Water depth influences survival and predator-specific patterns of nest loss in three secretive marsh bird species.

ABSTRACT: Wetlands have become increasingly rare in the United States, negatively influencing wetland-dependent birds, and many remaining wetlands are intensively managed through seasonal dewatering mimicking historic flood pulses during spring and summer. However, water around nests may provide protection from terrestrial predators, and lowering water levels during the breeding season of wetland birds may increase predation risk and exacerbate marsh bird population declines. Understanding interactions between water depth, nesting marsh birds, and nest predators is critical to aid managers in developing a multi-species management approach in emergent wetlands. During the 2020 and 2021 breeding seasons, we examined nest survival of 148 marsh bird nests (American Coot, Fulica americana, n

SUBMITTER: Schmidt SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10714062 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature