Nesting Success of Grassland and Shrub-Nesting Birds on The Wilds, an Ohio Reclaimed Surface Mine
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Date
2013-01
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Abstract
Recent studies on reclaimed surface mines show that the encroachment of woody vegetation may have an adverse effect
on breeding grassland birds. During the 2008-2011 breeding seasons, nests of ground- and shrub-nesting birds were monitored
on The Wilds, a reclaimed surface mine in east-central Ohio. The study’s objectives were to compare findings with those from a
similar study on this site a decade earlier and to compare the nesting success of ground- versus above-ground and shrub-nesting
species. The study found 291 nests from 18 bird species. Ground-nesting species had notably higher overall annual as well as
Mayfield nest success rates (60% and 55% respectively) compared to the above-ground and shrub-nesting species (42% and
32% respectively). Grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) and bobolinks
(Dolichonyx oryzivorus) had the greatest reproductive success rates (both annual and Mayfield), which were comparable to those
reported by Ingold in 2002 for these species. Predation rates were higher in the above-ground and shrub-nesting (44%) versus
the ground and near-ground nesting species (27%). Six shrub-nesting species were not found on this site a decade ago. Although
these results suggest that this site continues to provide suitable nesting habitat for obligate grassland species, the increasing
encroachment of autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellate) may be attracting more shrub-nesting bird species as well as mammalian
predators which should be a focus in future research.
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Author Institution: Department of Biology, Muskingum University
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Citation
The Ohio Journal of Science, v111, n2-5 (January, 2013), 37-41.