Thesis (M.S.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2006. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jay Rotella. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-71).

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Vocal communication is central to the coordination of social behavior in many vertebrate species, and it has been particularly well studied in songbirds, which use their songs in different contexts to convey information about the singer or its environment (Catchpole and Slater 2008; Alger et al. 2016). While it is widely accepted that the songs of oscine passerine birds (the songbirds) have two main social functions: intrasexual competition, and courtship (Catchpole and Slater 2008), the evolution of large and complex song repertoires remains an evolutionary puzzle (Byers and Kroodsma 2009). The question is: why do some songbird species produce an elaborate vocal repertoire, while other species carry out courtship and competition with a far smaller and simpler repertoire? In this thesis I examine the adaptive value (social function) of song in malemale competition with an eye toward understanding how intrasexual selection may have driven the elaboration of the male Bachman’s sparrow (Peucea aestivalis) vocal repertoire. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2002. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-128). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-139).

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 27-33). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Grassland bird species have declined more than birds of any other region in North America, and industrial development may exert additional pressure on these species. I evaluated the effects of natural gas infrastructure on the relative abundances of grassland songbirds in southeastern Alberta, Canada using point counts at sites with well densities ranging from 0 to 20 per 1×1 mile. Generalized Linear Mixed Models were used to evaluate effects of infrastructure on birds, and parsimonious models were selected using Akaike’s Information Criterion. Vegetation near infrastructure was shorter and sparser than locations farther away, but was unlikely to have driven responses to infrastructure by birds. Gas wells may have acted as “artificial shrubs” attracting species such as vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) and western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) that use vegetation for perching, while other species, such as Sprague’s pipit (Anthus spragueii) and chestnut-collared longspur (Calcarius ornatus), had higher abundances farther from wells.

Grassland bird species have declined more than birds of any other region in North America, and industrial development may exert additional pressure on these species. I evaluated the effects of natural gas infrastructure on the relative abundances of grassland songbirds in southeastern Alberta, Canada using point counts at sites with well densities ranging from 0 to 20 per 1×1 mile. Generalized Linear Mixed Models were used to evaluate effects of infrastructure on birds, and parsimonious models were selected using Akaike’s Information Criterion. Vegetation near infrastructure was shorter and sparser than locations farther away, but was unlikely to have driven responses to infrastructure by birds. Gas wells may have acted as “artificial shrubs” attracting species such as vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) and western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) that use vegetation for perching, while other species, such as Sprague’s pipit (Anthus spragueii) and chestnut-collared longspur (Calcarius ornatus), had higher abundances farther from wells.