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Deer as songbird predators
- To: <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
- Subject: Deer as songbird predators
- From: "Dr. Robert H. Lewis" <rlewis@MURRAY.FORDHAM.EDU>
- Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 09:53:32 -0500
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
- User-agent: Microsoft-Outlook-Express-Macintosh-Edition/5.02.2022
Hi,
This was recently posted to the New York State bird list, and I thought it
would be of interest elsewhere. I'm not sure if the deer population
explosion has hit the Carolinas yet.
Bob Lewis
Sleepy Hollow NY
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White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Predation on Grassland Songbird
Nestlings by Pamela J. Pietz1 and Diane A. Granfors
Abstract: White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were videotaped
depredating four songbird nests in grassland habitats in southeastern and
northcentral North Dakota, 1996-1999. Deer ate two Savannah sparrow
(Passerculus sandwichensis), two grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus
savannarum), one clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), one red-winged
blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and three brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus
ater) nestlings. Deer removed nestlings quickly (5-19 sec/nest) at night
(22:00 to 05:17 Central Daylight Time) and left no evidence of predation.
Although probably opportunistic, deer predations clearly were deliberate
and likely are more common than generally believed.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/2001/deerpred/deerpred.htm
cite reference as: Pietz, Pamela J., and Diane A. Granfors. 2000.
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) predation on grassland songbird
nestlings. American Midland Naturalist 144(2):419-422. Jamestown, ND:
Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Home Page:
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/2001/deerpred/deerpred.htm
(Version 09MAR2001).
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