................. 88 —V — Page FLEDGLINGS..................................................... 71 Fledgling Period ............................................. 71 Behavior of Fledglings and Adults ........................... 72 BREEDING SUCCESS................................................ 73 Reproductive Rate ............................................. 73 Survival and Productivity.................................... 75 Mortality. ................................................... 76 REACTIONS TO OTHER BIRDS AND MAMMALS........................... S2 FOOD ............................................................ 84 Feeding Rhythm and Behavior around the Nest.................. 84 Competition among Nestlings for F o o d ....................... 85 Competition between Pipits and other Birds for Food......... 86 POST-BREEDING P E R I O D ........................................... 93 Flock Formation.................. 93 Vertical Migration............................................ 93 Population Movement........................................... 95 TEIE BREEDING CTCLE AND THE ALPINE ENVIRONMENT................. 97 SUMMARY..................................................... 10 2 LITERATURE CITED................................................ 107 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Temperature records of the Beartooth Plateau study area.. 8 2. Precipitation and related climatic data of the Beartooth Plateau study area in 1963 and 1964...................... 8 3. Average wind velocity (km/hour) on the Beartooth Plateau study area in 1 9 6 3and 1964............................... 9 4. Ground level temperatures at two different stations on the Beartooth Plateau study area during the field season of 1964............................................. 9 5 . Nest types of the Water Pipit on the Beartooth Plateau... 2 7 6 . Orientation of the nests of the Water Pipit on the Beartooth Plateau.......................................... 30 T- Orientation of hummock nests of the Water Pipit on the Beartooth Plateau.......................................... 3I 8 . State of construction of l4 nests of the Water Pipit 35 9* Egg size of the Water Pipit of the Beartooth Plateau compared with eggs in the collection of the U.S. 38 National Museum............................................ 10. Mean weight of eggs of the Water Pipit on the Beartooth Plateau.......................................... 3 9 11. Time distribution of presence and absence on the nest of laying female Water Pipits before the onset of incubation................................................. 42 12. Clutch size distribution of the Water Pipit on the Beartooth Plateau.......................................... 43 1 3' Mean clutch sizes of the Water Pipit arranged in four 9-day periods.............................................. 44 l4. Clutch size distribution of Anthus spinoletta compared with Anthus pratensis in Europe with respect to latitude................................................... 44 -VI- - V l l - Table Page 15- Corrected incubation periods of nine nests
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