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At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
USGS2014

Abdominally implanted satellite transmitters affect reproduction and survival rather than migration of large shorebirds

Satellite telemetry has become a common technique to investigate avian life-histories, but whether such tagging will affect fitness is a critical unknown. In this study, we evaluate multi-year effects of implanted transmitters on migratory timing and reproductive performance in shorebirds. Shorebirds increasingly are recognized as good models in ecology and evolution. That many of them are of conservation concern adds to the research responsibilities. In May 2009, we captured 56 female Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa limosa during late incubation in The Netherlands. Of these, 15 birds were equipped with 26-g satellite transmitters with a percutaneous antenna (7.8 % ± 0.2 SD of body mass), surgically implanted in the coelom. We compared immediate nest survival, timing of migration, subsequent nest site fidelity and reproductive behaviour including egg laying with those of the remaining birds, a comparison group of 41 females. We found no effects on immediate nest survival. Fledging success and subsequent southward and northward migration patterns of the implanted birds conformed to the expectations, and arrival time on the breeding grounds in 2010–2012 did not differ from the comparison group. Compared with the comparison group, in the year after implantation, implanted birds were equally faithful to the nest site and showed equal territorial behaviour, but a paucity of behaviours indicating nests or clutches. In the 3 years after implantation, the yearly apparent survival of implanted birds was 16 % points lower. Despite intense searching, we found only three eggs of two implanted birds; all were deformed. A similarly deformed egg was reported in a similarly implanted Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus returning to breed in central Alaska. The presence in the body cavity of an object slightly smaller than a normal egg may thus lead to egg malformation and, likely, reduced egg viability. That the use of implanted satellite transmitters in these large shorebirds reduced nesting propensity and might also lead to fertility losses argues against the use of implanted transmitters for studies on breeding biology, and for a careful evaluation of the methodology in studies of migration.

Friesl↗
USGS2015

Is income breeding an appropriate construct for waterfowl?

Breeding birds use a range of nutrient accumulation and allocation strategies to meet the nutritional demands of clutch formation and incubation. On one end of the spectrum, capital breeders use stored nutrients acquired prior to clutch formation and incubation to sustain metabolism during reproduction, while on the opposite end, income breeders derive nutrients solely from exogenous sources on the breeding grounds. Blue-winged Teal ( Anas discors ) are an ideal candidate to test for adoption of an income strategy among migratory waterfowl because of their small body size, temperate breeding range, and timing of reproduction relative to pulses in nutrient availability within breeding habitats. We collected migrating and pre-breeding Blue-winged Teal ( n = 110) during the warmest spring in over a century in the southern edge of the species’ breeding range, which produced ideal conditions to test for adoption of an income breeding strategy among migratory waterfowl. Regression analyses revealed that females accumulated protein and fat reserves early in follicle development and appeared to mobilize at least some reserves coincident with the onset of clutch formation. Accumulation and subsequent mobilization of nutrient reserves was inconsistent with adherence to an income breeding strategy and suggested breeding Blue-winged Teal used capital (albeit locally acquired) for reproduction. Our results add to existing knowledge on the ubiquity of endogenous nutrient reserve accumulation prior to and during reproduction by waterfowl, perhaps suggesting endogenous nutrient reserves are universally used for clutch formation or incubation to some degree. If indeed Blue-winged Teal and other waterfowl universally use capital for breeding, research and conservation efforts should shift from evaluating whether an income breeding strategy is used and focus on when and where necessary capital is acquired prior to clutch formation.

Journal of Ornithology↗
USGS2015

Nest predation research: Recent findings and future perspectives

Nest predation is a key source of selection for birds that has attracted increasing attention from ornithologists. The inclusion of new concepts applicable to nest predation that stem from social information, eavesdropping or physiology has expanded our knowledge considerably. Recent methodological advancements now allow focus on all three players within nest predation interactions: adults, offspring and predators. Indeed, the study of nest predation now forms a vital part of avian research in several fields, including animal behaviour, population ecology, evolution and conservation biology. However, within nest predation research there are important aspects that require further development, such as the comparison between ecological and evolutionary antipredator responses, and the role of anthropogenic change. We hope this review of recent findings and the presentation of new research avenues will encourage researchers to study this important and interesting selective pressure, and ultimately will help us to better understand the biology of birds.

