Independence day: Post-fledging movements and behavior of adult Eastern Towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) in landscapes managed for American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)

Stephen J Brenner,Scott R Mcwilliams

doi:10.1676/1559-4491-131.4.796

Abstract

ABSTRACT Umbrella species management offers a potential solution to the financial and logistical challenges of managing for the many declining species in early-successional forests, a habitat that ...

Highlights

Land managers and conservationists frequently face the challenge of using limited resources while having to manage for multiple species
We investigated the movements of adult Eastern Towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) during the post-fledging period in 4 km2 landscapes managed for American Woodcock (Scolopax minor), a popular umbrella species candidate for young forest management
We studied the movement patterns and habitat use of adult Eastern Towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) during the post-fledging period while they inhabited areas actively managed for American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)

Summary

Introduction

Land managers and conservationists frequently face the challenge of using limited resources while having to manage for multiple species. Few studies of nontarget songbird species have characterized the spatial movements of adults during the post-fledging stage (Bayne and Hobson 2001, Vitz and Rodewald 2006). Even though adult survival rate is usually high during this time (Krementz et al 2000, Sillett and Holmes 2002), there are potential changes in habitat use as young become more mobile and independent This period constitutes a large portion of time that many migratory birds will spend in management areas and may influence predation risk or habitat selection (Vitz and Rodewald 2007, Streby 2016). We studied the movement patterns and habitat use of adult Eastern Towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) during the post-fledging period while they inhabited areas actively managed for American Woodcock (Scolopax minor). If woodcock serve as an effective umbrella species for towhees and other scrubgeneralist songbirds, we would expect towhees to positively respond to forest management targeted for woodcock

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