Abstract
Abstract Bird abundance in cornfield edges in Iowa was documented from mid-April through early August 1992. During this period the barren, sparsely vegetated fields are transformed into fields with dense plant cover; the availability of food resources (corn and arthropods) also changes. Temporal patterns of bird abundance in cornfield edges differed greatly among species—some were present in cornfield edges throughout most, if not all, of the study period (e.g., American robin and eastern kingbird), whereas others restricted their use to brief periods. Some were more abundant early in the season (e.g., killdeer and horned lark); others were more abundant later (e.g., black-capped chickadee and indigo bunting). Much of the seasonal change in bird abundance in cornfield edges was attributed to the habitat affinities of the various species and to seasonal shifts in available food resources. Birds that feed on the ground or in low herbaceous vegetation became less abundant later in the season, whereas species...
Published Version
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