This Is AuburnElectronic Theses and Dissertations

Habitat Associations of Birds of North America

Date

2012-09-28

Author

Ortman, Brian

Type of Degree

thesis

Department

Biological Sciences

Abstract

I examined habitat associations of woodpeckers (Picidae) and warblers (Parulidae) on Redstone Arsenal, Madison County, Alabama. I used maps derived from satellite imagery to construct models of habitats occupied by the Red-headed, Red-bellied, Downy, and Hairy woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Parula, Pine Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, and Yellow-breasted Chat. Of the 17 habitats on Redstone Arsenal, dry-mesic forest was occupied most often by Red-headed, Red-bellied, Hairy, and Downy woodpeckers. Mesophytic forest was used most often by Downy Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Pine Warblers, Prothonotary Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Northern Parulas, and Yellow-breasted Chats. Southern-Appalachian pine forest was associated with presence of Red-headed Woodpeckers and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. Habitats with small-streams and riparian areas often were occupied by Hairy Woodpeckers. I also examined habitat associations of 128 species of birds on Redstone Arsenal using maps derived from satellite imagery in a discriminant-function analysis to determine habitat associations. I focused on 18 species of conservation concern. Anthropogenic successional scrub-shrub was occupied most often by Bachman's Sparrows, American Woodcocks, Kentucky Warblers, Northern Parulas, and Chuck-will's-widows. Habitats comprised of open water were used by Belted Kingfishers, American Bitterns, Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, and Prothonotary Warblers. Habitats with small-streams and riparian areas were associated with Black-crowned Night-Herons, Hairy Woodpeckers, and Downy Woodpeckers. Evergreen plantations were used by Red-headed Woodpeckers and Whip-poor-wills. Habitats with low-intensity development were associated with Wood Thrushes, dry-mesic forest with Brown-headed Nuthatches, large-floodplain forest with Green Herons, and pasturelands with Loggerhead Shrikes.