Advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) is essential for effective and ethical bird research and conservation across the culturally and linguistically rich Neotropical region. We are witnessing increased attention in academia and ornithology toward recognizing the leadership, contributions, and innovation of historically, persistently, and systemically marginalized (HPSM) groups, even as such recognition remains incomplete and uneven across institutions and regions. This shift underscores the critical role of diverse voices in shaping a more inclusive and just scientific community—where representation and equity are not only values but drivers of progress in research, conservation, and education. We present six initiatives that have advanced DEIB in Neotropical ornithology. These efforts demonstrate tangible progress through strategies such as awareness raising, targeted recruitment and support for HPSM groups, inclusive leadership and mentoring, partnership development, and the creation and strengthening of collaborative networks. They also emphasize the meaningful inclusion of Indigenous peoples, local communities, community scientists, and birdwatching guides—groups whose knowledge and participation are vital to the future of ornithology. These initiatives reflect meaningful progress and offer a hopeful vision for a more inclusive and equitable future in ornithology, one where collaboration, representation, and shared leadership drive lasting change.
. Bird collisions resulting from the increase of transparent structures associated with urbanization are recognized as a significant factor contributing to the decline of bird populations, and various strategies have been proposed to mitigate these incidents. However, scientific verification of the effectiveness of each pattern in preventing impacts on a global scale remains limited, with results differing across regions. We developed an indoor bird collision tunnel testing system that controls external variables to quantitatively evaluate the avoidance efficacy of 10 distinct samples using wild birds native to East Asian migratory routes. Initially, a comparative analysis of avoidance rates between a conventional raptor pattern and a modified raptor pattern where the raptor shape was inverted and affixed revealed no statistically significant differences. This finding suggests that birds do not perceive raptor silhouettes as genuine threats. Furthermore, brick-shaped sheets exhibited the highest avoidance rates, whereas dot patterns showed a wide range of avoidance rates depending on the experimental conditions. Avoidance rates did not differ significantly across the specific colors and shapes tested, with neither factor achieving statistical significance. Although pattern size did not produce statistically significant effects, avoidance rates tended to increase with larger dot size. Conversely, pattern spacing demonstrated a statistically significant inverse correlation with avoidance rates, whereby closer spacing resulted in increased avoidance. Products exhibiting avoidance rates above 70% in tunnel tests were considered effective, establishing a standardized threshold score of 70 for collision mitigation. Furthermore, the application of two types of samples (5 & times;5 cm, silver, square, 8 mm; and 5 & times;5 cm, white, square, 8 mm) that surpassed the baseline score on outdoor sound barriers resulted in a statistically significant reduction in bird collision frequency post-installation compared to pre-installation. This research experimentally reconfirms the limitations of raptor silhouettes and concurrently proposes effective patterns for mitigating bird collisions on the extensive transparent sound barriers commonly found in East Asia.
Determining the breeding period origins of migratory waterfowl that occupy high-latitude, remote areas is challenging, yet key given that annual breeding population surveys are the predominant source of waterfowl population monitoring data to guide effective management. We integrated telemetry and stable-isotope (δ 2 H) datasets to estimate breeding period origins of Greater Scaup ( Aythya marila ), an Arctic- and subarctic-breeding diving duck and declining species for which limited information is available on breeding areas and phenology. Specifically, we deployed satellite transmitters on non-breeding Greater Scaup in Rhode Island, USA ( n = 10) and the lower Laurentian Great Lakes of North America ( n = 6) and collected feathers from these same individuals plus others captured or harvested at both locations ( n = 29 and 31, respectively). Using these data, we (1) compared breeding period origins and phenology of telemetry-marked individuals from the two non-breeding sites; (2) demonstrated that telemetry-derived breeding period locales can be used to refine likely breeding and molt origin assignments derived from feather stable isotopes; (3) identified differences in likely breeding origins for the two non-breeding sites; and (4) compared likely breeding versus molting origins for the Rhode Island non-breeding site. The breeding period phenology and distributions of Greater Scaup that we document do not align well with the timing or stratification of the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey, specifically in northern Quebec, Nunavut, and Alaska. Further, for waterfowl species that breed in remote habitats that are logistically challenging to access, the integration of telemetry and feather isotope information as outlined here provides a promising approach for delineating breeding and molting origins for distinct non-breeding subpopulations. Thus, our approach, when applied to larger samples, could effectively inform waterfowl monitoring programs and address conservation challenges for high-latitude breeding migratory birds.
