Golden- and Blue-winged Warblers: Distribution, Nesting Success, and Genetic Differences in Two Habitats

Confer, John L.; Barnes, Kevin W.; Alvey, Erin C.

doi:10.1676/09-136.1

Cited by 24 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Our results are consistent with Confer et al (2010) who reported a high proportion of phenotypically and genetically pure GWWA in wetland nesting habitat. Our results appear to contradict Vallender et al (2009) who found extensive, bi-directional introgression between BWWAs and GWWAs in our study area.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Fire created habitat partitioning and isolation between hybridizing warblers

King¹,

Boysen²,

Brenneman³

et al. 2015

Ecosphere

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Abstract. Hybridization or the breakdown of reproductive barriers has perplexed conservationists for centuries. Hybridization between the golden-winged warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) and blue-winged warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) has received extensive study across North America for more than a century and indicates widespread, bi-directional genetic introgression. We found evidence fire is creating habitat conditions leading to isolation between nesting golden-winged warblers and blue-winged warblers. This effect is likely the result of fire's ability to promote grass cover and suppress woody plants, leading to habitat use partitioning between golden-winged warblers and blue-winged warblers. In addition to minimizing contact between the species, fire is creating habitat conditions on mixed sites that greatly favors golden-winged warblers over blue-winged warblers. Fire provides a plausible explanation for the original split in these sister species and its near elimination from eastern North America provides at least a partial explanation for the golden-winged warbler's extensive range-wide decline. Fire also provides a potential conservation tool by isolating golden-winged warbler and blue-winged warbler nesting populations. If nesting populations can be isolated, relatively rapid phenotypic sorting can be achieved, which could lead to a clearer distinction between the taxa as well as species preservation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Fire created habitat partitioning and isolation between hybridizing warblers

King¹,

Boysen²,

Brenneman³

et al. 2015

Ecosphere

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“…It was suggested by Hunter et al (2001) that the historical abundance of naturally occurring wetlands may have been an important factor in the evolutionary history of the Goldenwinged Warbler. Golden-winged Warbler nest success in southern New York was higher in wetland communities as compared to adjacent upland communities associated with either power line right-of-ways or managed shrublands (Confer et al 2010, however, see Streby et al 2016. Confer et al (2010) postulated that the long-term persistence of wetland-nesting Golden-winged Warblers in close proximity to upland-nesting Blue-winged Warblers (Vermivora cyanoptera) was the result of a source/sink dynamic between swamp forests and uplands of southern New York (Confer et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Golden-winged Warbler nest success in southern New York was higher in wetland communities as compared to adjacent upland communities associated with either power line right-of-ways or managed shrublands (Confer et al 2010, however, see Streby et al 2016. Confer et al (2010) postulated that the long-term persistence of wetland-nesting Golden-winged Warblers in close proximity to upland-nesting Blue-winged Warblers (Vermivora cyanoptera) was the result of a source/sink dynamic between swamp forests and uplands of southern New York (Confer et al 2010). Clearly, the research by Confer et al (2010), though limited in scope, provided important insight regarding potential differences in Golden-winged Warbler reproductive success between upland and wetland communities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Confer et al (2010) postulated that the long-term persistence of wetland-nesting Golden-winged Warblers in close proximity to upland-nesting Blue-winged Warblers (Vermivora cyanoptera) was the result of a source/sink dynamic between swamp forests and uplands of southern New York (Confer et al 2010). Clearly, the research by Confer et al (2010), though limited in scope, provided important insight regarding potential differences in Golden-winged Warbler reproductive success between upland and wetland communities. However, no published studies have compared Golden-winged Warbler habitat relationships between natural wetlands and upland timber harvests that meet the structural criteria presented in species-specific habitat management guidelines (i.e., Bakermans et al 2011Bakermans et al , 2015 and none have occurred within Appalachia where the species is most imperiled.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using a natural reference system to evaluate songbird habitat restoration

