A COMPARISON OF SHRUB-DOMINATED AND FORESTED HABITAT USE BY SPRING MIGRATING LANDBIRDS IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA

Abstract

Abstract Long-term datasets reveal declines in many populations of landbird migrants, with declines especially evident in shrub-nesting species. Moreover, transitional shrub-dominated habitats are becoming scarce, reducing breeding habitat for these species. Because migrants often occupy habitats en route similar to those used in the breeding season, the persistence of shrub-dominated habitats may be especially critical for these species during passage. Because little is known about migrant-habitat relationships, especially at inland, unforested stopover sites, we compared the importance of forested and upland shrub-dominated habitat to spring migrating landbirds by comparing: (1) temporal and habitat-related variation in resource abundance, and (2) migrant use of forested vs. shrub-dominated habitat during stopover. We collected data on bird-habitat relationships and invertebrate abundance from both habitats at two sites in or near Lackawanna State Park, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. We captured and c...