Application of Geolocators on Canada Warblers (Cardellina canadensis) and Their Effect on Survival Probability

Peyton A. Caylor,* Stephanie H. Augustine, and Christopher T. Rota
Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6108

Presentation No.: 26

Assigned Category (Presentation Format): Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (Poster Presentations)

Student’s Major: Wildlife and Fisheries Resources Management

Canada Warblers are small neotropical migrant birds whose populations across most of their range are either declining or stable, except in West Virginia where they are increasing. Geolocators are archival light level detecting devices that were used to track the paths of migration and understand the birds’ wintering grounds conditions in relation to survival. Attaching geolocators have influenced behavior and survival according to previous research done on similar sized birds, so the Canada Warblers’ return probability may be affected by the geolocators. In 2020, we banded and placed geolocators on 32 Canada Warblers, and banded an additional 78 birds without geolocators. The following year, 13 out of the 32 (40.6%) geolocator birds and 37 out of the 78 (47.4%) color-banded birds were detected. Despite the geolocator return rate being lower, there was no significant difference between birds with and without geolocators (χ2 = 0.19428, p = 0.6594). Geolocators as a result will not affect the parameters of the survival model of the population, making this a non-detrimental method of tracking this small species.

Funding: McIntire-Stennis

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's SURE program (Rita Rio & Michelle Richards-Babb)