The umbrella species concept is a popular management approach based on the assumption that conserving one species benefits others, yet assessments beyond abundance often reveal mismatches in benefits to non-target species. We compared the density, territory size, and key metrics of seasonal reproductive success for Prairie Warbler ( Setophaga discolor , hereafter PRAW) between study sites that differed in relative likelihood of selection (RLS) as determined for American Woodcock ( Scolopax minor , hereafter AMWO), a proposed umbrella species for early successional habitat in eastern North America. Sites with higher AMWO RLS had higher densities of singing male PRAW, which in turn defended smaller territories. Nest survival of PRAW, and the probability of Brown-headed Cowbird ( Molothrus ater , hereafter BHCO) parasitism were not related to AMWO RLS, but parasitized nests in high RLS sites fledged smaller nestlings compared to parasitized nests in low RLS sites. If reduced growth rates negatively impact post fledging survival, then PRAW nesting in these high RLS areas would recruit fewer individuals than those nesting in low RLS areas. Even though density of PRAW was greater at sites with high AMWO RLS, PRAW did not fully benefit from forest management aimed at AMWO in Rhode Island, USA in that metrics of reproductive success were lower at sites with high AMWO RLS in part because of BHCO parasitism.
Partners in Flight (PIF) has been publishing population estimates for landbirds in Canada and the United States since 2004. These estimates have been widely used in support of species status assessments, conservation planning, and communicating the status of bird populations. However, broad uncertainty around many estimates and potential biases due to gaps in geographic and temporal coverage have partly limited their applicability. Determining the absolute size of wild bird populations requires adequate survey data and appropriately complex modeling of detection probability to transform field observations into estimates of density. We have developed an updated approach that integrates data-derived estimates of detectability for hundreds of species, range-wide relative abundance surfaces, and spatial information from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) into a formal Bayesian model. This improved method combines important elements of the existing PIF population estimates framework with a large database of structured observations that allow formal detectability estimates (NA-POPS), the hierarchical Bayesian count-based trend models applied to the BBS data, and high-resolution spatially explicit estimates of relative abundance from eBird. It calibrates the relative abundance surface of a species to represent its density on the landscape and thereby can generate population estimates, with associated uncertainties, for any custom area. This model also generates population estimates for a single year, improving on the previous estimates that were averaged over 10 years. This new method works well for territorial songbirds and other species effectively monitored using point count field methods and observations during the early morning hours. Other species such as colonially nesting birds, crepuscular or nocturnal species, and species with highly specific habitat requirements, will require further model refinement. PIF will use this revised model to publish estimates of population sizes for North American birds and will continue to improve the model in an open and reproducible way.
Despite the widespread loss of Neotropical grasslands and wetlands, some specialist bird species persist in agroecosystems that retain seminatural or natural grassland patches. The Bearded Tachuri ( Polystictus pectoralis , Tyrannidae) is a migratory tall-grassland specialist primarily threatened by habitat loss due to agricultural expansion, yet the structure and composition of its breeding areas remain poorly characterized. We modeled Bearded Tachuri’s probability of occurrence and mapped critical breeding habitats by associating presence-absence data with environmental characteristics at local and landscape scales, recorded across a gradient of land uses (from agroecosystems to pristine grassland relicts) in central eastern Argentina. Our results indicate that the number of vegetation strata, along with the cover of shrubland and Sporobolus grasslands, are key environmental factors shaping Bearded Tachuri’s habitat selection. The species showed a clear preference for areas where these factors spatially converge and preferred pristine relicts over agroecosystems. In conclusion, the Bearded Tachuri is strongly associated with spatial heterogeneity in grassland and wetland communities, selectively using vegetation types and landscape types based on structure and composition, respectively. Given its specific habitat preferences and sensitivity to vegetation structure, the Bearded Tachuri could serve as an umbrella species, with the conservation of its habitat benefiting other co-occurring grassland specialists.
