American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Science Article 9 abstract The territorial behavior of the American Redstart (Setoph_a rz~ticilla) has been studied by Hickey (1940)) and in greater detail by Ficken (1962). Hickey has described this species as being ‘highly territorial,’ defending an area by song and formalized displays. Ficken has described the territory as being maintained […]
Tag: Setophaga ruticilla
Age-specific differences in habitat selection by the American Redstart
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Science Article 8 abstract The American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) is unusual among parulids becausemales retain immature plumage until after the first breeding season. On the basisof this character, age-specific differences in habitat occupation have been reported(Ficken and Ficken 1967, Wilson Bull. 79: 188). In 1969 I sampled some redstarthabitats near Pellston, […]
Linking fluctuations in rainfall to nonbreeding season performance in a long-distance migratory bird, Setophaga ruticilla
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Science Article 1 abstract Research on long-distance migratory birds has yielded some of the strongest evidence that shifts in climate are changing ecosystem processes. Much of this work has focused on understanding whether rising temperatures on temperate breeding grounds are advancing migration phenology and limiting reproductive success. However, conditions on tropical […]
Modeling Seasonal Interactions in the Population Dynamics of Migratory Birds
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Science Article 2 abstract UNDERSTANDING THE POPULATION DYNAMICS of migratory birds requires understanding the relevant biological events that occur during breeding, migratory, and overwintering periods. The few available population models for passerine birds focus on breeding-season events, disregard or oversimplify events during nonbreeding periods, and ignore interactions that occur between periods […]
Taxonomic relationships among the american redstarts
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Science Article 3 abstract In recent years certain bird taxonomists have indulged in what might be described as a veritable orgy of genus-lumping. Small genera, particularly monotypic genera, must, it seems, be somehow combined with one another, or shoehorned into larger genera (see, for example, the footnote on Uropsila, Paynter, 1960:430). […]
Prevalence of Hematozoa in Overwintering American Redstarts(Setophaga ruticilla): No Evidence for Local Transmission
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Science Article 4 abstract We examined American redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla) for protozoan blood parasites on their wintering grounds to determine whether transmission of these parasites occurs prior to spring migration. A total of 73 blood smears from 37 birds were examined for presence and intensity of infection. Thirty-six birds were sampled […]
Delayed plumage maturation and thepresumed prealternate molt in american redstarts
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Science Article 5 abstract The American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) is one of about 30 sexuallydichromatic North American passerine species in which males exhibit adelayed plumage maturation (Rohwer et al. 1980). Males in their first winterand in their first potential breeding season are largely like females incoloration. SIEVERT ROHWER, WILLIAM P. KLEIN, […]
Fat stores of American redstarts Setophaga ruticilla arriving atnortherly breeding grounds
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Science Article 6 abstract Many long-distance passerine migrants arrive with more fat stores than necessary tohave reached their northerly breeding grounds. Researchers have argued for adaptiveadvantages associated with arriving with
Continent-wide variation in feather colour of a migratory songbird in relation to body condition and moulting locality
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Science Article 7 abstract Understanding the causes of variation in feather colour in free-living migratory birds has been challenging owing to our inability to track individuals during the moulting period when colours are acquired. Using stable-hydrogen isotopes to estimate moulting locality, we show that the carotenoid-based yellow