Postfledging survival of eastern bluebirds in an urbanized landscape

Abstract

Golf courses ostensibly offer green space in urbanized areas, but it is unclear how suitable these human‐modified habitats are for wildlife populations. Golf courses are home to a variety of wildlife, but in particular they have been the focus of research on avian responses to urbanization. Although numerous reproductive and diversity studies have been conducted on birds of golf courses, no research exists on postfledging survival in this created landscape. In 2008 and 2009, we estimated survival of eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) fledglings using radio telemetry on golf course and other developed sites in Williamsburg, Virginia. We used nest survival models in Program MARK set in an information theoretic framework to assess whether the golf course habitat predicted mortality along with other previously studied variables, such as fledgling age, year, site, body condition, fledging date, and transmitter weight. We found no evidence that inhabiting a golf course increased mortality during the fledgling period, but we did find support for both fledgling age and fledging date as predictors of survival. Mortality decreased for older fledglings and those that fledged later in the season. Cause‐specific postfledging survival rates did not differ among sites. Fledgling bluebirds did, however, move into habitat that was significantly more forested and less grassy than their natal habitat. For managers of wildlife on golf courses and other urbanized sites, our study is the first to show that placing nest boxes in manicured habitat may attract birds to areas without suitable habitat for fledglings. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Individual condition, but not fledging phenology, carries over to affect post‐fledging survival in a Neotropical migratory songbird

“…Alternatively, juveniles in poorer condition may be more prone to disease (Saino et al 1997) and this in turn can impact post-fledging survival (L opez-Rull et al 2011). Body condition has been shown to be an important predictor of post-fledging survival in other species (Vitz & Rodewald 2011, Dybala et al 2013, Jones et al 2017, although not all (Anders et al 1997, Berkeley et al 2007, Jackson et al 2011. This suggests that the importance of body condition might depend on species-specific postfledging ecology.…”

Reproductive Success of Eastern Bluebirds (Siala sialis) on Suburban Golf Courses

“…For example, both postfledging survival and frequency of multiple brooding by females influence recruitment into the breeding population. Jackson et al (2011) estimated survival of fledgling bluebirds using radiotelemetry on some of the same golf courses and reference sites studied here. They found no evidence that inhabiting a golf course increased mortality during the fledgling period, although golf course fledglings often quickly dispersed into habitat that was significantly more forested and less grassy.…”

Radiotagged fledgling Savannah Sparrows Passerculus sandwichensis at risk of entanglement in vegetation

“…Jackson et al . () described making a breakaway harness by adding 2 mm of cotton locker hooking twine to the harness loops, although they did not report whether it was effective. Most (five of seven) cases of entanglement in our study were due to the antenna entangling in the grass, and therefore trimming the antenna in half (6–7 cm) should reduce the risk of entanglement (Dougill et al .…”

“…One solution to plant entanglement described in the literature is to add a weak link in the harness material that will break when the tag becomes entangled (Karl & Clout 1987, Barron et al 2010. Jackson et al (2011) described making a breakaway harness by adding 2 mm of cotton locker hooking twine to the harness loops, although they did not report whether it was effective. Most (five of seven) cases of entanglement in our study were due to the antenna entangling in the grass, and therefore trimming the antenna in half (6-7 cm) should reduce the risk of entanglement (Dougill et al 2000, Streby et al 2015.…”