Journal of Ornithology↗
USGS2015

Evidence that dorsally mounted satellite transmitters affect migration chronology of Northern Pintails

We compared migration movements and chronology between Northern Pintails ( Anas acuta ) marked with dorsally mounted satellite transmitters and pintails marked only with tarsus rings. During weekly intervals of spring and autumn migration between their wintering area in Japan and nesting areas in Russia, the mean distance that ringed pintails had migrated was up to 1000 km farther than the mean distance radiomarked pintails migrated. Radiomarked pintails were detected at spring migration sites on average 9.9 days (90 % CI 8.0, 11.8) later than ringed pintails that were recovered within 50 km. Although ringed and radiomarked pintails departed from Japan on similar dates, the disparity in detection of radiomarked versus ringed pintails at shared sites increased 7.7 days (90 % CI 5.2, 10.2) for each 1000 km increase in distance from Japan. Thus, pintails marked with satellite transmitters arrived at nesting areas that were 2500 km from Japan on average 19 days later than ringed birds. Radiomarked pintails were detected at autumn migration stopovers on average 13.1 days (90 % CI 9.8, 16.4) later than ringed birds that were recovered within 50 km. We hypothesize that dorsal attachment of 12–20 g satellite transmitters to Northern Pintails increased the energetic cost of flight, which resulted in more rapid depletion of energetic reserves and shortened the distance pintails could fly without refueling. Radiomarked pintails may have used more stopovers or spent longer periods at stopovers. causing their migration schedule to diverge from ringed pintails. We urge further evaluation of the effects of dorsally mounted transmitters on migration chronology of waterfowl.

Journal of Ornithology↗
USGS2015

Habitat selection and movements of Piping Plover broods suggest a tradeoff between breeding stages

In precocial birds, adults select breeding areas using cues associated with habitat characteristics that are favorable for nesting success and chick survival, but there may be tradeoffs in habitat selection between these breeding stages. Here we describe habitat selection and intra-territory movements of 53 Piping Plover ( Charadrius melodus ) broods (320 observations) during the 2007–2008 breeding seasons on mainland- and island-shoreline habitats at Lake Sakakawea, North Dakota, USA. We used remotely sensed habitat characteristics to separately examine habitat selection and movements at two spatiotemporal scales to account for potential confounding effects of nest-site selection on brood-rearing habitat used. The scales used were (1) the entire brood-rearing period within available brood-rearing areas and (2) 2-day observation intervals within age-specific discrete habitat selection choice sets. Analyses at both scales indicated that broods selected areas which were non-vegetated, moderately level, and nearer to the shoreline. Rate of brood movement increased with age up to 5 days, then stabilized; broods that hatched >50 m away from the shoreline moved toward the shoreline. Brood movements were greater when they were in vegetated areas, when the brood-rearing area was of greater topographic complexity, and when broods aged 6–25 days were further away from the shoreline. Using inferences from our results and those of previously published work, we postulate how a potential tradeoff in habitat selection between nesting and brood-rearing can contribute to an ecological trap in a novel habitat. This work, in the context of published works, suggests that plover breeding habitat is a complex of both nesting and brood-rearing habitats and provides a basis for making remotely sensed abundance estimates of suitable breeding habitat for Piping Plovers.

North Dakota↗
USGS2015

Testing an attachment method for solar-powered tracking devices on a long-distance migrating shorebird

