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Kinglets



Dear all,

Rather than contribute my own views (directly), I thought I would give you
all a taste of some related research. Of course, this research only applies
to one species in one locality and cannot be thoroughly reviewed just by
reading the abstract.  However, I would like to mention that any mortality
rates calculated from before and after counts are confounded (i.e. you
cannot separate the different effects) by dispersal and possibly behavior
(flocking) unless you have abundant regional data. Even then, the lack of
standardization and random effects make it less than precise.  And, if you
do not already know, dispersal is the hardest life history attribute to
measure in songbirds.  Makes you wish you and every other birder within the
kakalakees kept better records and could go birding every day, huh?

An additional anecdote: While washing dishes during the snow, I witnessed a
RCKI foraging along the eaves of my apartment. Upon closer inspection, I
realized it was gleaning insects/spiders from the numerous spider webs
(yeah, I know, I have a rather unkempt exterior).  It proceeded to perform
this feat around the entire apartment.  There is no moral unless you would
like to develop one yourself.

Record 1 of 4 in BA on CD 1983

Title: Wintering biology of ruby-crowned kinglets (Regulus calendula) in the
lower Colorado River valley (USA).
Author(s): Laurenzi-A-W; Anderson-B-W; Ohmart-R-D
Source Journal: Condor 84(4): 385-398
Language of Article: English

Abstract: The ruby-crowned kinglet (R. calendula) was studied from Oct.-April 
during 4 yr, 1975-1979, among 6 major plant communities in the riparian 
corridor of the lower Colorado River valley. Kinglets were most abundant in 
cottonwood-willow and least abundant in arrowweed. Within each community, the 
greatest density of kinglets generally occurred in areas of tall, dense 
vegetation. Density differed significantly among the 4 yr in Nov., the month 
of peak abundance, and in Feb., winter's end. POPULATIONS DECREASED 
SIGNIFICANTLY THROUGH THE WINTER in each year and decreases were not uniform 
among plant communities. Differences in relative abundances and WINTER 
POPULATION DECREASES WERE RELATED TO WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS. During the 
study period, kinglets were subject to marked seasonality as determined by 
decreases in average monthly minimum temperatures, changes in tree phenology, 
and changes in insect abundance and biomass. Kinglet responses to seasonality 
were most apparent in population dynamics, distribution among plant 
communities, foraging substrate utilization and choice of prey. Analysis of 
these data emphasizes the selective importance of the nonbreeding season 
ecology to kinglets and implies that these birds MAY BE WINTER-LIMITED.  

Descriptors: INSECT; COTTONWOOD; WILLOW; ARROWWEED; TREE; SEASONALITY; 
BIOMASS 
Super Taxa: Plants; Vascular plants; Spermatophytes; Angiosperms; Dicots; 
Animals; Chordates; Vertebrates; Nonhuman vertebrates; Birds  

Kendrick Weeks
Campus Box 7617
Department of Zoology
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7617
kcweeks@unity.ncsu.edu, 919-515-9772
http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/users/k/kcweeks/www/home.html