Movement and Cover-type Selection by Fledgling Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) after Independence from Adult Care

Abstract

We used radiotelemetry to monitor movements and cover-type selection by independent fledgling Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) at two managed-forest sites differing in mature-forest matrix: open-understory deciduous forest and dense-understory mixed-deciduous-conifer forest. Ovenbirds at each site made one to three single-day long-distance movements; those movements were of similar distance at the deciduous site ( = 849 ± 159 m) and the mixed-deciduous-conifer site ( = 1,133 ± 228 m). They also moved similar mean daily distances within stands at the deciduous site ( = 101 ± 12 m) and the mixed-deciduous-conifer site ( = 105 ± 11 m), and used areas of similar local vegetation density, but denser than that of their nesting habitat. Fledglings in the deciduous study area selected sapling-dominated clearcuts and forested wetlands over mature forest and shrub-dominated clearcuts. Fledglings in the mixed-deciduous-conifer study area generally used cover types in accordance with availability, and tended not to use shrub-dominated clearcuts. Our results suggest regenerating clearcuts may be important areas for independent fledgling Ovenbirds in landscapes that consist of otherwise contiguous open-understory mature forest, but not until saplings establish in those clearcuts, and not necessarily in forests where dense understory and naturally dense areas such as forested wetlands are common.