. Habitat loss and degradation may directly affect prey species; however, the influence of fragmentation on their predators may impose indirect negative effects on prey that vary across space and time. In Wisconsin, USA, Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) persist in fragmented landscapes that potentially impose indirect negative demographic consequences. Thus, we investigated the spatiotemporal effects of landscape characteristics on Greater Prairie-Chicken nest survival. We monitored 62 radio-marked female Greater Prairie-Chickens throughout the breeding seasons of 2014 and 2015. We used 70 nests to evaluate nest survival across a 65-d nesting season. We then constructed a priori models and compared them using an information-theoretic approach to investigate the effects of spatial characteristics on nest daily survival rates and the diel timing of nest failure at edge and patch levels. Although we observed considerable model uncertainty, contrary to our prediction, nest daily survival appeared to decline with increasing edge distance, regardless of edge type (1 = -0.15 +/- 0.08; [85% CIs = -0.03, -0.37]), declining by ca. 15% for every additional 100 m increase in distance from an edge. Moreover, nest failures were more likely to occur during the combined crepuscular-nocturnal hours closer to an edge whereas the probability of diurnal nest failure increased by ca. 69% for every 100 m increase in edge distance (1 = 0.69 +/- 0.27; [85% CIs = 0.3, 1.8]). Collectively, we observed patterns of daily nest survival and failure times with respect to edge features suggesting important nest predators may vary across space and diel periods. Future research enabling nest predator identification across several years may improve conservation efforts for Greater Prairie-Chickens in Wisconsin.
Predation at breeding colonies poses a major threat to many seabirds, especially burrow-nesting species such as Leach’s Storm-Petrel ( Hydrobates leucorhous ), which has experienced widespread declines in Atlantic Canada. Monitoring predator activity at remote colonies is challenging, particularly during late-season periods, when researcher presence is limited and chicks remain vulnerable. We used motion-triggered camera traps to monitor predator presence and behavior at a Leach’s Storm-Petrel colony on Country Island, Nova Scotia, Canada over two full breeding seasons (2023 and 2024). Due to weather and logistical constraints, it has previously been impossible to monitor the colony through the end of the breeding season in October. The research field season typically spans early May to late July, after which researchers depart the island. Cameras deployed across three wooded regions of the colony captured > 120,000 images, which were annotated to identify predator taxa and quantify spatial and temporal variation in activity patterns. The primary large predators detected were corvids (mostly Common Raven, Corvus corax ) and American river otters ( Lontra canadensis ). We modeled the probability of occurrence of researchers, petrels, and predators using binomial generalized linear mixed models with year, period (during and post-field season), and region as predictors. Corvid presence was considerably higher in 2024, peaking post-field season in the West woods, where an increased number of confirmed predation events by ravens occurred in 2024. Otter detections were more common post-field season in both years, but were higher in 2024. In contrast, petrel presence was generally higher in 2023, with fewer detections post-field season in 2024, especially in the West woods. Additional potential predators were infrequently detected, including American mink ( Neogale vison ), American Herring Gull ( Larus argentatus ), multiple species of birds of prey and heron, as well as frequent detections of European meadow vole ( Microtus pennsylvanicus ). These results demonstrate that camera traps can effectively quantify predator communities, detect interannual and seasonal patterns in activity, and identify spatial hotspots of predation pressure at remote seabird colonies. The method’s ability to monitor both predator and prey presence year-round provides a scalable, low-disturbance tool for informing conservation actions for vulnerable burrow-nesting seabirds.
