The Wilson Journal of Ornithology back issues from June 2009:
Distribution, plumage, and conservation status of the endemic Esmeraldas Woodstar (Chaetocercus berlepschi) of Western Ecuador.
Jun 01, 2009; ... Chaetocercus (Trochilidae) is presently considered to comprise six species (C. mulsant, White-bellied Woodstar; C. bombus, Little Woodstar; C. heliodor, Gorgeted Woodstar; C. astreans, Santa Marta Woodstar; C. berlepschi, Esmeraldas Woodstar; and C. jourdanii, Rufous-shafted Woodstar) ...
Vocalizations, distribution, and ecology of the cloud-forest screech owl (Megascops marshalli).(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... The Cloud-forest Screech Owl (Megascops marshalli) is one of the most poorly known owls in South America and worldwide. It is currently listed as Near Threatened under IUCN Red List criteria (BirdLife International 2008) and considered to be endemic to Peru. It occurs in mossy cloud ...
Geographic variation in plumage pattern and coloration of Savannah Sparrows.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) are among the most widespread and geographically variable New World songbirds. They breed from the Aleutian Islands east across Alaska and mainland Canada and the United States, north to the Arctic Ocean and Hudson Bay, and south to ...
Stability in distributions of black-capped, Carolina, and aberrant chickadee song types in Illinois.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Hybrid zones develop where related, largely parapatric taxa overlap and interbreed, resulting in a population that is at least partially comprised of hybrids (Futuyma 1986). Morphological, genetic, and behavioral traits may be affected by interactions occurring in hybrid zones (Robbins et ...
Vocalization attributes of cerulean warbler song and pairing status.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Song rate has been interpreted as a signal of a male's pairing status in wood-warblers. Unpaired males had higher song rates than those of paired male Adelaide's Warblers (Dendroica adelaidae) (Staicer 1996b), Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla), and Kentucky Warblers (Oporornis formosus) ...
Song rates, mating status, and territory size of Cerulean Warblers in Missouri Ozark Riparian Forest.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Much debate still centers on methods for obtaining reliable density estimates of passerines (Ralph et al. 1995, Jones et al. 2000, Farnsworth et al. 2002, Buckland 2006, Thogmartin et al. 2006, Diefenbach et al. 2007). Integral to all methods is an estimate of detection probability that ...
Spring passage and arrival patterns of American Redstarts in Michigan's eastern Upper Peninsula.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Migratory timing is a consequence of endogenous and exogenous factors (Berthold 1996). For example, genetic control mechanisms influence factors including onset of migratory restlessness, temporal pattern of migratory activity, migratory direction, and annual patterns of body mass cycles ...
An intergeneric wood-warbler hybrid (Mniotilta varia x dendroica coronata) and use of multilocus dna analyses to diagnose avian hybrid origins.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Nearly 10% of all non-marine avian species occasionally or regularly hybridize (Grant and Grant 1992, Allendorf et al. 2001, McCarthy 2006). It is often possible to use Mendelian genetics to identify the inheritance of plumage characters and to classify individuals as either first, second, ...
Habitat fragmentation and paternity in least flycatchers.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... The complexity of the environment can influence extra-pair paternity (EPP) rates (Westneat and Sherman 1997) as it can alter success of which females foray off territory and the ability of males to successfully guard their mates (Mays and Ritchison 2004). Landscape fragmentation can also ...
Preventing bird-window collisions.
Jun 01, 2009; ... Avian mortality resulting from collisions with clear and reflective sheet glass and plastic is estimated to be in the billions worldwide (Klem 1990, 2006). Collisions are predicted and expected wherever birds and windows coexist (Klem 1989, 1990, 2006). Birds behave as if windows are ...
Nesting ecology and reproductive success of Lesser Prairie-Chickens in shinnery oak-dominated rangelands.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Lesser Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) occupy mid-grass rangelands characterized by shinnery oak (Quercus havardii), sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia), and mixed-grass communities in five states within the southern Great Plains. This species has experienced significant ...
Behavior and reproductive success of Rock Sandpipers breeding on the Yukon-Kuskokwim River Delta, Alaska.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... The Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis) is one of the most polytypic shorebird species in the family Scolopacidae (Charadriiformes) and has one of the most northerly non-breeding distributions of all shorebirds. It is the only breeding species endemic to Beringia with recognized ...
