This study examines the effects of age and sex of field sparrow parents on feeding rates and prey size delivered to nestlings. The researchers hypothesize that older, more experienced birds will bring larger prey and visit nests more frequently. Nests are located at the Chester River Field Research Station and parents are banded to identify their age and sex. Video cameras record feeding visits to analyze feeding rates in relation to nestling age and number. Preliminary results show that feeding rate increases with nestling age and more feedings with more nestlings. Challenges include birds not tolerating cameras and difficulty identifying color bands.

2.  Song bird of eastern North
America
 Breeds in second growth
scrub
 Not yet considered
threatened, but the
species is in decline across
its range
Field Sparrows
Spizella pusilla

3.  What effect, if any, does
the age and sex of field
sparrow parents have on
feeding rate and prey size?
 How do combined ages of
both parents affect
reproductive effort and
success?
Our Primary Questions

4.  Older, more experienced birds
will bring larger prey items and
visit the nest more frequently
 We will know the exact age of the
birds, rather than just hatch year
versus second year or older
 Females will visit more frequently
than males
Hypotheses

5.  Studies on house sparrow
nestlings and prey size in relation
to survival rate
 No prior research has
determined if age/experience has
an effect on feeding
 Increase knowledge and improve
management policies
Relevance of this Study

6.  Found in the grasslands of the
Chester River Field Research Station
at Chino Farms
 Search grasslands using binoculars
and spotting scope
 Most interested in finding non-
singing males and females
 Look for feeding patterns (ex. a bird
flying between the forest edge and a
specific grassy patch)
Methods:
Locating Nests

7.  Nets are set up near known
nests or territories
 Song is played to draw
males in
 Females usually only caught
when coming or going from
nest
Methods:
Targeted Mist Netting

8.  Birds caught in the mist nets
are given federal bands and
color bands
 Color pattern is specific to
that bird for identification
purposes
 Left leg band tells the bird’s
gender
 Federal bands are
numbered, the numbers can
be used to look up the bird’s
age
Methods:
Banding

9. Methods:
Banding Young Birds
 Nestlings are banded 2-3
days before fledging
 Birds are also measured and
weighed
 This information is recorded
for future studies and for
tracking the birds
 Feather sticking out of shaft
also measured in young birds
to tell age

10.  Set up cameras near nest sites for at least 2 hour time
frames
 Records all visits the parents make to the nest
 Later, we used the band colors to determine whether
the male or female parent is visiting more frequently
and what prey sizes are being delivered
 The federal band number is used to find the age of
both parents
Methods:
Video Analysis

11. Video Analysis Examples
YRYX
WYTX

12. Preliminary Results: Ages of Mates
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
0 1 2 3 4 5
FemaleAgeCategory(years)
Male Age Category (years)

13. Preliminary Results: Age of Nestlings
in Relation to Number of Feedings
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 2 4 6 8 10
Total#ofFeedings
Nestling Age (days)

14. Preliminary Results: Feeding Rate in
Relation to Number of Nestlings
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
TotalNumberofFeedings
Number of Nestlings

15.  Birds do not like the cameras
 Nests are difficult to find
 Can not predict which side the
parents will enter a nest from
 Color bands are often difficult to
make out
 Predation and Brood Parasitism
Challenges

16. Barba E, Atiénzar F, Marín M, Monrós JS, Gil-Delgado JA. Patterns of
nestling provisioning by a single-prey loader bird, Great Tit. Bird Study.
2009;56(2):187-197.
Best LB. Territory quality and mating success in the Field Sparrow
(Spizella pusilla). The Condor. 1977;79(2):192.
Carey, Michael D., Dirk E. Burhans, and D. A. Nelson. Field sparrow:
Spizella pusilla. Washington, D.C.: American Ornithologists' Union ;, 1994.
Carey M. Effects of brood size and nestling age on parental care of male
Field Sparrows (Spizella pusilla). The Auk. 1990;107:580-586.
Evans EW. Nesting responses of Field Sparrows (Spizella pusilla) to plant
succession on a Michigan old field. The Condor. 1978;80:34-40.
References

17. Evans EW. The nesting response of Field and Chipping Sparrows (Spizella
pusilla and Spizella passerina) to plant succession in an old field in
southeastern Michigan. Master Thesis. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University; 1976.
Goodbred CO, Holmes RT. Factors effecting food provisioning of nestling Black-
Throated Blue Warblers. The Wilson Bulletin. 1996:467-479.
Grasslands Restoration [Internet]. Chestertown (MD): Chester River Field
Research Station; c2014 [updated 2014 Jun 3]. Available from:
http://www.washcoll.edu/centers/ces/crfrs/grassland-restoration.php
Poole AF, Stettenheim PR, Gill FB, Carey M, Burhans DE, Nelson DA. Field
Sparrow Spizella Pusilla. In: The Birds of North America life histories for the
21st century. Washington, D.C.: American Ornithologists' Union; 1994. p. 1-19.
Schwagmeyer Pl, Mock DW. Parental provisioning and offspring fitness: size
matters. Animal Behaviour. 2008;75(1):291-298.
Vickery, Peter D.. Grasshopper sparrow: Ammodramus savannarum.
Washington, DC: American Ornithologists' Union ;, 1996.
References (cont.)