Golden-winged Warbler Habitat Model
go to:
USFWS
Gulf of Maine Watershed Habitat Analysis
go to:
Species
Table
Draft Date:
October, 2002
Species:
Golden-winged warbler, Vermivora chrysoptera
Use of Study Area Resources:
Reproduction. Golden-winged warblers "...nest in northeastern North Dakota
and southern Manitoba across Great Lakes region to New England, south to
southeastern Iowa, northern Indiana, eastern Kentucky, northern Georgia,
western Virginia, north-central Maryland, southeastern Pennsylvania, and
southern Connecticut (AOU 1983)" (Confer et al. 1992). Within the study area
they have recently been documented in southeastern New Hampshire and eastern
Massachusetts (Confer 1992b). Golden-winged warblers winter in Guatemala
to northern South America (DeGraaf and Rudis 1983).
Habitat Requirements:
Cover: Golden-winged warblers use "deciduous woodlands, usually in
dry uplands or areas of thick undergrowth in swampy areas" (Confer et al.
1992). They are found in early successional vegetation: old fields, power
line corridors, stream borders, alder and coniferous (spruce/tamarack) bogs
(Dunn and Garrett 1997). This species prefers damp, heavily vegetated fields
with clumps of shrubs, or deciduous forested or shrub swamps (DeGraaf and
Rudis 1983). Limited tree canopy cover appears to be important (Confer
and Knapp 1981), yet 'residual' trees within a clear-cut area, or a forested
edge adjoining a clearing is the preferred condition (Hunter et al. 2001).
"...territories usually have patches of herbs and shrubs, sparse tree cover,
and a wooded perimeter" (Confer 1992a). Confer and Knapp (1979) speculated
that golden-winged warblers seem to prefer wet areas but that these areas
actually are suitable because of the associated open character of the vegetation.
Frech and Confer (1987) noted that 10 of 12 golden-winged warbler
territories had large openings within them; mowed, bare ground or marsh.
Confer (1992) summarized the cover needs as: patches of herbs, shrub, and
scattered trees plus a forested edge. Nests are placed on or near the
ground and are well concealed by vegetation (Confer et al. 1992).
Blue-winged warblers appear to be replacing golden-winged warblers, particularly in the southern part of the golden-winged range (Dunn and Garrett 1997). Golden-winged warblers appear to require cover in an earlier stage of succession than blue-winged warblers, which is available for a shorter duration before becoming too mature (Confer and Knapp 1981).
Area: Habitat tracts of 10-50 ha can support several pairs and are preferred over both smaller and larger areas (Confer 1992a). Golden-winged warblers avoid patches < 2 ha, and use increases with area as patch size ranges from 12 to 40 ha (Buehler et al. unpublished in Hunter et al. 2001).
Foraging: Eats small bugs, larvae, spiders; feeds at terminal twigs of high branches (DeGraaf and Rudis 1983).
Model:
The Breeding Bird Atlas for Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts (courtesy
of the University of Vermont COOP Unit) was used to identify the range of
the golden-winged warbler within the study area. The range was delineated
by including all USDA Forest Service Ecological subunits (Keys et al. 1995)
in which warblers were known to occur. Habitat mapping then was restricted
to these areas.
The model first selected patches of upland and wetland shrub, powerline corridors, known oldfields, bare ground, and freshwater marsh (see table, below). These 'open' patches were filtered to discard areas smaller than 9 ha. To these patches were added deciduous and mixed forest cover immediately bordering the retained open patches. Open patches over 120 m from forest cover was rescored to half the value of that closer to forest types.