Status of White-winged Dove nesting colonies in Tamaulipas, Mexico.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... The eastern White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica asiatica) is a migratory species that historically nested in large, rural colonies during May to August in southern Texas and northeastern Mexico (Cottam and Trefethen 1968). Colonies generally were in continuous nesting habitat varying in ...
Habitat use by sedge wrens in southern Quebec.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... The Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) is a rare breeding bird in eastern Canada and adjacent United States, occurring in small, scattered populations and inhabiting wet meadows and grass-dominated wetlands (Herkert et al. 2001). It is currently listed as Endangered by the States of Maine, ...
Influence of prescribed fire on winter abundance of Bachman's Sparrow.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Winter habitat preferences of Bachman's Sparrows (Aimophila aestivalis) are vague because individuals are difficult to observe outside the breeding season (Dunning 2006). Use of conspecific recordings increases detections of Bachman's Sparrows during winter (Cox and Jones 2004), and ...
Effects of supplemental food and experience on winter survival of transplanted Wild Turkeys.
Jun 01, 2009; ... Historically, the northern range of Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) fluctuated with winter severity (Leopold 1931, Schorger 1942, Mosby 1959). The ancestral range has been extended in Minnesota by transplanting wild-trapped turkeys in response to stakeholder interests for greater ...
Diets of barn owls differ in the same agricultural region.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... The diet of Barn Owls (Tyto alba) is well known throughout the world because of their cosmopolitan distribution and ease of pellet analysis (Taylor 1994), a method that accurately represents what they consume (Raczynski and Ruprecht 1974). Long-term changes in the diet of Barn Owls are ...
Feeding ecology of Military Macaws (Ara militaris) in a semi-arid region of central Mexico.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Military Macaws (Ara militaris) occur in Mexico and northern South America (Forshaw 1989). In Mexico, the species is currently restricted to a few isolated populations in semi-deciduous and deciduous forests (Forshaw 1989, Carreon 1997, Collar 1997, Loza 1997), making occasional seasonal ...
Function of the Common Loon foot waggle.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Common Loons (Gavia immer), diving ducks (Oxyura, Aythya), grebes (Aechmophorus, Podiceps), and mergansers (Mergus, Lophodytes) all foot waggle (McKinney 1965). A foot waggle consists of raising one foot in the air and either holding it there for a brief time, or shaking it, often several ...
Influence of tidal height on detection of breeding marsh birds along the northern Gulf of Mexico.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Difficulty in effectively monitoring marsh bird populations relates partly to the secretive nature of most target species, and that both audio and visual detections can be influenced by habitat and ambient conditions (Conway and Droege 2006). Direct evidence is lacking, but tidal period ...
American Robin seet calls: aerial alarm or a contact call?(Short Communications)(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Birds use a variety of calls to communicate and can readily comprehend and discriminate between calls in their repertoire. However, it often takes years for scientists to fully understand the context and meaning of many calls. The study of avian communication has evolved from largely ...
Habitat selection of least flycatchers includes deciduous regeneration in pine plantations.(SHORT COMMUNICATIONS)(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Studies of clustered nest patterns in birds have focused on both ecological and social factors that might promote this apparent sociality (Ward and Schlossberg 2004, Tarof et al. 2005, Ahlering et al. 2006). Conspecific attraction is a social behavior that may influence settlement patterns ...
Nocturnal predation of females on nests: an important source of mortality for golden-cheeked warblers?(SHORT COMMUNICATIONS)(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Survival of migrant songbirds is generally thought to be high during the breeding season (Sillett and Holmes 2002): however, there is little direct evidence of the frequency or sources of adult mortality during this period. Documenting any predation event on the nest is difficult ...
Depredation of black-throated Blue Warbler nestlings by an introduced slug (arionidae).(SHORT COMMUNICATIONS)(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Black-throated Blue Warblers (Dendroica caerulescens) are shrub-nesting Nearctic-neotropical migrant passerines. These warblers are subject to nest predation by a wide variety of mammals and birds, including red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus), Blue ...
Nest sharing between an American Robin and a Northern Cardinal.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Both intra- and interspecific interactions among birds can have significant influences on nesting success. For example, brood sharing, brood parasitism, nest usurpation, and interspecific feeding have been documented among passerines (Payne 1977). Nest usurpation is often restricted to ...