Small solar-powered satellite transmitters and GPS data loggers enable continuous, multi-year, and global tracking of birds. What is lacking, however, are reliable methods to attach these tracking devices to small migratory birds so that (1) flight performance is not impacted and (2) tags are retained during periods of substantial mass change associated with long-distance migration. We developed a full-body harness to attach tags to Red Knots (Calidris canutus), a medium-sized shorebird (average mass 124 g) that undertakes long-distance migrations. First, we deployed dummy tags on captive birds and monitored them over a complete migratory fattening cycle (February–July 2013) during which time they gained and lost 31–110 g and underwent a pre-alternate moult of body feathers. Using each individual’s previous year fattening and moult data in captivity as controls, we compared individual mass and moult differences between years between the tagged and reference groups, and concluded that the attachment did not impact mass and moult cycles. However, some birds shed feathers under the tags and under the polyester harness line commonly used in avian harnesses. Feather shedding was alleviated by switching to smoothed-bottom tags and monofilament harness lines. To field-trial this design, we deployed 5-g satellite transmitters on ten Red Knots released on 3 October 2013 in the Dutch Wadden Sea. Bird movements and tag performance appeared normal. However, nine tags stopped transmitting 11–170 days post-release which was earlier than expected. We attribute this to bird mortality rather than failure of the attachments or transmitters and suggest that the extra weight and drag caused by the tag and its feather-blocking shield increased the chance of depredation by the locally common Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus). Our results demonstrate that species- and place-specific contexts can strongly determine tagging success. While captive trials are an important first step in developing an attachment method, field trials are essential to fully assess attachment designs.

Wadden Sea↗
USGS2016

Comparative life history of the south temperate Cape Penduline Tit (Anthoscopus minutus) and north temperate Remizidae species

We studied the breeding biology of the south temperate Cape Penduline Tit ( Anthoscopus minutus ) in order to compare its life history traits with those of related north temperate members of the family Remizidae, namely the Eurasian Penduline Tit ( Remiz pendulinus ) and the Verdin ( Auriparus flaviceps ). We used this comparison to test key predictions of three hypotheses thought to explain latitudinal variation in life histories among bird species—the seasonality and food limitation hypothesis, nest predation hypothesis and adult mortality hypothesis. Contrary to the general pattern of smaller clutch size and lower adult mortality among south-temperate birds living in less seasonal environments, the Cape Penduline Tit has a clutch size larger than that of the Verdin and similar to that of the Eurasian Penduline Tit, and higher adult mortality than both of the other two species. The most notable difference between the Cape Penduline Tit and the two other species is in parental behavioural strategy, with the former exhibiting bi-parental care at all stages of nesting together with facultative cooperative breeding, whereas the Eurasian Penduline Tit has uni-parental care and the Verdin has a combination of female-only incubation but bi-parental nestling care. Consequently, in comparison to the other two species, the Cape Penduline Tit exhibits greater nest attentiveness during incubation, a similar per-nestling feeding rate and greater post-fledging survival. Its relatively large clutch size, high parental investment and associated high adult mortality in a less seasonal environment are consistent with key predictions of the adult mortality hypothesis but not with key predictions of the seasonality and food limitation hypothesis in explaining life history variation among Remizidae species. These results add to a growing body of evidence of the importance of age-specific mortality in shaping life history evolution.

Journal of Ornithology↗
USGS2016

Behavioral and reproductive effects of bird-borne data logger attachment on Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) on three temporal scales

Although the use of bird-borne data loggers has become widespread in avian field research, the effects of capture and transmitter attachment on behavior and demographic rates are not often measured. Tag- and capture-induced effects on individual behavior, survival and reproduction may limit extrapolation of transmitter data to wider populations. However, measuring individual responses to capture and tagging is a necessary step in developing research techniques that minimize negative effects. We measured the short-term behavioral effects of handling and GPS transmitter attachment on Brown Pelicans under both captive and field conditions, and followed tagged individuals through a full breeding season to assess whether capture and transmitter attachment increased rates of nest abandonment or breeding failure. We observed slight increases in preening among tagged individuals 0–2 h after capture relative to controls that had not been captured or tagged, with a corresponding reduction in time spent resting. One to three days post-capture, nesting behavior of tagged pelicans resembled that of neighbors that had not been captured or tagged. Eighty-eight percent of tagged breeders remained at the same nest location for more than 48 h after capture, attending nests and chicks for an average of 49 days, and 51% were assumed to successfully fledge young. Breeding success was driven primarily by variation in location; however, sex and handling time also influenced the probability of successful breeding in tagged pelicans, suggesting that individual characteristics and the capture process itself can confound the effects of capture and transmitter attachment. We conclude that pelicans fitted with GPS transmitters exhibit comparable behaviors to untagged individuals within a day of capture and that GPS tracking is a viable technique for studying behavior and demography in this species. We also identify measures to minimize post-capture nest abandonment rates in tracking studies, including minimizing handling time and covering nests during processing.

