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Title: Nest-site selection by sage thrashers in southeastern Idaho. [Oreoscoptes montanus]

Abstract

Nest sites selected by Sage Thrashers (Oreoscoptes montanus) were characterized and compared with available habitat. The study area, consisting of 25 ha of sagebrush shrubsteppe on the upper Snake River plain 11 km south of Howe, Idaho, is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). Microhabitats within 5 m of nests had taller and more aggregated shrubs and less bare ground than the study area in general. Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata wyomingensis) plants used for nesting were taller than average available shrubs, had greater foliage density, were more often living, and more frequently had branches and foliage within 30 cm of the ground. Nest placement was specific with respect to relative nest height and distance from the top and perimeter of the support shrub. Sage Thrashers disproportionately used easterly exposures and underused westerly exposures for their nests.

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Monmouth College, IL (United States)
  2. Iowa State Univ., Ames (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
6918146
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Great Basin Naturalist; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 51:3; Journal ID: ISSN 0017-3614
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; BIRDS; ECOLOGY; HABITAT; IDAHO; IDAHO NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY; NESTS; PLANTS; SHRUBS; ANIMALS; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; FEDERAL REGION X; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; NORTH AMERICA; US DOE; US ERDA; US ORGANIZATIONS; USA; VERTEBRATES; 540210* - Environment, Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (1990-)

Citation Formats

Petersen, K L, and Best, L B. Nest-site selection by sage thrashers in southeastern Idaho. [Oreoscoptes montanus]. United States: N. p., 1991. Web.
Petersen, K L, & Best, L B. Nest-site selection by sage thrashers in southeastern Idaho. [Oreoscoptes montanus]. United States.
Petersen, K L, and Best, L B. 1991. "Nest-site selection by sage thrashers in southeastern Idaho. [Oreoscoptes montanus]". United States.
@article{osti_6918146,
title = {Nest-site selection by sage thrashers in southeastern Idaho. [Oreoscoptes montanus]},
author = {Petersen, K L and Best, L B},
abstractNote = {Nest sites selected by Sage Thrashers (Oreoscoptes montanus) were characterized and compared with available habitat. The study area, consisting of 25 ha of sagebrush shrubsteppe on the upper Snake River plain 11 km south of Howe, Idaho, is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). Microhabitats within 5 m of nests had taller and more aggregated shrubs and less bare ground than the study area in general. Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata wyomingensis) plants used for nesting were taller than average available shrubs, had greater foliage density, were more often living, and more frequently had branches and foliage within 30 cm of the ground. Nest placement was specific with respect to relative nest height and distance from the top and perimeter of the support shrub. Sage Thrashers disproportionately used easterly exposures and underused westerly exposures for their nests.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6918146}, journal = {Great Basin Naturalist; (United States)},
issn = {0017-3614},
number = ,
volume = 51:3,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991},
month = {Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991}
}