Measurable objectives are a foundation of adaptive conservation planning. The Partners In Flight (PIF) Landbird Conservation Plan (2016) established short- and longer-term population trend objectives for 86 bird species considered to be of high conservation concern in Canada and the continental United States (PIF “Watch List” species). We evaluated progress toward achieving these objectives for 61 species with sufficient data to model. We used population trajectory estimates from broad-scale monitoring to project recent population trends forward in time and to compare against the short- (10-year) and longer-term (30-year) PIF objectives to assess whether trends are tracking toward achieving these objectives. Our approach propagates the uncertainty of the estimated population trajectories derived from various data sources into the projected trends. We built an R package (birdtrends) that provides a streamlined, reproducible and customizable workflow for estimating how trend projections compare to measurable objectives. Trend projections appear likely to meet the short-term trend objectives for 22 species, while 28 species appear likely to miss their short-term objectives. Trajectories for the remaining 11 species included projections with a wide distribution over both positive and negative outcomes and thus were considered uncertain. Trend projections over the longer-term were highly variable for most species, resulting in uncertainty in longer-term assessments. Thus it appears that for some species there has been progress toward achieving short-term PIF population trend objectives but more conservation investment, effort and collaboration is likely required to achieve short- and longer-term objectives for most species.
Understanding population responses to environmental change is critical for assessing vulnerability, resilience, and habitat management needs. We assessed Henslow's Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii) abundance and breeding productivity in an isolated North Carolina grassland (1149 ha) that transitioned from unmanaged to fire-managed during 2011-2024. Fire management was initiated in 2016, where approximately 1/3 of the grassland is burned annually in late summer on a rotating basis, resulting in a full burn cycle of roughly three years. We used hierarchical distance sampling models to estimate the change in Henslow's Sparrow abundance before and after fire management from point count data (45-50 locations surveyed annually). Estimated average abundances (i.e., expected number of singing male sparrows per site) significantly increased from 1.387 individuals per survey location pre-management (95% credible interval [CI]: 0.822-2.267) to 3.124 post-management (CI: 2.235-4.385), resulting in annual population sizes ranging from 56 singing male sparrows in 2012 (CI: 36-85), to 411 in 2022 (CI: 342-498). From 2022 to 2023, average brood size was 3.148 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.637-3.659) and survival probability for a 24-day nesting cycle was 0.693 (CI: 0.369-0.897). Apparent nesting success was 70-89%, much higher than reported in previous studies (19-62%). Increased abundance post-management indicates that Henslow's Sparrows are responding positively to the use of prescribed fire, while the estimated rates of breeding productivity indicate the species likely has the capacity to sustain the local population. This study provides baseline information for managers to monitor population status, while laying the foundation to identify regulatory mechanisms and gauge the effectiveness of the current fire management strategy in maintaining an isolated population of Henslow's Sparrows.
The prairies of western Canada support a diversity of resident and migratory grassland bird species. However, North America’s grassland bird populations have declined steeply over the last century because of widespread agricultural conversion of grassland habitat, and rangeland degradation. Cattle grazing is a primary land use of remaining grassland habitat in the northern Great Plains. Grazing regimes influence the structure and quality of habitat for grassland birds, depending on variation in the timing, intensity, and frequency of grazing. Although adaptive multi-paddock grazing (characterized by high-intensity, short-duration grazing pulses followed by long recovery periods between grazing events) is growing in popularity, few studies have examined bird community composition and diversity in relation to adaptive grazing practices. We conducted 434 point counts across 54 ranches (in matched adaptive versus conventional pairs) to survey bird communities using visual and acoustic detection. In addition to the adaptive/conventional (neighboring properties under conventional grazing management) contrast, we used detailed grazing information to evaluate the influence of specific practices on bird communities, including variation in stocking rate, animal stock density, rest-to-grazing ratio, and the start of the grazing season. Overall, we found no significant differences in bird community composition and diversity between adaptively and conventionally grazed grasslands. Moreover, our model results suggest that land cover type had considerably more influence on bird communities than grazing management. Our findings underscore the widely accepted view that grassland birds need ample and heterogeneous grasslands and that a diversity of grazing practices may be needed to accomplish that depending on local conditions. Future studies should examine how specific grazing strategies interact with local and landscape context to influence habitat structure and bird responses.
