Stopover Site Fidelity by Tennessee Warblers at a Southern Appalachian High-elevation Site

Abstract

We examined stopover site fidelity by Tennessee Warblers (Oreothlypis peregrina) at two Tennessee banding stations (Whigg Meadow and Big Bald) operated during fall migration, ∼1,000 km from the nearest breeding areas. We captured and banded 4,324 Tennessee Warblers at Whigg Meadow from 1999 to 2008 with 14 individuals (0.3%) recaptured in subsequent years. We banded 5,514 Tennessee Warblers at Big Bald from 2003 to 2008 where, despite relatively close geographical proximity to Whigg Meadow (<150 km between sites), no individuals were recaptured outside of the initial capture year. These inter-annual recaptures, to our knowledge, reflect the highest reoccurrence of a Nearctic-neotropical migratory passerine at a single stopover site. Our results provide evidence that passerine stopover site fidelity may occur at considerable distances from both breeding and wintering areas, and differ between geographically similar stopover sites.