Field Journal 7 - Reproductive Ecology and Evolution

Yesterday, on April 21st, 2020, I went birding in the Greenmount Cemetery which is across the street from where I live. I went around 5:00 in the evening and stayed until about 6:00 PM. It was raining for most of the day, but cleared up towards the evening when I went outside. The sun was out with a few scattered clouds and minimal wind. However, it was still pretty cold and felt like it was in the mid-40's. The Greenmount Cemetery is a mostly open habitat that is lined by coniferous and deciduous trees on the perimeter. There is scattered vegetation, as well as graves throughout the open area. The Cemetery has houses on either side of it and is near Colchester Avenue, a rather busy street. I would classify the Cemetery as being in a residential neighborhood, but it has a very secluded feeling about it because of the perimeter of trees.
Throughout my time birding, I did not see any visual mating behavior. Most of what I encountered were singing males that were likely trying to attract females through their song. I heard the song of the Tufted Titmouse most often. This bird would begin his song, finish it, wait a few moments, and begin it again. I believe this lasted for about 10 minutes. As far as nest selection goes, I did not see any bird nests. I looked up in the trees to see if there would be any there, as well as around a few of the graves. There was one snag that I noticed had a cavity in it which seems like an ideal place for a bird to nest. It is possible that is where the Pileated Woodpecker could be nesting. I also do not have binoculars, so it is likely that some of the smaller songbirds could be nesting high up in the tree-tops where I am unable to see. There are also a few homes nearby that surround either side of the Cemetery. It is possible these homes have birdhouses where the songbirds nest, or it is possible they nest within the crevices of these homes. I would assume that the habitat requirements are similar for the Black-capped Chickadee, House Sparrow, Tufted Titmouse, Blue Jay, and Pileated Woodpecker. However, it seems like the Woodpecker can obtain better access to habitat because it can peck out a nest within a dead snag. The other songbirds are likely left to build nests in trees that are in areas where the wind is blocked. As for territory selection, I did not witness any aggression between males. However, it is possible that the male that I heard singing was attempting to defend his territory boundaries, rather than attract a potential mate.
There was a Black-capped Chickadee that I noticed was singing somewhere in front of and above me. I spotted him sitting on the branch of a tree on the perimeter of the cemetery. However, I didn't notice any food sources near this bird. It is possible that the trees near him are full of insects to eat and that is why he is protecting this area. It is also likely that some of the trees produce berries or seeds that will be available to the Chickadee later in the spring. However, I was unable to identify any of the trees, other than some of the coniferous ones nearby. Since I was unable to identify any food sources, I would assume that the bird's fitness is not very good during this time of the year. However, it may become more fit as the Spring continues and food sources become more abundant. Although there was a lack of evidence to say whether this was a prime or a poor territory, I would assume that it is a prime territory. The other Black-Capped Chickadees that I saw were in the same area as this one, and sat either on the same tree or trees close by. For this reason, I am not sure how this territory compares to the other territories that may be nearby.
The Pileated Woodpecker that I saw seemed like it was attempting to create a cavity in a snag. My assumption is he was doing this to create a spot to have a nest. I would assume that the bird would use small twigs that it finds on the perimeter of the Cemetery. The Woodpecker would find twigs here because trees likely have snapped some limbs off and they have fallen onto the ground. I would also assume that fallen leaves or grass would be used for a softer bed in the nest. These could be acquired from anywhere on the open area because leaves are scattered all over, and grass is abundant.

Link to my mini-activity: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1coTj-YzbLlLuxFOUdlitPOGhnKABC-TxW1W79mJzQGY/edit

Publicado el abril 22, 2020 07:56 TARDE por g_underhill