The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) population of both Harrison and Washington Townships, Delaware County, east-central Indiana, showed a decline from December, 1985 to March, 1986, stabilization, and then a rise in June and July, 1986. Surveys reflect a larger kestrel population in Harrison than in Washington Township. Sex ratios from December to July indicate a greater number of males than females in both townships. Pasture was the preferred habitat of both male and female birds. No correlation was found between numbers of kestrels sighted and weather conditions. Kestrels occupied two of six nest boxes in the area and fledged a total of ten young. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service data on 1,617 banded kestrels were analyzed. The independent effect of banding flyway on average distance traveled between banding and recovery was not significant. The independent effect of latitude was significant for the total study population of 1,617 kestrels but was not significant for a subsample of 213 birds which exhibited true migratory movement. Sex had no effect on distance traveled. The interaction of banding flyway and latitude on distance traveled was highly significant.

Basic knowledge of the ecology of bobwhite quail, colinus virginianus (L.), on the Salamonie Reservoir Area, Huntington and Wabash Counties, Indiana, was gathered during 1970-1975. The bobwhite is a major gamebird species on the Salamonie Reservoir Area even though the resident populations of this non-migratory bird tend to remain relatively low. Bobwhites have been extensively studied in other parts of their range but little has been done in this marginal habitat region of northeastern Indiana. A basic knowledge of bobwhite ecology in this region is necessary in order to formulate management plans calculated to increase the population level.The whistling cock count technique was used to determine a call index from the average mean calls per stop. This technique correlated significantly with hunter success (P<0.05) but call indices from the highest count day, during the six-year period, correlated most significantly (P<0.001) with hunter success.An average of 50.2 percent cocks to 49.8 percent hens was found during the six-year study in 404 hunter-killed bobwhites and 36 bobwhites collected by me. Bobwhite weights averaged 179 g during the November months, 197 g during the December months, 205 g during the January months, and 185 g during the months of February and March. The mean average weight for the six-year study was 185 g. Age ratio, during the study months, was 3.66 young bobwhites to one adult. Age ratios were stable each November through March but they fluctuated annually during the six-year period with no consistant trend. Four major food items comprised 77.5 percent of volumetric contents found in bobwhite crops: corn, soybeans, wheat, and black locust seeds.Bobwhite population levels fluctuated during the six-year study. The population level appeared to have an inverse relationship with the number of small game hunting efforts on the Salamonie Reservoir Area when the small game hunting efforts numbered above 3,000.Bobwhites fed on black locust seeds during periods of snow cover. The availability of black locust seeds during winter months made this food source an important item for the survival of bobwhites on the Salamonie Reservoir Area.

During autumn 1993, the U. S. Forest Service began implementing a program of prescribed surface fire in the Fork Ridge region of Hoosier National Forest. To determine the effects of the prescribed surface fire on ground- and shrub-nesting nearctic migrants, I conducted vegetation structure sampling, bird abundance surveys, and nest searches during the 1996 and 1997 breeding seasons. The prescribed surface fire drastically reduced understory vegetative cover from 0.0 to 2.5 m above ground and the density of live stems < 5.0 cm dbh. Herbaceous cover < 0.5 m tall in the burned site returned to levels similar to the unburned site within 2 years of the burn.Prescribed burning had little effect on overall avian species diversity, but altered the community composition. In 1996, there were 12 species present in the unburned site which were absent in the burned site and 9 species present in the burned site which were absent in the unburned site. In 1997, there were 9 species present in the unburned site which were absent in the burned site and 7 species present in the burned site which were absent in the unburned site. As a guild, ground- and shrub-nesting nearctic migrants and residents were less abundant in the burned site compared to the unburned site. Conversely, species such as Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea) and White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitter carolinensis) were more abundant in the burned site.Nests in the burned site had a 25% success rate, whereas nests in the unburned site had a 44% success rate. Nest parasitism did not differ between the burned site (1.2 cowbird eggs/nest) and unburned site (0.9 cowbird eggs/nest). Worm-eating Warblers (Helmitheros vermivorus) were the only ground- and shrunb-nesting nearctic migrant found in the burned site. Worm-eating Warbler nests in the burned site were characterized as having greater understory cover than surrounding burned areas. My results suggest that prescribed surface fires in Fork Ridge may be negatively impacting some ground- and shrub-nesting migrants by altering nesting habitat. / Department of Biology

This study examines the status and distribution of rail populations in northern Indiana. Because rails are secretive and difficult to study, there have been few attempts in Indiana to determine the impact of wetland loss on the populations of rails and other marsh-nesting birds. There can be little doubt, however, that the loss of Indiana wetlands during historic times has caused a dramatic decline in rail populations.Using tape-recorded calls to elicit vocalizations, the status and distribution of five species of rails were studied in a 25,900 km2 area in northern Indiana in 1993 and 1994. A total of 107 surveys were conducted at 46 natural wetlands and 42 restored wetlands. The species surveyed were Sora (Porzana carolina), Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola), King Rail (Rallus elegans), Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis), and Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis). Playbacks were also used to detect American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) and Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis). Data were also collected on all other species of marsh-nesting birds detected during this study.Rails exhibited a patchy distribution. A total of 25 Soras, 33 Virginia Rails, and 1 King Rail was detected in natural wetlands in 1993. In 1994, 75 Soras, 46 Virginia Rails, and 1 King Rail was detected in the natural wetlands. A total of 30 Soras and 9 Virginia Rails was found in the restored wetlands studied in 1993 and 1994. No Yellow or Black Rails were found. Ten Least Bitterns, 31 Marsh Wrens, and 6 Sedge Wrens were detected in natural wetlands, but these species were not observed in restored wetlands.The occurrence of rails in natural wetlands was positively correlated with wetland size, presence of shrub vegetation in the watershed, amount of emergent vegetation, proximity of other wetlands, and extent of cattail cover. Negative correlations were found for human disturbance, amount of open water, and watershed characteristics. The strongest negative correlationswere found for human disturbances in or around the wetland.In restored wetlands, a significant difference was found between the occurrence of Sora and Virginia Rails with Soras occurring more frequently than Virginia Rails. A near significant difference in rail occurrence between natural and restored wetlands was also found, with rails occurring more frequently in natural wetlands, suggesting that natural wetlands surveyed may be a more suitable habitat for rails than the restored wetlands surveyed.Restored wetlands surveyed in this study failed to attract American Bitterns, Least Bitterns, Marsh Wrens or Sedge Wrens. American Bitterns were reported in natural wetlands during this study, but they were not observed. / Department of Biology

An intra-site faunal analysis utilizing archaeological, historical and documentary resources is conducted to identify, analyze and interpret the distribution of avian faunal remains to reveal patterns that reflect the production, use and disposal of bird species at the Lanier State Historic Site in Madison, Indiana. The materials are analyzed from a viable stratified sample from primary (i.e., poultry house, kitchen, yard areas) and secondary contexts for comparison. Analysis shows a correlation between primary contexts associated with areas of activities associated with the production, use and disposal of bird remains. Organizational behaviors relevant to small-scale poultry production, with a focus on chickens, are considered in order to explain connections between behaviors and the archaeologically recovered remains (material by-products of behavior). / Department of Anthropology