Breeding Ecology of the Altamira Oriole in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Werner, Scott M.; Hejl, Sallie J.; Brush, Timothy

doi:10.1650/0010-5422(2007)109[907:beotao]2.0.co;2

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…), so nests may accumulate in these species from year to year. Other oriole species occasionally reuse nests within the same season (Werner et al 2007), but we did not observe such reuse in our study. All active nests appeared to have been built within the season based on the color of the fibers used to weave nests.…”

Section: Population Densities and Estimatescontrasting

confidence: 68%

“…In 2009, nine of 18 pairs on NA included at least one SY bird and, for two pairs, both individuals were SY birds, indicating that at least some SY males are breeding. This proportion is within the normal range for breeding SY males among oriole species (6–55%; Rising and Flood 1998, Rising and Williams 1999, Flood 2002, Brush and Pleasants 2005, Werner et al 2007). However, the high proportion of oriole pairs with a SY mate on NA compared to MC and SA suggests that oriole density on NA is functionally low, promoting breeding by younger birds.…”

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confidence: 60%

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Population status, habitat dependence, and reproductive ecology of Bahama Orioles: a critically endangered synanthropic species

Price¹,

Lee²,

Hayes³

2011

Journal of Field Ornithology

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Recent elevation of critically endangered Bahama Orioles (Icterus northropi) to species status prompted us to evaluate their population status, habitat use, and breeding ecology. From surveys, we estimated that at least 141 to 254 individuals remain globally, with 90 to 162, 24 to 44, and 27 to 48 individuals remaining on North Andros Island, Mangrove Cay, and South Andros Island, The Bahamas, respectively. Orioles were observed nesting exclusively in anthropogenic habitat (residential and agricultural land), but home ranges also included nearby pine forest and coppice (dry broadleaf forest). Most nests (40 of 46, or 87%) were in nonnative coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), with native Sabal palmetto and Thrinax morrisii, and an introduced Brassaia actinophylla also used. Trees selected by orioles for nesting were significantly taller, less likely to have shrubs underneath, further from cover, and had more palm trees nearby than randomly selected palm trees. Three of eight nests with known contents were parasitized by Shiny Cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis). Lethal yellowing disease recently devastated coconut palms and reduced the number of orioles on North Andros, but palms on Mangrove Cay and South Andros remain healthy. The juxtaposition of anthropogenic habitat to suitable native habitats may be more important than any single factor for Bahama Orioles, especially for breeding adults and fledged young. Conservation of coppice habitat, at high risk for agricultural and residential development, is crucial for survival of this critically endangered synanthropic species.

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Section: Population Densities and Estimatescontrasting

confidence: 68%

supporting

confidence: 60%

Population status, habitat dependence, and reproductive ecology of Bahama Orioles: a critically endangered synanthropic species

Price¹,

Lee²,

Hayes³

2011

Journal of Field Ornithology

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“…Not all avian species will decline with human disturbance, and some may even benefit from resource subsidies and increases in open and edge habitats, including those within anthropogenic areas (Werner, Hejl & Brush, 2007; Kamp et al, 2009; Coulombe, Kesler & Gouni, 2011). The Bahama Oriole uses anthropogenic areas during the breeding season, where it selects nest sites in the tallest available palm trees (Price, Lee & Hayes, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diverse habitat use during two life stages of the critically endangered Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi): community structure, foraging, and social interactions

