Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii)

Brown, Raymond E.; Dickson, J. G.

doi:10.2173/tbna.126.p

Cited by 5 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…Th e Swainson's warbler is distributed locally across the Southeast (Brown and Dickson 1994). Once believed to be restricted to canebrakes in bottomland hardwood and swamp forests of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, it now has been documented breeding at low densities in regenerating clearcuts in Texas and rhododendron-mountain laurel thickets in the southern Appalachians (Graves 2002).…”

Section: Natural Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiscale habitat suitability index models for priority landbirds in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions

Tirpak¹,

Jones-Farrand²,

Thompson³

et al. 2009

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Ecoregional conservation planning for priority landbirds requires methods that explicitly link populations to habitat conditions at multiple scales. We developed Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) models to assess habitat quality for 40 priority bird species in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions. The models incorporated both site and landscape environmental variables derived from one of six nationally consistent datasets: ecological subsections from the National Ecological Unit Hierarchy, National Land Cover Dataset, National Elevation Dataset, National Hydrography Dataset, State Soil Geographic Database, and Forest Inventory and Analysis data. We initially defi ned potential habitat for each species from unique landform, landcover, and successional age class combinations. Species-specifi c environmental variables identifi ed from the literature were used to refi ne initial habitat estimates. We verifi ed models by comparing subsection-level HSI scores and Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) abundance via Spearman rank correlation. To validate models, we developed generalized linear models that predicted BBS abundance as a function of HSI score and Bird Conservation Region. We considered models that included a signifi cant (P ≤ 0.100) positive coefficient on the BBS predictor to be valid and useful for conservation planning.

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Section: Natural Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiscale habitat suitability index models for priority landbirds in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions

Tirpak¹,

Jones-Farrand²,

Thompson³

et al. 2009

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“…Rather, a range of understory stem densities provides the requisite patches of dense cover associated with nest sites (Brewster 1885b, Wayne 1886, Meanley 1945, 1966, 1970, 1971Graves 1992, and unpubl. data;Brown andDickson 1994, Thomas et al 1996), as well as the sparsely vegetated but heavily shaded glades in which the warblers preferentially forage (Graves 1998). Data from Great Dismal Swamp strengthens the conclusion that giant cane, although often a correlate of habitat occupancy, is not an essential component of optimal habitat.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii) is an uncommon and locally distributed migratory passerine that breeds in the southeastern United States and winters in the Caribbean Basin (Meanley 1971, Brown and Dickson 1994, Price et al 1995, Graves 1996. Recent surveys indicate that most (Ͼ90%) breeding populations occur in deciduous floodplain forest in the lower Mississippi Valley and on the coastal plain from eastern Texas to southeastern Virginia (G. Graves unpubl.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…data). Within the past 30 years, several populations have disappeared along the northern periphery of the warbler's historic breeding range in Delaware, Maryland, Missouri, and Illinois (Robbins andEasterla 1992, Brown andDickson 1994). Some authorities suspect that it may be susceptible to range-wide population declines because of habitat destruction and a small wintering range in the Caribbean Basin (Terborgh 1989, Rappole 1995.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The surprising discovery of several populations of Swainson's Warbler in thickets of rhododendron and mountain laurel in the Appalachian Mountains (Brooks and Legg 1942) considerably expanded the range of habitats in which the species was known to breed. Probable breeding populations have now been documented in a perplexing variety of habitats that lack canebrakes: for example, (1) fragments of old growth bottomland forest, (2) early seral stages (10-30 years) of deciduous bottomland forest, (3) young pine plantations with a significant deciduous component, (4) live oak thickets and old growth live oak forests in coastal Texas, (5) second growth bottomland forest with scrub palmetto undergrowth, (6) Rhododendron and Kalmia thickets in the Appalachian Mountains, and (7) hardwood cove forests in the Appalachians (Brooks and Legg 1942, Sims and DeGarmo 1948, Meanley 1966, 1971, Brown and Dickson 1994G. Graves unpubl.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Factors Governing the Distribution of Swainson's Warbler Along a Hydrological Gradient in Great Dismal Swamp

Graves

2001

The Auk

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Due to extensive clearing of bottomland forest in the southeastern United States, Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii) is restricted in many drainages to seasonally inundated buffer zones bordering rivers and swamps. This migratory species is especially vulnerable to flooding because of its ground foraging ecology, but little is known about patterns of habitat occupancy at wetland ecotones. I investigated the physiognomic and floristic correlates of habitat use along a subtle hydrological gradient in the Great Dismal Swamp, southeastern Virginia. Hydrology is the driving force influencing vegetation and the distribution of Swainson's Warbler in that habitat. Foraging and singing stations of territorial males were significantly drier and more floristically diverse than unoccupied habitat. There was scant evidence that the distribution and abundance of particular plant species, including giant cane (Arundinaria gigantea), influenced habitat selection. Instead, Swainson's Warbler seems to evaluate potential territories on the basis of multiscale physiognomic, hydrological, and edaphic characteristics. Territories were characterized by extensive understory thickets (median = 36,220 small woody stems and cane culms per hectare; range, 14,000–81,400/ha), frequent greenbriar tangles, deep shade at ground level, and an abundance of leaf litter overlying moist organic soils. Those sites occurred most frequently in relatively well-drained tracts of broad-leaf forest that had suffered extensive canopy damage and windthrow. Data suggest a preference for early successional forest in the current landscape or disturbance gaps in primeval forest. Because territories in otherwise optimal habitat are abandoned when flooding extends into the breeding season, it is recommended that the water table be maintained at subsurface levels from late March through September in natural areas managed primarily for this species. Direct and indirect environmental factors that influence the breeding biology of the warbler are summarized in an envirogram.

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Habitat Characteristics in the Core Breeding Range of the Swainson's Warbler

Graves

2002

The Wilson Bulletin

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HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS IN THE CORE BREEDING RANGE OE THE SWAINSON'S WARBLER GARY R. GRAVES* 2ABSTRACT. -I investigated the physiognomic and floristic characteristics of Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii) territories at five localities within its core breeding range in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida. The warbler attained its greatest abundance (10-20 territorial males/km^) in floodplain forest characterized by small (<25 cm dbh) trees (ca 620-820 stems/ha) and understory thickets of saplings, vines, and shrubs (ca 35,000-48,000 small woody stems/ha). Territories in mature forest typically were associated with disturbance gaps. Canopy height, basal area, and floristics appear to be relatively unimportant factors in habitat selection, provided that understory requirements are met, which explains the warbler's occurrence in regenerating clearcuts as well as in relic tracts of old growth forest. Giant cane (Arundinaria gigantea), hypothesized to be an essential habitat requisite along the northern periphery of its breeding range, was sparse or absent in the prime breeding locations surveyed in this study. Selective thinning and clearcutting are viable habitat management techniques for the Swainson's Warbler.

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Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii)

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Multiscale habitat suitability index models for priority landbirds in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions

Multiscale habitat suitability index models for priority landbirds in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions

Factors Governing the Distribution of Swainson's Warbler Along a Hydrological Gradient in Great Dismal Swamp

Habitat Characteristics in the Core Breeding Range of the Swainson's Warbler

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