Identification of Sprague's Pipit Nest Predators

Davis, Stephen K.; Jones, Stephanie; Dohms, Kimberly M.; Holmes, Teslin G.

doi:10.1525/california/9780520273139.003.0014

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Our finding that the period of highest predation activity occurred during the diurnal period of the diel cycle is consistent with the finding of Davis et al (2012) for Sprague's Pipit (Anthus spragueii). Our findings of highest predation activity during the diurnal period and lower predation activity in the hours after sunrise are qualitatively similar to the findings of Gill et al (2016) for forest birds, despite differences in patterns of nest predation and predator community composition between the forest and grassland systems.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Diel patterns of predation and fledging at nests of four species of grassland songbirds

Ribic

Rugg

Ellison³

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Although it is common for nestlings to exhibit a strong bias for fledging in the morning, the mechanisms underlying this behavior are not well understood. Avoiding predation risk has been proposed as a likely mechanism by a number of researchers. We used video surveillance records from studies of grassland birds nesting in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to determine the diel pattern of nest predation and fledging patterns of four ground‐nesting obligate grassland passerines (Grasshopper Sparrow ( Ammodramus savannarum ), Savannah Sparrow ( Passerculus sandwichensis ), Bobolink ( Dolichonyx oryzivorus ), and Eastern Meadowlark ( Sturnella magna )). We used the nest predation pattern as a surrogate for predation activity to test whether nestlings minimized predation risk by avoiding fledging when predation activity was high and preferentially fledging when predation risk was low. Predation activity was significantly lower starting 3 hr before sunrise and ending 3 hr after sunrise, followed by a transition to a period of significantly higher activity lasting for 4 hr, before declining to an average activity level for the rest of the diel period. There was little evidence that the four grassland bird species avoided fledging during the high‐risk period and Savannah Sparrow fledged at higher rates during that period. All four species had hours during the low‐risk period where they fledged at higher rates, but only Grasshopper Sparrow fledged preferentially during that period. Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark had multiple hours with high fledging rates throughout the daytime period, resulting in no relationship between probability of fledging and predation risk. Given the species variability in fledging pattern seen in our study, it is unlikely that there is a universal response to any driver that affects time of fledging. Further study is needed to understand the complex interplay between species ecology and drivers such as physiology, energetics, and predation in affecting grassland bird fledging behavior.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Diel patterns of predation and fledging at nests of four species of grassland songbirds

Ribic

Rugg

Ellison³

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Predation is the primary factor affecting reproductive success in grasslands for waterfowl (Greenwood et al 1995, West andMessmer 2004) and songbirds (Winter 1999, Davis 2003 and is an influential driver of habitat selection in birds (Martin 1993(Martin , 1998. However, predators on waterfowl such as striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) are likely influenced by landscape composition at larger spatial scales (Phillips et al 2003) than the small mammalian predators of ground-nesting passerines (Pietz and Granfors 2000, Renfrew and Ribic 2008, Davis et al 2012). The precise scale at which landscape composition is most influential on passerine abundance is difficult to determine from our data because landscape composition at the 400-m scale was strongly correlated with that at the 800-m scale and landscape composition between 400-m and 1,600-m scales are also highly correlated in our region (Davis et al 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Songbird abundance in native and planted grassland varies with type and amount of grassland in the surrounding landscape

et al. 2013

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Agriculture and wildlife conservation programs have converted vast amounts of cropland into grasslands planted with exotic species. Understanding how landscape context influences avian use of native and planted grasslands is essential for developing effective conservation strategies in agricultural landscapes. Our primary objective was to determine the extent to which the amount and type of grassland in the surrounding landscape influences the abundance of grassland songbird species on native and planted grassland parcels in southern Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada. Bird abundance was more strongly influenced by the amount and type of grassland within 400 m of breeding parcels than at larger spatial scales. Grassland specialists responded similarly to habitat and landscape type over both years and provinces. Sprague's pipit (Anthus spragueii) and Baird's sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) were most common in native grassland parcels surrounded by native grassland and were more likely to occur in planted grasslands surrounded by native grassland. Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) were most common in planted grassland parcels, but their abundance increased with the amount of native grassland surrounding these parcels. Our findings indicate that the suitability of planted grasslands for these species is influenced by their proximity to native grassland. Grassland generalists showed mixed responses to habitat and landscape type over the 2 years (Le Conte's sparrow [Ammodramus leconteii]) and between provinces (Savannah sparrow [Passerculus sandwichensis] and western meadowlark [Sturnella neglecta]). Management to benefit grassland specialists should therefore consider the landscape context when seeding cultivated land to non‐native grassland and conserve extant native grassland. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.

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“…Avian species observed in the study area that are known to depredate nests include Northern harrier (Circus cyaneus; Davis et al 2012), Buteo species (Grant et al 2006), short-eared owl (Asio flammeus; Holt 1993), and Western meadowlark (Schaeff and Picman 1988).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%