. Isolated, sedentary species with low population densities are at increased risk of population declines because of habitat disturbances relative to common, widely distributed species. The American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis) population in the Black Hills of South Dakota is of conservation concern because of its geographic isolation, sedentary behavior, and association with relatively small, patchily distributed, white spruce (Picea glauca) habitats. The presence of sufficient suitable foraging habitat may positively affect fitness in birds, but because few foraging studies exist for American Three-toed Woodpeckers, and none have occurred in the Black Hills, understanding foraging habitat needs is critical for management and conservation planning for this isolated population. During the breeding seasons of 2006-2008 we recorded foraging observations of American Three-toed Woodpeckers in the Black Hills and examined foraging substrate preferences by comparing foraging substrate use to availability using initial and sequential observations of individual focal birds. We found that American Three-toed Woodpeckers foraged on large living and dead white spruce and large ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) trees in higher proportion than their availability and on small living spruce and pine in lower proportion than their availability. Foraging event durations were longer on large spruce snags than on other tree species, size, and status (living or dead) categories. These results suggest that mature white spruce forests, and especially those with large living and dead white spruce trees, are important foraging habitats for the American Three-toed Woodpecker during the breeding season in the Black Hills. Recent proposed, but subsequently withdrawn, forest management plans that would have reduced white spruce forest extent in the Black Hills would likely have negative impacts on foraging resources for this bird species of regional conservation concern.
The Southern Mountain population of the Western Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens auricollis) was designated as endangered in the south Okanagan Valley in Canada following extensive destruction of riparian breeding habitat over the previous century. Habitat restoration efforts began in 2001 and monitoring efforts were undertaken concurrently to identify threats to the persistence of the small remnant population. Putative threats included habitat degradation leading to low breeding female abundance and high rates of brood parasitism. Using 20 years of demographic data, we retrospectively quantified the influence of parasitism and density dependence on fertility and immigration. We then conducted a population viability analysis and projected extinction and quasi-extinction probabilities (falling below 20 breeding pairs), and probabilities of reaching the study region's carrying capacity 25 years into the future under six scenarios. Specifically, we tested changing rates of brood parasitism and of reproductive failure as could result from natural habitat succession, livestock grazing, urban development, or agricultural expansion. We simulated changes to adult survival rates, as might occur with climate change and extreme weather along migration routes. Simulated changes to parasitism rates did not produce significant changes in the risk of extinction or quasi-extinction, although parasitism significantly reduced fertility rates among individual nests. Simulating 20% and 40% increases to reproductive failure rates to reflect pressures from habitat degradation suppressed population growth rates and delayed or prevented the population from reaching the regional carrying capacity. There was an 8.9% chance of quasi-extinction by 2046 when adult survival rates were depressed by 20%. Overall, future management efforts would be more effectively allocated to riparian habitat restoration and protection to suppress reproductive failure rates, while mitigating direct anthropogenic threats to adults may also yield benefits for this Southern Mountain Chat population.
