Meeting Abstract

P2-130   -   The effects of habitat fragmentation on mobbing behaviors. Daniels, JT*; Chandler, CR; Georgia Southern University ; Georgia Southern University jd08551@georgiasouthern.edu

Habitat fragmentation has negative effects on bird species diversity, as well as reproductive success of some species. However, there is little comparative information on the effect it may have on bid behavior. For example, small forest fragments are likely to have fewer bird species and individuals. This may limit the success of mobbing as an antipredator behavior because mobbing success depends on recruiting other birds to the group. This possibility has never been tested. The objective of my study is to quantify the effects of forest size on mobbing behavior in forest-dwelling birds. We plan to test this by eliciting mobbing behaviors in 100 randomly selected forest patches ranging in size from 4 acres to over 1800 acres. Mobbing events will be elicited by displaying a plastic simile of an Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio) in the forest patch while broadcasting the recording of vocalizations. The mount and tape will remain in the habitat for 10 minutes and will be observed from location 20m away. These data will provide insight into how habitat fragmentation may affect the behavioral options available to forest birds. We will be able to test the possibility that a threshold forest size exists at which mobbing behaviors are lost from the repertoires of forest-dwelling birds.