Feathering the nest
Students study vireo habitat
George, Nancy
Issue date: 9/15/04 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
A research team from UD spent the summer at the Cedar Ridge Preserve in Duncanville studying how to bring the black-capped vireo back to its former habitat at the preserve.
Heather McWilliams, a team member, explained the "black-capped vireo is the 14th most endangered North American bird." This bird was last seen at the preserve in 1993.
Team members included Dr. Marcy Brown Marsden, associate biology professor; senior biology major John Rueda; sophomore biology major McWilliams; and '04 alum Annie Collins.
The team concentrated on studying the trees, the habitats of these vireos, since the birds are supposed to migrate to the preserve during the spring. Studying the trees included recording the different species of trees, the circumference of the trees, and the trees' distance from a specific point of which latitude and longitude was known of. This data was then calculated to determine frequency (the number of each tree species in a given area), density (the number of trees close to a specific point), and dominance (the size of the tree-the larger the tree, the more shade it provides).
Vireos usually return to the same site from year to year. Three common trees they inhabit include the Mexican Buckeye, Elbow Brush, and Shin Oak. In the areas the team studied, Texas Red Oaks proved to be most dominant. Though vireos prefer Shin Oaks, which are similar to Red Oaks, Red Oaks can be a habitat for the birds.
McWilliams explained the problems these vireos face in returning to the preserve include the facts that they lost their home, predators such as raccoons feed on these birds, cowbirds acting like "brood parasites" replace vireo eggs with their own, and "non-native fire ants...attack the nests and kill the babies."
McWilliams and Rueda said the most difficult aspect of this research project was the seemingly simple task of collecting data while walking through thorny bushes accompanied by bees and mosquitoes.
"I scratched my cornea!" Rueda said.
Heather McWilliams, a team member, explained the "black-capped vireo is the 14th most endangered North American bird." This bird was last seen at the preserve in 1993.
Team members included Dr. Marcy Brown Marsden, associate biology professor; senior biology major John Rueda; sophomore biology major McWilliams; and '04 alum Annie Collins.
The team concentrated on studying the trees, the habitats of these vireos, since the birds are supposed to migrate to the preserve during the spring. Studying the trees included recording the different species of trees, the circumference of the trees, and the trees' distance from a specific point of which latitude and longitude was known of. This data was then calculated to determine frequency (the number of each tree species in a given area), density (the number of trees close to a specific point), and dominance (the size of the tree-the larger the tree, the more shade it provides).
Vireos usually return to the same site from year to year. Three common trees they inhabit include the Mexican Buckeye, Elbow Brush, and Shin Oak. In the areas the team studied, Texas Red Oaks proved to be most dominant. Though vireos prefer Shin Oaks, which are similar to Red Oaks, Red Oaks can be a habitat for the birds.
McWilliams explained the problems these vireos face in returning to the preserve include the facts that they lost their home, predators such as raccoons feed on these birds, cowbirds acting like "brood parasites" replace vireo eggs with their own, and "non-native fire ants...attack the nests and kill the babies."
McWilliams and Rueda said the most difficult aspect of this research project was the seemingly simple task of collecting data while walking through thorny bushes accompanied by bees and mosquitoes.
"I scratched my cornea!" Rueda said.