McNeil¹,

Fiss²,

Wood³

et al. 2018

ACE

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ABSTRACT. The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) is an imperiled songbird that breeds in early-successional plant communities of eastern North America. Conservation efforts on the breeding grounds have become a priority because population declines are thought to be driven, in part, by the loss of breeding habitat. Although the species is known to use a variety of upland and wetland cover types, the majority of previous research on the species has been conducted in uplands. Although patterns of Goldenwinged Warbler habitat use within anthropogenic upland communities are well understood, such information within naturally occurring habitats are scant. We compared Golden-winged Warbler densities in natural shrub-wetlands and nearby upland timber harvest that conformed to species-specific habitat guidelines of the Poconos Region of Pennsylvania. We also identified vegetation characteristics of natural shrub-wetlands associated with high warbler abundance. Our analyses suggest that timber harvests and natural shrubwetlands of the Poconos supported similar densities of Golden-winged Warblers. N-mixture models suggested that natural shrubwetlands with low canopy cover and high densities of 1-2 m tall woody stems hosted more Golden-winged Warblers. Wetland complexes comprising more edge and those with more emergent wetland types supported the highest warbler abundances. This suggests that the species requires edges when it occurs within shrub-wetlands, a pattern not observed within our timber harvests, which were designed to have adequate tree cover throughout. Findings from our study combined with those from concurrent research evaluating Goldenwinged Warbler reproductive success suggests that timber harvests following Golden-winged Warbler habitat guidelines have similar capacity as natural shrub-wetlands to support breeding populations. A future effort to quantify the potential of different wetland types to host breeding Golden-winged Warblers is warranted. Such information used in combination with timber harvest planning will provide insight for landscape-level conservation that considers maintaining appropriate amounts of nesting habitat to sustain Goldenwinged Warblers in this region.Utilisation d'un système de référence naturel pour évaluer la restauration de l'habitat d'un passereau RÉSUMÉ. La Paruline à ailes dorées (Vermivora chrysoptera) est un passereau en danger qui niche dans les communautés végétales de début de succession de l'est de l'Amérique du Nord. Les efforts de conservation sur les aires de nidification sont maintenant prioritaires parce qu'on pense que les baisses de population sont imputables, en partie, à la perte d'habitat de nidification. Même si cette espèce est connue pour fréquenter une variété de milieux se trouvant en terrains secs ou humides, la majorité des recherches antérieures sur l'espèce ont été menées sur des hautes terres. Si on connait bien les tendances de l'utilisation de l'habitat par cette paruline dans les milieux d'origine anthropique se trouvant en terrain sec,...

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“…For example, the Appalachian population has experienced the northward expansion of, and hybridization with, Blue-winged Warblers (Buehler et al 2007). Consequently, remaining Golden-winged Warbler population strongholds have been able to coexist in areas with Blue-winged Warblers through the segregation of species by habitat (Confer et al 1998(Confer et al , 2010, elevation (Buehler et al 2007), or percent forest cover in the landscape (Thogmartin 2010). In continued efforts to improve conservation of Golden-winged Warblers, our research sought to develop management recommendations for natural resource practitioners interested in creating breeding habitat for Golden-winged Warblers through forest harvesting methods in the central Appalachian Mountains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stand and within-stand factors influencing Golden-winged Warbler use of regenerating stands in the central Appalachian Mountains

Bakermans¹,

Smith²,

Jones³

et al. 2015

ACE

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ABSTRACT. The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) is currently being considered for protected status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The creation of breeding habitat in the Appalachian Mountains is considered a conservation priority for this songbird, which is dependent on extensively forested landscapes with adequate availability of young forest. We modeled abundance of Golden-winged Warbler males in regenerating harvested forest stands that were 0-17 years postharvest at both mid-Appalachian and northeast Pennsylvania regional scales using stand and within-stand characteristics of 222 regenerating stands, 2010-2011. Variables that were most influential at the mid-Appalachian scale were different than those in the northeast region. Across the mid-Appalachian ecoregion, the proportion of young forest cover, i.e., shrub/scrub cover, within 1 km of regenerating stands best explained abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. Golden-winged Warbler response was best explained by a concave quadratic relationship in which abundance was highest with 5-15% land in young forest cover. We also found evidence that the amount of herbaceous cover, i.e., the amount of grasses and forbs, within a regenerating stand positively influenced abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. In northeastern Pennsylvania, where young forest cover is found in high proportions, the distance to the nearest regenerating stand best explained variation in abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. Abundance of Golden-winged Warblers was <1 male per survey when another regenerating stand was >1500 m away. When modeling within-stand features in the northeast region, many of the models were closely ranked, indicating that multiple variables likely explained Golden-winged Warbler response to within-stand conditions. Based on our findings, we have proposed several management guidelines for land managers interested in creating breeding habitat for Golden-winged Warblers using commercial timber operations. For example, we recommend when managing for Golden-winged Warblers in the central Appalachian Mountains that managers should strive for 15% young forest in a heavily forested landscape (>70% forest cover) and cluster stands within 1-2 km of other young forest habitats.Caractéristiques de peuplements et intra-peuplements ayant une influence sur l'utilisation de peuplements en régénération par la Paruline à ailes dorées dans le secteur centre des Appalaches RÉSUMÉ. La Paruline à ailes dorées (Vermivora chrysoptera) est présentement sur la liste des espèces candidates pour l'obtention d'un statut de protection en vertu de la Endangered Species Act (loi sur les espèces en péril) aux États-Unis. La création de milieux de nidification dans les Appalaches est vue comme une priorité de conservation pour ce passereau, qui dépend de vastes paysages boisés pourvus de jeunes forêts adéquates. Nous avons modélisé l'abondance de Parulines à ailes dorées mâles dans des peuplements forestiers en régénération après récolte, âgés de 0 à 17 ans, à l'échelle régionale des...

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Golden- and Blue-winged Warblers: Distribution, Nesting Success, and Genetic Differences in Two Habitats

Cited by 24 publications

References 7 publications

Fire created habitat partitioning and isolation between hybridizing warblers

Fire created habitat partitioning and isolation between hybridizing warblers

Using a natural reference system to evaluate songbird habitat restoration

Stand and within-stand factors influencing Golden-winged Warbler use of regenerating stands in the central Appalachian Mountains

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