Price

Hayes

2017

PeerJ

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Our ability to prevent extinction in declining populations often depends on effective management of habitats that are disturbed through wildfire, logging, agriculture, or development. In these disturbed landscapes, the juxtaposition of multiple habitat types can be especially important to fledglings and young birds, which may leave breeding grounds in human-altered habitat for different habitats nearby that provide increased foraging opportunities, reduced competition, and higher protection from predators. In this study, we evaluated the importance of three habitat types to two life stages of the critically endangered Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi), a synanthropic songbird endemic to Andros, The Bahamas. First, we determined the avian species composition and relative abundance of I. northropi among three major vegetation types on Andros: Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea) forest, coppice (broadleaf dry forest), and anthropogenic areas, dominated by nonnative vegetation (farmland and developed land). We then compared the foraging strategies and social interactions of two age classes of adult Bahama Orioles in relation to differential habitat use. Bird surveys late in the Bahama Oriole’s breeding season indicated the number of avian species and Bahama Oriole density were highest in coppice. Some bird species occurring in the coppice and pine forest were never observed in agricultural or residential areas, and may be at risk if human disturbance of pine forest and coppice increases, as is occurring at a rapid pace on Andros. During the breeding season, second-year (SY) adult Bahama Orioles foraged in all vegetation types, whereas after-second-year (ASY) adults were observed foraging only in anthropogenic areas, where the species nested largely in introduced coconut palms (Cocos nucifera). Additionally, SY adults foraging in anthropogenic areas were often observed with an ASY adult, suggesting divergent habitat use for younger, unpaired birds. Other aspects of foraging (vegetation features, food-gleaning behavior, and food items) were similar for the two age classes. Older Bahama Orioles exhibited relatively higher rates of social interactions (intraspecific and interspecific pooled) in anthropogenic areas, and won more interaction outcomes compared to younger adults. Our findings concur with those of other studies indicating dry broadleaf forest is vitally important to migrating, wintering, and resident birds, including the critically endangered Bahama Oriole, which appears to depend heavily on this vegetation type during certain life stages.

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“…Although some orioles may exhibit delayed maturity (Pleasants 1993, Jaramillo andBurke 1999), most female orioles of species for which data are available start breeding at the age of one year (Pleasants and Albano 2001, Flood et al 2002, Werner et al 2007), and we therefore assumed that all females started breeding at the age of one year.…”

Section: Integrated Population Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing population viability while accounting for demographic and environmental uncertainty

Oppel

Hilton

Ratcliffe

et al. 2014

Ecology

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Abstract. Predicting the future trend and viability of populations is an essential task in ecology. Because many populations respond to changing environments, uncertainty surrounding environmental responses must be incorporated into population assessments. However, understanding the effects of environmental variation on population dynamics requires information on several important demographic parameters that are often difficult to estimate. Integrated population models facilitate the integration of time series data on population size and all existing demographic information from a species, allowing the estimation of demographic parameters for which limited or no empirical data exist. Although these models are ideal for assessments of population viability, they have so far not included environmental uncertainty. We incorporated environmental variation in an integrated population model to account for both demographic and environmental uncertainty in an assessment of population viability. In addition, we used this model to estimate true juvenile survival, an important demographic parameter for population dynamics that is difficult to estimate empirically. We applied this model to assess the past and future population trend of a rare island endemic songbird, the Montserrat Oriole Icterus oberi, which is threatened by volcanic activity. Montserrat Orioles experienced lower survival in years with volcanic ashfall, causing periodic population declines that were compensated by higher seasonal fecundity in years with high pre-breeding season rainfall. Due to the inclusion of both demographic and environmental uncertainty in the model, the estimated population growth rate in the immediate future was highly imprecise (95% credible interval 0.844-1.105), and the probability of extinction after three generations (in the year 2028) was low (2.1%). This projection demonstrates that accounting for both demographic and environmental sources of uncertainty provides a more realistic assessment of the viability of populations under unknown future environmental conditions.

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Breeding Ecology of the Altamira Oriole in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Cited by 5 publications

References 1 publication

Population status, habitat dependence, and reproductive ecology of Bahama Orioles: a critically endangered synanthropic species

Population status, habitat dependence, and reproductive ecology of Bahama Orioles: a critically endangered synanthropic species

Diverse habitat use during two life stages of the critically endangered Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi): community structure, foraging, and social interactions

Assessing population viability while accounting for demographic and environmental uncertainty

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