Journal of Ornithology↗
USGS2017

Biogeographical variation of plumage coloration in the sexually dichromatic Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens)

Plumage coloration in birds can be of major importance to mate selection, social signaling, or predator avoidance. Variations in plumage coloration related to sex, age class, or seasons have been widely studied, but the effect of other factors such as climate is less known. In this study, we examine how carotenoid-based plumage coloration and sexual dichromatism of the Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi ( Chlorodrepanis virens ) varies with rainfall and temperature on Hawai‘i Island. We also examined whether Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi plumage coloration patterns follow Gloger’s rule, which states that animals in wetter climates have darker coloration. Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi were mist-netted and banded at 12 sites representing six major climatic zones on Hawai‘i Island. Feather samples were collected from two body regions: the breast and rump. Using spectrophotometry, we recorded coloration using measures of hue, saturation, and brightness. We conducted sex determination by polymerase chain reaction to confirm the sex of birds sampled. We found that the plumage coloration of Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi varied with both temperature and rainfall. ‘Amakihi plumage’s brightness showed a quadratic relationship with rainfall, contrary to Gloger’s rule, and decreased with temperature. Saturation depended on the interaction between temperature and rainfall. Increases in rainfall also increased saturation in warm areas, while they reduced saturation when the temperature was low. Finally, we found chromatic differences among sexes, but sexual dichromatism was not affected by the climatic conditions. This study provides evidence that rainfall and temperature play an important role in determining the plumage traits of Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi.

Journal of Ornithology↗
USGS2023

Long-term trends of local bird populations based on monitoring schemes: Are they suitable for justifying management measures?

Local biodiversity monitoring is important to assess the effects of global change, but also to evaluate the performance of landscape and wildlife protection, since large-scale assessments may buffer local fluctuations, rare species tend to be underrepresented, and management actions are usually implemented on local scales. We estimated population trends of 58 bird species using open-population N-mixture models based on count data in two localities in southeastern Spain, which have been collected according to a citizen science monitoring program (SACRE, Monitoring Common Breeding Birds in Spain) over 21 and 15 years, respectively. We performed different abundance models for each species and study area, accounting for imperfect detection of individuals in replicated counts. After selecting the best models for each species and study area, empirical Bayes methods were used for estimating abundances, which allowed us to calculate population growth rates ( λ ) and finally population trends. We also compared the two local population trends and related them with national and European trends, and species functional traits (phenological status, dietary, and habitat specialization characteristics). Our results showed increasing trends for most species, but a weak correlation between populations of the same species from both study areas. In general, local population trends were consistent with the trends observed at national and continental scales, although contrasting patterns exist for several species, mainly with increasing local trends and decreasing Spanish and European trends. Moreover, we found no evidence of a relationship between population trends and species traits. We conclude that using open-population N-mixture models is an appropriate method to estimate population trends, and that citizen science-based monitoring schemes can be a source of data for such analyses. This modeling approach can help managers to assess the effectiveness of their actions at the local level in the context of global change.

Journal of Ornithology↗
USGS2025

Timing of Steller’s Eider remigial molt has delayed over 26-year span

The Steller’s Eider is a sea duck that uses specific molting areas in lagoons in southwest Alaska, and these molting populations have declined in recent decades. The annual flight feather molt is a significant stage in avian life-history. The focus of this study was to characterize the phenology of Steller’s Eider flight feather molt timing and explore if molt timing is (1) earlier, (2) remained unchanged, or (3) is delayed. We developed a flight feather growth function throughout molt using data from captive birds. We used measurements from free-ranging birds over a 26-year period to investigate variation in molt start dates among sexes, years, and locations. Results indicate that fall molt timing has delayed over 26 years for Steller’s Eiders in our study area. We speculate that drivers of observed change in timing may be related to changes in seasonal Arctic environmental conditions. Our findings can be used by managers to inform timing of population surveys.

