Comparative Breeding Behavior of Ammospiza caudacuta and A. maritimaWoolfenden, Glen Everett
Science
Comparative Breeding Behavior of Ammospiza caudacuta and A. maritima
Woolfenden, Glen Everett
Sparrows
Observations of marked individuals indicate that the Seaside Sparrow is
monogamous and territorial, whereas the Sharp-tailed Sparrow is
promiscuous, and at least the male is non-territorial. The male Seaside
Sparrow defends its territory by chasing and singing. The male
Sharp-tailed Sparrow confines itself to a breeding home range. This
range is not a territory; it is inhabited by several males. Female
Sharp-tailed Sparrows may be territorial; this is not certainly known.
The Seaside Sparrow sings louder, more distinctly, more often, and from
more exposed perches than does the Sharp-tailed Sparrow. These
characteristics seem to be correlated with territorial habits. Other
calls are described and their functions are discussed.
The Seaside Sparrow nests in marsh-elder bushes, or in areas of mixed
vegetation. The Sharp-tailed Sparrow prefers the inner, drier areas of
a marsh, where black grass is dominant. The Seaside Sparrow places its
nest farther above the ground than does the Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Both
species used only black grass in constructing the nest.
Copulation is described. The incubation period was not determined for
either species. Three or four eggs seem to be a normal clutch. Females
do all of the incubating.
The young remained in the nests nine to ten days. These nests, of
course were disturbed, for I visited them at least daily. The nestlings
of the Seaside Sparrow are fed by both parents. Male Sharp-tailed
Sparrows seem not to know the location of the nests and take no part in
rearing the young at least up to time of fledging. The natal down of
both species is described. Data on growth and behavior of the young are
presented.
Seaside Sparrows obtained most of their food from the shoreline of the
marsh, in areas of open mud and smooth cord-grass. The plumage of the
adult matches, in color, this mud. The Sharp-tailed Sparrow feeds
everywhere in the marsh, but mostly in areas of dense and matted black
grass. The plumage on the dorsum of this species is brown and streaked
resembling the dead grass. Juvenal Seaside Sparrows, which spend most
of their time concealed in the dense grass, resemble adult and juvenal
Sharp-tailed Sparrows in plumage. Sharp-tailed Sparrows molt completely
twice per year. The Seaside Sparrow molts but once per year. The
difference in number of molts, too, is correlated with habitat
preference, since the grassy forage habitat of the Sharp-tailed Sparrow
must result in greater abrasion of the plumage than does the open
feeding habitat of the Seaside Sparrow.
LITERATURE CITED
ALLEN, GLOVER M.
1925. Birds and their attributes. Marshall Jones Co., Boston,
Massachusetts. xiii + 338 pp., frontispiece, 45 pls., 6 figs.
CRUICKSHANK, ALLAN D.
1942. Birds around New York City, where and when to find them. The
American Museum of Natural History, Handbook Series, No. 13, New York.
xvii + 489 pp., frontispiece, 35 pls.
DWIGHT, JONATHAN
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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