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1 January 2005 Habitat and nesting of Le Conte's Sparrows in the northern tallgrass prairie
Maiken Winter, Jill A. Shaffer, Douglas H. Johnson, Therese M. Donovan, W. Daniel Svedarsky, Peter W. Jones, Betty R. Euliss
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Abstract

Little is known about the breeding biology of the Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii), probably because of its secretive nature. We provide new information on several aspects of Le Conte's Sparrow breeding biology, including rates of nest parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) and potential factors affecting breeding densities and nesting success of the species. Our study was conducted in the tallgrass prairie of northwestern Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota during 1998–2002. Breeding densities varied among years, but this variation was not clearly linked to climatic patterns. Vegetation had some influence on densities of Le Conte's Sparrows; densities were highest in grasslands with moderate amounts of bare ground. Prairie patch size and the percentage of shrubs and trees in the landscape had no recognizable influence on density. Nesting success was highly variable among sites and years and increased slightly with distance from trees. Rates of nest parasitism were low (1 of 50 nests parasitized), and clutch sizes were similar to those of other studies of Le Conte's Sparrows.

Maiken Winter, Jill A. Shaffer, Douglas H. Johnson, Therese M. Donovan, W. Daniel Svedarsky, Peter W. Jones, and Betty R. Euliss "Habitat and nesting of Le Conte's Sparrows in the northern tallgrass prairie," Journal of Field Ornithology 76(1), 61-71, (1 January 2005). https://doi.org/10.1648/0273-8570-76.1.61
Received: 5 April 2004; Accepted: 1 May 2004; Published: 1 January 2005
JOURNAL ARTICLE
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KEYWORDS
Ammodramus leconteii
bird density
cowbird parasitism
habitat ecology
Le Conte's Sparrow
nesting biology
patch size
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