| NWI Designations
(wetlands only) |
Cover Types | Cover Suitability (0 - 1 scale) |
| Upland deciduous forest | 1.0* | |
| Upland coniferous forest | ||
| Upland mixed forest | 1.0* | |
| Grassland | ||
| Upland scrub/shrub | 1.0**, 0.5*** | |
| Cultivated | ||
| Developed | ||
| Bare ground | 1.0**, 0.5*** | |
| PEM, L2EM | Lake/pond, emergent vegetation | 1.0**, 0.5*** |
| PFOcon | Palustrine forest, conifer | |
| PFOdec | Palustrine forest, deciduous | 1.0* |
| PSSdec | Palustrine scrub shrub, deciduous | 1.0**, 0.5*** |
| PSScon | Palustrine scrub shrub, conifer | 1.0**, 0.5*** |
| PAB, L2AB | Lake/pond, aquatic vegetation | |
| L1UB, PUB | Lake/pond, unconsolidated bottom | |
| L2US | Lake, unconsolidated shore | |
| L2RS | Lake, rocky shore | |
| R1UB | Riverine subtidal unconsolidated | |
| Rper | Riverine perennial | |
| E1AB | Estuarine subtidal vegetated | |
| E1UB | Estuarine subtidal unconsolidated bottom | |
| E2AB | Estuarine intertidal algae | |
| E2EM | Estuarine intertidal emergent | |
| E2RS, R1RS | Estuarine, tidal river rocky shore | |
| E2SS | Estuarine intertidal shrub | |
| E2US | Estuarine intertidal unconsolidated shore | |
| M1AB | Marine subtidal vegetated | |
| M1UB | Marine subtidal unconsolidated bottom | |
| M2AB | Marine intertidal algae | |
| M2RS | Marine intertidal rocky shore | |
| M2US | Marine intertidal unconsolidated shore | |
| Old fields | 1.0**, 0.5*** |
|
| NOTES | *if adjoins open area (shrub, oldfield, or marsh) ** if part of open patch > 9 ha, <= 120 m from forest *** if part of open patch > 9 ha, > 120 m from forest |
Model testing: There are no recent Breeding Bird Survey occurrence data for this species in the study area. We compared the correspondence of habitat at Breeding Bird Atlas blocks in which golden-winged warblers occurred with that for a random set of these blocks within the range of this bird. Twenty three of the twenty four 'used' blocks had mapped habitat, while 87 of 102 random blocks had habitat. Mapped habitat was more frequent in used blocks, but the proportion was only significantly different at the 0.1 level (prob. < .057).
Sources:
Confer, J.L. 1992a. Golden-winged Warbler, Vermivora chrysoptera.
In A. Poole and F. Gill, (eds.) The Birds of North America, No.
20. The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American
Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
Confer, J.L. 1992b. Golden-winged Warbler, Vermivora chrysoptera. Pp. 353-367 in Schneider, K. J. and D. M. Pence (eds.) Migratory Nongame Birds of Management Concern in the Northeast. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Newton Corner, MA. 400p.
Confer, J.L.; G. Hammerson and D.W. Mehlman. 1992. Species Management Abstract: Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera). THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 2220; downloaded 10/01.
Confer, J.L. and K. Knapp. 1981. Golden-winged warblers and blue-winged warblers: the relative success of a habitat specialist and a generalist. Auk 98:108-114.
Confer, J.L. and K. Knapp. 1979. The changing proportion of blue-winged and golden-winged warblers in Tompkins County and their habitat selection. Kingbird 29:8-14.
DeGraaf, R.M. and D.D. Rudis. 1983. New England Wildlife: Habitat, Natural History and Distribution. USDA Technical Report NE-108. pp 126, 145, 310.
Dunn, J. L. and K.L. Garrett. 1997. A field guide to warblers of North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA. p 560-568.
Frech, M.H. and J.L. Confer. 1987. The golden-winged warbler: competition with the blue-winged warbler and habitat selection in portions of southern, central and northern New York. Kingbird 37:65-71.
Hunter, W.C., D.A. Buehler, R.A. Canterbury, J.L. Confer, and P.B. Hamel. 2001. Conservation of disturbance-dependent birds in eastern North America. Wildlife. Soc. Bull 29(2):440-455.
Keys, J.E., Jr., J.C. Carpenter, S. Hooks, F. Koenig, W.H. McNab, W. Russell and W. Smith. 1995. Ecological units of the eastern United States - first approximation (map and booklet of map unit tables), USDA Forest Service. Atlanta, GA.