Misdirected parental care by a male Eastern Towhee at a Wood Thrush nest.(SHORT COMMUNICATIONS)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Misdirected parental care is intra- or interspecific care directed toward the young of an unrelated bird (Shy 1982, Price et al. 1983). Misdirected parental care differs from interspecific feeding, which also may include an adult of one species feeding an adult of another species ...
Brood rearing ecology of King Eiders on the North Slope of Alaska.(SHORT COMMUNICATIONS)(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Declines in the North American population of King Eiders (Somateria spectabilis) have increased interest in the status and ecology of this species (Dickson et al. 1997, Gratto-Trevor et al. 1998, Suydam et al. 2000). King Eiders are circumpolar breeders that nest primarily along the ...
Diet composition of wintering Wilson's Snipe.(SHORT COMMUNICATIONS)(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Studies of Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) suggest that animal foods are a significant portion of their winter diet (Erickson 1941, Whitehead 1965, White and Harris 1966, Owens 1967, Booth 1968, Jirovec 1971, Tuck 1972). Most studies suggest aquatic insects and mollusks are the primary ...
An overlooked cost for the velvety plumage of owls: entanglement in adhesive vegetation.(SHORT COMMUNICATIONS)(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Owls have evolved adaptations to hunt in poor light conditions, including frontally located and disproportionately large eyes or, in some species, an asymmetrical placement of the ear openings for improved hearing (del Hoyo et al. 1999). Owls also have feathers with traits which have been ...
Aggressive response of adult Bobolinks to neck ligatures on nestlings.(Report)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Quantitative assessments of avian diets may be critical for evaluating habitat quality. However, methods used to quantify avian diets have associated biases and/or shortcomings as most studies require techniques tailored to specific studies and hypotheses (Rosenberg and Cooper 1990). Neck ...
On the Wings of Cranes: Larry Walkinshaw's Life Story.(Book review)
Jun 01, 2009; ... ON THE WINGS OF CRANES: LARRY WALKINSHAW'S LIFE STORY. By Lowell M. Schake. James R. Walkinshaw, Editor. Universe Inc., New York and Bloomington, Indiana, USA. 2008:339 pages and 24 photographs. ISBN: 978-0-595-48497-3. $24.95 (paper).--Lawrence Harvey Walkinshaw, 28th president of the ...
Contributions to the History Of Australasian Ornithology.(Book review)
Jun 01, 2009; ... CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALASIAN ORNITHOLOGY. Edited by William E. Davis Jr., Harry E Recher, Walter E. Boles, and Jerome A. Jackson. Nuttall Ornithological Club, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. 2008: vii + 481 pages. ISBN: 1-877973-43-2. $50.00 (hardbound only).--This volume on ...
How and Why Species Multiply: The Radiation of Darwin's Finches.(Book review)
Jun 01, 2009; ... HOW AND WHY SPECIES MULTIPLY: THE RADIATION OF DARWIN'S FINCHES. By Peter R. Grant and B. R. Grant. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. 2008: xix and 218 pages, 31 color plates, 58 figures, 3 tables, 442 references. ISBN 978-0-691-13360-7. $35.00 (hard cover).--The ...
Tawny Frogmouth.(Book review)
Jun 01, 2009; ... TAWNY FROGMOUTH. By Gisela Kaplan. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia. 2007: 155 pages, 68 figures, illustrations, and photographs. ISBN: 978-064309-239-6. A$35.95 (paper). BOWER-BIRDS. By Peter Rowland. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia. 2007: 136 pages, ...
Integration of Ecology and Endocrinology in Avian Reproduction: A New Synthesis.(Book review)
Jun 01, 2009; ... INTEGRATION OF ECOLOGY AND ENDOCRINOLOGY IN AVIAN REPRODUCTION: A NEW SYNTHESIS. By John C. Wingfield, Marcel E. Visser, and Tony D. Williams, Editors. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B 363: 1579-1723. ISBN 0-962-8436.--This theme issue brings together a ...
Flyaway: How a Wild Bird Rehabber Sought Adventure and Found Her Wings.(Book review)
Jun 01, 2009; ... FLYAWAY: HOW A WILD BIRD REHABBER SOUGHT ADVENTURE AND FOUND HER WINGS. By Suzie Gilbert. Illustrated by Laura Westlake. HarperCollins Publisher, New York, USA. 2009:352 pages and 20 illustrations. ISBN: 978-0-06-156312-6. $25.95 (paper).--Neither Suzie Gilbert or her family had any ...