Alaska↗
USGS2025

Population trends of native and non-native forest birds on the island of Molokai, Hawaii

Hawaiʻi’s avifauna has undergone profound changes over the past 1,000 years, with many endemic bird species driven to extinction and non-native introductions reshaping forest ecosystems. On the island of Molokaʻi, habitat degradation and the introduction of mosquito-borne disease, mainly avian malaria ( Plasmodium relictum ), have caused extinctions and severe declines in native forest bird populations. To assess these changes, point-transect distance sampling surveys were initiated in 1979 and 1980 and repeated six times, most recently in 2021, covering a 3,527 ha area. This study analyzes species composition, population densities, abundances, and long-term trends for species with sufficient detections using log-linear regression. Since 1979–1980, a total of 17 non-native and 3 native species were detected across all six surveys. The non-native Warbling White-eye ( Zosterops japonicus ) had the highest density and abundance in every survey, while abundance of Red-billed Leiothrix ( Leiothrix lutea ) significantly trended upward. The Japanese Bush Warbler ( Horornis diphone ) irrupted in the survey area, increasing in abundance by more than 99% since 1979–1980. Among native species, ʻApapane ( Himatione sanguinea ) populations increased by 33%, while Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi ( Chlorodrepanis virens ) declined by 78% from their peak in 1995. Federally threatened ʻIʻiwi ( Drepanis coccinea ), highly susceptible to avian malaria, have not been recorded on Molokaʻi since 2010, and the endemic Olomaʻo ( Myadestes lanaiensis ) has not been detected since 1980 and is possibly extinct. Our results underscore the ongoing conservation crisis for Molokaʻi’s forest birds and the continued vulnerability of native birds to disease and habitat loss.

Hawaii↗
USGS2025

Evidence of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) depredating a Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) nest

Saltmarsh Sparrows ( Ammospiza caudacuta ), a tidal-marsh specialist, face severe population declines due to habitat loss, sea-level rise, and predation. While previous research suggests that predation pressure increases at the southern extent of the species’ breeding range, data on local predator communities remain limited. To address this, we deployed game cameras at 16 Saltmarsh Sparrow nests across four salt marshes on Virginia’s eastern shore, the southern-most extent of their breeding range. Our study provides camera-documented evidence of red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) predation on Saltmarsh Sparrow nests. We detected a suspected predation event by white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) and four other potential nest predators. Additionally, we detected a Willet ( Tringa semipalmata ) aggressively displacing a nesting female, suggesting interspecific interactions may contribute to nest failure.

Virginia↗
USGS2026

Physiological impacts of sublethal Cyathocotyle bushiensis and Sphaeridiotrema pseudoglobulus infections in captive Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

Thousands of Lesser Scaup ( Aythya affinis ) die annually in the Upper Mississippi River System, USA, from intestinal infections after birds consume exotic faucet snails, Bithynia tentaculata , infected with introduced parasites, Cyathocotyle bushiensis and Sphaeridiotrema pseudoglobulus . To date, the low frequency (biannual) and magnitude of mortality events from intestinal infections likely prevents trematode mortalities from being a major contributor to Lesser Scaup population declines. However, questions remain regarding the role sublethal infections may have on Lesser Scaup fitness along with the potential for carryover effects in the following breeding season. We examined the impact of a single sublethal C. bushiensis and S. pseudoglobulus infection on select physiological parameters in Lesser Scaup over a 10-day period post inoculation through three trials, each involving three experimental groups: baseline control, trial control, and treatment ( n = 96 scaup). We found that male Lesser Scaup that were in better body condition before the trial had fewer C. bushiensis and Sphaeridiotrema pseudoglobulus recovered from their intestines at necropsy. Individuals with the highest numbers of C. bushiensis and S. pseudoglobulus in their intestines lost the largest amounts of body mass during the trial. We found that blood urea nitrogen and triglycerides were lower when C. bushiensis and S. pseudoglobulus were present. Triglycerides and glucose declined from Day 0 to Day 5 but stabilized on Day 10 of the trial. Our results highlight changes in physiological metrics in Lesser Scaup from a sublethal infection with C. bushiensis and S. pseudoglobulus under experimental conditions. Changes in Lesser Scaup health parameters indicated that scaup surviving a single sublethal trematode infection may have reduced body condition, which could lead to negative health implications in the following breeding season.

