Biology Faculty Research and Publications

Confirmation of Successful Chestnut-Sided Warbler Breeding in South-Central Indiana

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Volume

124

Issue

1

First Page

38

Last Page

42

Abstract

Reported here is the first documented successful chestnut-sided warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) breeding attempt in south-central Indiana in 20 years. Although small breeding populations have historically utilized available habitat in the southern half of the state, Indiana birders have only recorded 22 chestnut-sided warbler sightings in this region during the breeding season (June—July) over the last 35 years. Constant-effort mist-netting was used to monitor six, 7-year-old clearcuts in the Morgan Monroe and Yellowwood State Forests (Morgan and Brown counties, IN) during the summer of 2015. Over the course of the breeding season, 16 chestnut-sided warblers: seven males, five females (four with a brood patch indicating breeding attempts), and four hatch-year birds (indicating successful breeding) were banded. In addition to one other report of confirmed breeding in northern Indiana (Miami County), this is the only confirmed chestnut-sided warbler breeding population in the state within the last decade. Breeding of chestnut-sided warblers in 2015 demonstrates the value of maintaining some early successional habitat in southern Indiana landscapes.

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