Effects of Deforestation on Foraging Behavior, Ectoparasites, and Adult Survival in the Vulnerable La Selle Thrush, Turdus swalesi, in Haiti

Abstract

Although range-restricted Neotropical bird species are highly endangered, little is known about their ability to cope with environmental disturbance. We studied the vulnerable, Hispaniola- endemic La Selle Thrush (LST), Turdus swalesi, in a protected forested area in Haiti threatened by agriculture, livestock and logging. We used capture–mark–recapture, visual observations, and camera traps to document foraging ecology and estimate adult survival over 26 months. LST foraged mainly in deciduous woodlots. However, some individuals regularly foraged on or around dung pats in fallow pastures, whereas no other ground-dwelling bird species was observed to do so. Coincidently, 16.5% of 79 mist-netted LST harbored Ixodid ticks, compared to none of the 2131 individuals belonging to 29 other species mist-netted in the area. This suggests that infestation with ticks might come as a cost of opportunistically exploiting a new food resource. Apparent annual adult survival rate was independent of sex, and varied between 0.393 and 0.440, depending on the inclusion of a transience effect in our models. This low value was possibly due to “permanent” emigration from the site during the study. We discuss the potential effects of deforestation on the ecology and demography of LST and make recommendations for future conservation-oriented research in Haiti.