Wilson Journal of Ornithology↗
USGS2026

Leucism in a family group and a review of color aberrations in Burrowing Owls ( Athene cunicularia )

Avian color aberrations capture public interest and sometimes indicate ecological problems. Diagnosing color aberration type can be difficult because nomenclature is inconsistent, appearance of color aberrations vary, typical coloration varies, and there are many undocumented color aberration types. One type of recognized avian color aberration is leucism. Leucism is often colloquially used to refer to all birds that are paler than normal but not albino, but it specifically refers to a plumage aberration in which, from hatching onward, birds are either all white or have patches of bilaterally symmetrical white feathers mixed with normally colored feathers, while retaining black pupils. Here, we document a case of leucism in a family of North American Burrowing Owls ( Athene cunicularia ). We observed a family group (two adults and five juveniles) of five leucistic, nearly all white owls, and two typically colored owls, in the Conata Basin, South Dakota, USA, in summer 2024. We also compiled all searchable records of color aberrations in Burrowing Owls across their North and South American range. We found 60 records of color aberrations, seven of which were cases of potential leucism. Twenty-five color aberrations were an unknown type in which only eye color was affected, all of them in Florida (USA) or south/central Brazil. Documenting color aberrations in birds can help expand our understanding of the types, causes, and consequences of color aberrations as well as the pigments and genetics that underly normal coloration.

South Dakota↗
USGS2008

Timing and location of mortality of fledgling, subadult, and adult California Gulls

We investigated patterns of mortality during post-breeding migrations of California Gulls (Larus californicus) nesting near Laramie, Wyoming, USA. We used 151 recoveries and 647 sightings of banded and patagially-marked gulls to compare ratios of mortalities to observations of live birds (1) during four time periods (early and late fall migration, winter, and spring migration), (2) at two locations (Pacific coast and inland), and (3) among three age-classes of gulls (fledglings, 1- and 2-year-olds, and breeding-age adults). Mortality rates were higher in inland areas (35%) than in coastal areas (15%) and were dependent on season within inland areas, but not in coastal areas. Mortality in inland areas during early fall (21%) was comparable with that in coastal areas (13%) but was higher during late fall (68 vs. 13%) and spring migration (46 vs. 17%). Both fledgling (71%) and adult (64%) gulls experienced high mortality rates during late fall migration, possibly because some gulls were too weak to make their way to the Pacific coast and became trapped by poor weather conditions. Adult gulls also experienced high mortality inland during spring migration; few subadults made the costly migration to and from the breeding area. Some adults also skipped breeding and remained in coastal areas during the breeding season.

Wilson Journal of Ornithology↗
USGS2006

Insular and migrant species, longevity records, and new species records on Guana Island, British Virgin Islands

We conducted mist netting each October from 1994 to 2004 on Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, and recorded bird sightings to develop a more complete inventory of the island's resident and migrant species. During our study, we recorded four new species for the British Virgin Islands: Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia; 1996), Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera; 1997), Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus; 2000), and Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus; 2004). Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata) was the most frequently captured Neotropical migrant landbird, despite only being first detected in the region in 1989. Captures and detections of other Neotropical migrant landbirds suggest that many species may be more common in the region than previously believed, or, as speculated by other researchers, that migrant routes may be shifting eastward due to habitat degradation on western Caribbean islands. We also used recapture data to establish longevity records of resident species, including Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica; ??? 7 years), Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola; 7 years), Black-faced Grassquit (Tiaris bicolor; ???9 years), and Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita; 5 years). Longevities of other resident species were similar to, or slightly less than, those reported elsewhere.

Wilson Journal of Ornithology↗
USGS2006

Golden-cheeked warbler males participate in nest-site selection

Nest-site selection behaviors have rarely been described for songbirds. Furthermore, male involvement in nest-site selection is generally assumed to be minimal among most species, especially those predominantly exhibiting female nest building. This assumption has held true for the federally endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia), a breeding resident of central Texas. We observed Golden-cheeked Warbler males and females searching for nest sites together on three separate occasions, 2001-2003. Although rare, such observations add to our knowledge of the life history of songbirds.

Wilson Journal of Ornithology↗