Survival and habitat use of the Kirtland’s Warbler in the breeding and post-breeding periods

The post-breeding period is an important yet understudied phase of the annual cycle for migratory birds. Emerging evidence suggests that survival and habitat use may be unequal between the breeding and post-breeding periods. The breeding period historically has received disproportionate attention, perhaps resulting in misleading conclusions about the ecology of the post-breeding period. Similarly, juvenile birds are often studied for only a few weeks after fledging, and rarely tracked through their independence period until migratory departure. I leverage both hand-held and automated telemetry, taking advantage of the restricted breeding range of Kirtland’s Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii) a habitat specialist, to contrast the ecology in two periods of this migratory bird’s annual cycle. Estimates for adult survival were lower at the beginning of the study, with weekly survival increasing throughout, and not significantly different between the breeding and post-breeding periods. Juvenile survival was initially low but increased substantially by six weeks. We found that for both adults and juveniles habitat use differed in the post-breeding period in respect to habitat selected for nesting. Not all adults moved after breeding, but on average, those that did relocated to stands were 8.6 years older than the stand they bred in. Nearly all juveniles were observed to move from their natal areas before migration, and though typically moving more frequently, were also more likely to be resighted in older stands. For all juveniles and many adults, the individual’s post-breeding period was longer than the breeding period. Our findings support the importance of studying the ecology of birds during the post-breeding period. For migratory species that exhibit complex life-history strategies over multiple spatial scales, understanding the dynamics of habitat use and survival is critical for effective conservation, and especially for imperiled species and those with declining or obligate habitats.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Natural Res & Env Sciences

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Haradon, Haley Austin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ward, Michael P

• Post-breeding Period
• Avian Ecology
• Survival
• Kirtland's Warbler
• Breeding Period
• Telemetry
• Bird
• Survivorship
• Conservation
• Annual Cycle

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2024 Haley Haradon

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125650

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F125650