Nest-site selection, nocturnal nest desertion, and productivity in a common tern (<i>sterna hirundo</i>) colony at Detroit River, Michigan

<p>Common terns are declining in the Great Lakes region and represent a population relatively distinct from that of eastern North America. On an artificial site, I studied the substrate and vegetation preference and productivity of nesting terns at two scales: general habitat and nest-site. Terns nested later and less successfully in large river rock (13 to 25-cm diameter) compared to more diverse substrate and limestone (2.5-5.0 cm) when it was free of dead vegetation. Within a habitat, terns chose to nest where substrate was most diverse in rock size, soil, and non-vegetative debris. Percent standing cover did not affect hatching success, but did have a positive effect on fledging success. I monitored predation and nocturnal desertion and determined the behavior was variable between pairs and the detection of a black-crowned night heron (<i>Nycticorax nycticorax</i>) predating chicks at night did not lengthen the nocturnal nest desertion time of common terns.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• Norwood, Gregory J.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Peter Bednekoff, PhD, Chair
• Steve Francoeur, PhD
• Mike Kielb, M.Sc.

• nest-site selection
• nocturnal nest desertation
• Sterna
• Detroit River
• colonial waterbirds
• Biology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/346

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-1346