Spatial and social behaviour of Nearctic warblers wintering in Venezuelan mangroves

Abstract

The winter ecology of the Northern Waterthrush (Seiurus noveboracensis), the Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea), and the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) was studied in tropical mangroves of northeastern Venezuela. The birds' spatial and social behaviours were assessed through intensive mist-netting and observation sessions over two complete annual cycles. In all three species, transients corresponded to half of the migrant populations. Although many birds were observed more than once within a range of 50 m, most of them also moved considerably. Home ranges of individuals overlapped greatly in both Northern Waterthrushes and Prothonotary Warblers. Birds stayed in the mangroves for an average 2-month period, irrespective of their date of arrival, whereas new individuals were observed during most of the wintering period. Winter site fidelity characterized both transient and site-attached individuals. Although many birds showed some kind of site attachment, none of the three species can be considered territorial in the mangroves.

What Is a Winter Floater? Causes, Consequences, and Implications for Habitat Selection

“…Several studies have assigned floater (or wanderer) status to birds captured only once during the winter following repeated recapture or resight attempts at the same location (Lefebvre et al 1994, Wunderle 1995, Latta and Faaborg 2001. For Hermit Thrushes and Ovenbirds, mark-recapture estimates of floater frequency were 2-4 times higher than telemetry-based estimates (Table 2).…”

Dietary Relationships of Migrant and Resident Birds from a Humid Forest in Central Panama

“…Although food selection by a species is a major aspect of its ecological niche within the bird community, few studies (Morton 1980, Lefebvre et al 1992a) have investigated the diet of migrants per se. Information on migrants' diet is mostly limited to observation of birds at flowers (DesGranges and Grant 1980), fruiting trees (Leck 1972, Hilty 1980, Greenberg 1981, Scott and Martin 1984, or army-ant swarms (Willis 1966(Willis , 1980.…”

Habitat‐dependent occupancy and movement in a migrant songbird highlights the importance of mangroves and forested lagoons in Panama and Colombia

“…For example, differences in age/sex ratios between habitats can be the result of despotic distributions of highly territorial species (Fretwell & Lucas, 1970), and not likely relevant for nonterritorial species. Within-season movements are likely more common than previously recognized; studies in Panama (Lefebvre, Poulin, & McNeil, 1992), Belize (Gómez & Bayly, 2010), and at multiple sites from Venezuela to Mexico (Ruiz-Gutierrez, Kendall, Saraco, & White, 2016) suggest some species move between habitats/ regions as the tropical dry season progresses. Density can be a cue for resource availability (Stamps, 1991) and nonterritorial birds are more likely to move out of (i.e., not persist in) habitats that decline in quality over time compared to species that have invested time in establishing a territory.…”

“…Our goal was to assess whether demography and site persistence varied as a function of habitat in this nonterritorial species (Lefebvre, Poulin, & McNeil, 1994;Morton, 1980;Warkentin & Hernandez, 1996). Our goal was to assess whether demography and site persistence varied as a function of habitat in this nonterritorial species (Lefebvre, Poulin, & McNeil, 1994;Morton, 1980;Warkentin & Hernandez, 1996).…”