Program Type
Graduate
Faculty Advisor
Chris Kellner
Document Type
Poster
Location
Face-to-face
Start Date
25-4-2023 2:45 PM
Abstract
The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is an abundant North American songbird species that thrives in suburban areas. Estimates of robin nesting success in suburban areas range from 31% to 90%. Robin nest site selection and success have not received much attention in the past few decades. Most passerines have a balanced sex ratio at fledging, but little is known about the fledgling sex ratio of robins. We located 44 robin nests in six public parks around Russellville, AR and on the Arkansas Tech University campus. Nest success was low; 27% (12/44) of nests fledged at least one young. Robins nested most frequently in American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), Pin Oak (Quercus palustris), and Willow Oak (Quercus phellos), but were also found nesting on buildings early in the breeding season. An average nest was approximately 5 m off the ground and was 66% concealed by vegetation. Fledglings survived for an average of twelve days and half of the fledglings (7/14) survived for less than seven days. Low fledgling survival in combination with low nesting success suggests that robin productivity was low in 2022. Environmental stressors like drought can lead to shifts in avian sex ratios. The sex ratio of fledgling robins we banded was skewed towards females (15:7). Further study is required to determine what characteristics of the suburban environment may lead to low reproductive success for robins, and how robins deal with the challenges of breeding in poor-quality habitat.
Recommended Citation
Maiersperger, Brandon, "Nesting Success of American Robins (Turdus Migratorius) in Suburban Areas of the Arkansas River Valley" (2023). ATU Research Symposium. 75.
https://orc.library.atu.edu/atu_rs/2023/2023/75
Included in
Nesting Success of American Robins (Turdus Migratorius) in Suburban Areas of the Arkansas River Valley
Face-to-face
The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is an abundant North American songbird species that thrives in suburban areas. Estimates of robin nesting success in suburban areas range from 31% to 90%. Robin nest site selection and success have not received much attention in the past few decades. Most passerines have a balanced sex ratio at fledging, but little is known about the fledgling sex ratio of robins. We located 44 robin nests in six public parks around Russellville, AR and on the Arkansas Tech University campus. Nest success was low; 27% (12/44) of nests fledged at least one young. Robins nested most frequently in American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), Pin Oak (Quercus palustris), and Willow Oak (Quercus phellos), but were also found nesting on buildings early in the breeding season. An average nest was approximately 5 m off the ground and was 66% concealed by vegetation. Fledglings survived for an average of twelve days and half of the fledglings (7/14) survived for less than seven days. Low fledgling survival in combination with low nesting success suggests that robin productivity was low in 2022. Environmental stressors like drought can lead to shifts in avian sex ratios. The sex ratio of fledgling robins we banded was skewed towards females (15:7). Further study is required to determine what characteristics of the suburban environment may lead to low reproductive success for robins, and how robins deal with the challenges of breeding in poor-quality habitat.