Final Field Studies Report - 2013

The final tally is in and the overall success rate of the 2013 season is 58%.  With the nice weather we had over the season, it truly has been an amazing year; 764 eggs were laid in total with 440 chicks fledging.  This is a slight increase from the 2012 season, which had a 56% success rate.

Your author checking one of the nest boxes

It has been a decade now since the World Bird Sanctuary began working closely with Ameren Missouri to research the environmental impact of flora management in the Ameren Missouri utility line right-of-ways.  For those of you who don’t know, the primary focus of our work with Ameren Missouri is on the success rate of the Missouri native cavity-nesting songbirds and which management method, if any, has the most successful impact.

The three management schemes compared are spraying of herbicide, mowing of plant life and a combination of the two.  For the purpose of this study bird nest boxes have been installed on different Ameren Missouri utility structures to compare the nesting success of several native bird species.  The outcome of these nesting attempts will help indicate which management scheme is most beneficial for the birds residing in the area.

Monitoring of boxes began on the cold morning of March 15, 2013 and concluded on August 15, 2013. 

A Bluebird chick ready to be banded

Nest boxes were checked on a weekly basis.  Each box was opened and checked for a nest. When nests were discovered, the type and materials used to make it were recorded.  If eggs or chicks were present, they were banded and the number, type, and a brief description were recorded.  If chicks were of banding age, the US Fish and Wildlife band was placed on one of its legs, and the number, size, date and location were recorded.

The birds typical to the study are the Eastern Bluebird, Carolina Chickadee, House Wren and the Eastern Tufted Titmouse.

A Bluebird nest with Turkey feather woven in

Eastern Bluebirds live about 4-5 years and typically lay between 3 and 5 eggs.  Eggs are incubated for 13-16 days and the chicks fledge 15-20 days after hatching.  They make a nest of dried grass and small twigs lined with feathers, hair or fur.

House Wrens live about 5 years and lay 6-8 eggs in a nest of twigs lined with fur and even snakeskin.  Incubation lasts 13-15 days and young leave the nest between 12-18 days after hatching.

Carolina Chickadees live approximately 4-5 years and lay between 5 and 8 eggs.  Incubation of the eggs requires 11-13 days and nests consist of soft materials such as fur, feathers and moss.  Chicks fledge the nest 13-17 days after hatching.

This is the project I have been working on this summer, and this has been one of the best summer jobs I have ever had.  I just want to thank everyone at the World Bird Sanctuary and Ameren Missouri for the opportunity.

Submitted by Neal Cowan, World Bird Sanctuary Field Studies Supervisor

Field Studies Report July 2013

It sure has been hot outside.  I hope everyone is staying hydrated.  I know I sure am.  In spite of the heat, however, the birds are keeping busy.

It has been an amazing season.  Since March over 300 birds have been banded and I expect many more in the next week or two.  I have gotten better at getting to nests before the chicks strike out on their own.  Only 48 birds have fledged before a band could be placed on them.  In general, the baby birds are big enough to be banded ten days after hatching, and will fledge (that is, fly away from the nest) within the next week.  However, there are a few factors that can shorten, or lengthen this time scale.  Well-fed babies can fledge several days earlier.  On the flip side; if the parents are having a hard time finding food for them, it can take much longer for their young to fledge.

Baby Eastern Bluebird

The Eastern Bluebirds and the House Wrens are neck and neck in their dominance in the field, with the boxes almost evenly split between the two.  The Eastern Bluebirds are now on their third clutch while the House Wrens have just started their second clutch.   That is to say, the Eastern Bluebirds have started a nest and raised chicks three separate times.  Carolina Chickadees and Eastern Tufted Titmice finished up the season after just one clutch.

 

Sadly, all things must come to an end.  The 2013 summer season is starting to slow down.  Soon the birds will begin preparing for the winter and the nesting season will end.  There are many more nests out there now, but this may very well be the last clutch of the year.

The Eastern bluebirds and House Wrens are both migratory species.  Bluebirds will finish up their last clutches, then head into the woods and begin fattening up for the winter.  Most will migrate south; a few will tough it out here.  In contrast all the House Wrens will move to warmer climates at the first hint of frost.  You aren’t likely to see them messing around in the cold.

Carolina Chickadees and Eastern Tufted Titmice will hang around throughout the winter.  Both are clever foragers and know what it takes to survive the winter.  Now is the time to be cleaning up the feeders and getting them ready for the really heavy winter bird feeding months.

It has been an excellent year for the Ameren Mo nest box study.  I have been able to collect a lot of valuable data.  The success rate is excellent and with this good weather and plenty of bugs to eat the birds couldn’t be happier.  As you all know the purpose of this study is to keep an eye on the environment in the Ameren Mo right-of-ways, and it looks like the environment is in good shape this year.  We are very thankful to Ameren  Mo for their support and concern for our feathered friends.

Submitted by Neal Cowan, World Bird Sanctuary Field Studies Supervisor

Field Studies 2013

Hello again everybody. It’s me again, Neal Cowan, back for another exciting summer at The World Bird Sanctuary.

This year I will be taking over as Field Studies Coordinator for World Bird Sanctuary.  With the help of Ameren Missouri, we are studying the effects of vegetation control techniques on cavity nesters in the right-of-ways under the major power lines.  I am very excited to be a part of this study.

One of the nestboxes we will monitor

Our work began mid-February when I was introduced to our Ameren Missouri liaison, and together we began planning for the new season.  Starting in the cold weather of February, I have been finding, cleaning, and repairing (in many cases replacing) the 240 nest boxes we have in the field.

Spring is in the air now and I have begun monitoring every box for signs of life as Missouri songbirds start looking for an inviting spot to raise a family.  The weather has not been particularly cooperative as of late, but I have faith in the resolve and determination of the songbirds of Missouri. I am looking forward to a good year.

The study centers around right-of-ways such as this one

The World Bird Sanctuary was initially contacted by Ameren Missouri for this study back in 2004.  There are two main methods used by Ameren to keep the right-of-ways clear: spraying herbicide, and mowing.  It was their concern for the environmental impact of these methods that started this study, which aims to understand precisely how these procedures used to control the vegetation within right-of-ways are impacting the ecosystem.  To this end we have eighty nest boxes along each of three lines: a line that is mowed only, a line that is just sprayed with herbicide and one that is managed using a combination of mowing and spraying.

I know what you must be thinking: a study that focuses only on songbirds is not likely to give you a very complete picture, but I would beg to differ.  Songbirds are an excellent indicator of the overall health of any environment (at least any environment that is naturally home to songbirds).  Trying to determine the environmental health of, say, Antarctica through songbirds might not work out as well.  Overall, songbirds are well understood in their habits and anatomy, they stand out in their respective environments both visibly and audibly, and are relatively sensitive to subtle changes in their respective ecosystems. When times get tough, we see it in the birds; that is why they make an excellent indicator species, and why they are the focus of our study.

Over the past nine years of this study, it has been passed down to many people, all of whom have brought new insight and ideas for getting the most out of the data.  Last year’s Field Studies Coordinator brought things forward and did some amazing work cleaning up the process.  I am very excited to be a part of this study for the 2013 season and hope that I am able to contribute to this fascinating work.

Submitted by Neal Cowan, World Bird Sanctuary Field Studies Coordinator