On the road again: Corridor effects on nesting passerines in Missouri forests [abstract]

Abstract

Roads and other linear corridors may have profound ecological consequences. Direct mortality of adult birds by vehicle collisions is well documented, but increased nest predation along road corridors has not been shown in passerines. I tested the hypothesis that nests proximal to unimproved roads (<10 m) suffer greater nest predation than those further from roads (11+ m) due to a predator-corridor effect. Nests from four sites in Missouri were found, monitored, and filmed during the spring and summer of 2007. Roadside shrub-nesting passerines did not experience significantly lower nest success than those nesting far from roads. Acadian Flycatchers experienced significantly higher nest success than did birds of the shrub-nesting guild as a whole. Initial predator identifications are presented.