AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

Incidence of Nest Material Kleptoparasitism Involving Cerulean Warblers

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2007
Authors:Jones, KC, Roth, KL, Islam, K, Hamel, PB, Smith, III, CG
Journal:The Wilson Journal of Ornithology
Volume:119
Issue:2
Date Published:2007
ISBN Number:15594491
Keywords:Dendroica, Dendroica cerulea, Dendroica virens, Icteridae, Icterus, Icterus spurius, Parula, Parula americana, Parula cerulea, Parulidae, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Phylloscopus nitidus, Polioptila, Polioptila caerulea, Polioptilidae, Ruticilla, Seicercus nitidus, Setophaga, Setophaga americana, Setophaga cerulea, Setophaga ruticilla, Setophaga virens, Vireo, Vireo olivaceus, Vireonidae
Abstract:We document 21 observations of interspecific stealing of nesting material involving Cerulean Warblers (Dendroica cerulea), Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus), Blue-gray Gnatcatchers (Polioptila caerulea), Northern Parulas (Parula americana), Black-throated Green Warblers (D. virens), American Redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla), and Orchard Orioles (Icterus spurius) that occurred during studies of Cerulean Warbler breeding biology. These incidents involved a variety of combinations of nest owner and nest material thief suggesting that each of these species is both a perpetrator and recipient of this behavior in our study areas. Kleptoparasitic incidents occurred at all stages of the nesting cycle from nest-building through post-fledging. Two possible motivations for this behavior are related to saving time in finding nest materials and collecting this material for nest construction.
URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/20455994
Short Title:The Wilson Journal of Ornithology
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith