Mapping Avian Productivity
and Survivorship (MAPS)

Summer 2001

The tenth season of the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship program was carried out in 2001. The first fledgling seen at this site was a bit of a letdown. It turned out the bird a Magnolia Warbler was busy feeding was in fact a Brown-headed Cowbird. The Magnolia Warbler is a species increasingly being parasitized by cowbirds.
A new bird heard early around the MAPS site was a Black-billed Cuckoo. It is unknown if this bird actually bred in this site or was just taking advantage of the plentiful amount of forest tent caterpillars - one of their preferred snacks.
Of special note, regarding the capture of an 8-year-old Magnolia Warbler last spring. From available literature it would appear that this bird is a longevity record for this species!

Year 2000

The Thunder Cape MAPS site was monitored between June 11 and August 8, 2000. Thirty-five birds were banded with 8 recaptures or birds banded in previous years. Capture numbers were low and White-throated Sparrows were noticeably absent from from the MAPS are this year.
An interesting recapture was of a Magnolia Warbler originally banded as a second year female in 1993, making her 8 years old! Her plumage is also unique. From plumage alone this bird would appear to be a male but possessed a well developed brood patch. It is not uncommon for an older female to look like a young male, but this case appears to be an extreme.

The Thunder Cape MAPS site was run again in 1999. Full coverage was achieved this year with six sessions between 11 June and 3 August, inclusive. Very few birds were caught. Of the 40 individuals captured, 28 were new birds, 7 were returns (banded at the MAPS station in previous years), and 5 birds had been banded at the migration monitoring station in previous years. Both the number of birds caught and the capture rate (50 captures, 0.14 captured per net-hour) were the lowest to date (excluding the limited coverage in 1994) All capture data for 1999 and previous years are shown in the Table.

The number of Swainson's Thrushes banded and returning has been fairly stable over time whereas fewer American Redstarts, Magnolia Warblers and White-throated Sparrows were caught this year. As usual only a few young birds were caught (only 4 birds total were captured during the last two sessions when young birds are expected). During the six sessions at the MAPS site, a total of 47 species were detected, of which 20 species were thought to be breeding onsite this year. Only a small portion of the birds present are captured.

The following table lists new birds banded in 1999, previously banded birds caught in 1999, and the number of birds caught in previous years.

¹banded at the migration monitoring station in 1998.
²includes 1 bird banded at the migration monitoring station in 1995, 3 birds banded on site in 1998 and 2 in 1996.
³includes 1 birds banded at the migration monitoring site in 1995 and another in 1998, and 1 bird banded on site in 1998.
⁴banded at the migration monitoring site in 1998.
⁵banded on site in 1998.

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