Prothonotary Warbler Nest Success and Vegetation Characteristics in a Fragmented Oklahoma Landscape

In 2003, I studied the relationship between prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea) nest success and vegetation characteristics in a fragmented Oklahoma landscape. Forty nest boxes were monitored for reproductive success and vegetation characteristics were measured at nest boxes and 40 random points within the same stands. Thirty-five successful nests fledged a mean of 3.9 young/nest, whereas five nests failed to produce any fledglings. Although nest boxes occurred in small habitat fragments (4–12 ha), 88% of nest attempts fledged ≥1 fledgling/nest, which suggested this species was not area sensitive. Logistic regression produced a moderately successful model that used vegetation characteristics to predict nest success compared to random points within the landscape. Overall, nest success was positively associated with increased percent ground cover (water), understory vegetation density, and overstory canopy cover. No successful model was produced to predict successful nests versus unsuccessful nests by using vegetation characteristics. Prothonotary warbler were highly successful in small habitat fragments in a heterogenous landscape. ©2004 Oklahoma Academy of Science