. Knowledge of factors that influence nest survival can inform effective conservation management for imperiled avian species. Habitat availability and quality are common priorities of conservation efforts, and climate and interspecific associations can also affect survival rates. In the lower Platte River system of eastern Nebraska, USA, Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus, hereafter plovers) nest on river sandbars and different types of human-created off-river sites (i.e., sand and gravel mines, housing developments, and transitional sites) that are unique within the Northern Great Plains breeding population. However, off-river habitat may not be suitable for plover nesting long-term because of reduced habitat availability on both river sandbars and off-river sites. We evaluated plover nest survival at off-river and sandbar sites using data from 2008 to 2023 (n = 285). In addition, we examined the effects of extreme temperatures, proximity to conspecific and Interior Least Tern (Sternula antillarum athalassos, hereafter tern) nests, and temporal factors on nest survival. Plover nest survival did not differ between off-river sites and sandbars or amongst different off-river site types. Daily nest survival was 0.9818 (95% CI = 0.9729-0.9878) from 2008 to 2013 (unexclosed; n = 87) and 0.9950 (0.9918-0.9970) from 2014 to 2023 (exclosed; n = 198). Nest survival increased with the proportion of above average temperature days, increased with proximity to neighboring tern nests, and decreased with later nest initiation dates. Therefore, prioritizing early season nests, recognizing the benefits terns provide to plover nest survival, and monitoring the effect of climatic trends may aid future conservation efforts. Finally, as nest survival at off-river sites is comparable to sandbars, the predicted decline of habitat provided at off-river sites may reduce the overall breeding productivity and abundance of plovers in the lower Platte River system with ramifications to broader population viability.
. Aerial insectivores are experiencing rapid population declines worldwide, with the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), a long-distance migratory species, declining at an alarming rate across its wide breeding range. Despite extensive study elsewhere, data on Barn Swallow ecology remain scarce in India, especially in the Himalaya, which constitutes the southern extent of its breeding range in South Asia. This study documents the diet of Barn Swallow nestlings across rural and urban settlements in the Uttarakhand Himalaya. In 2023, faecal samples of nestlings from four breeding sites (two rural and two urban) were collected to examine dietary composition, and simultaneously, aerial insects were sampled at one rural and one urban site to document prey availability. A total of 240 faecal samples were collected and analyzed, wherein six invertebrate orders were identified - Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, Isoptera, and Odonata, in decreasing order of their occurrence. The prey composition between rural and urban settlements differed significantly (R2 = 0.17, F = 49.18, p = 0.001). There was no significant temporal variation in prey composition over the course of the breeding season (R2 = 0.0084, F = 1.981, p = 0.118), except for changes due to seasonal and regional emergence of certain insect groups such as Isoptera. Insects sampled across urban and rural settlements revealed the presence of Diptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Aranea, Orthoptera, and Lepidoptera. The community composition between available insect prey and dietary contents of Barn Swallow nestlings showed a significant difference (R2 = 0.225, F = 86.39, p = 0.001). This study serves as a baseline for future research on the diet and insect prey availability of aerial insectivores in the Himalayan region. Understanding the impact of anthropogenic activities, such as pesticide use, abandonment of farmland, and urban expansion, prevalent in the Himalayan region on aerial insectivores would be critical. It is imperative to conduct long-term studies on insect availability and abundance, and on their influence on the nesting success of aerial insectivores such as Barn Swallows.
The Partners-in-Flight (PIF) method converts the relative density of North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data into absolute density to estimate landbird population sizes. Here, I attempted to improve the accuracy and reliability of the PIF estimate for Williamson's Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus thyroideus) over their global breeding range, and for Red-naped Sapsuckers (S. nuchalis) in Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 9 in British Columbia. I substituted data-derived adjustments for the expert opinion adjustments for pairs and for detection distance. Sapsucker territorial advertising (drumming and calling) is lower during the BBS count period (late May to early July in B.C.) than earlier in the breeding season (late March through early May) so I added a seasonal adjustment to the PIF method based on the regression of playback survey results on BBS routes against long-term BBS route means. The pair adjustment for Williamson's Sapsucker was 1.867 (SD 0.09) based on four separate sources, up from the PIF-estimated category of 1.5 (SD 0.13). Detection distance estimated as Effective Detection Radius (EDR) using distance analysis methods was much higher for Williamson's Sapsucker (249 m) and for Red-naped Sapsucker (212 m) than the PIF-estimate of 121.5 m. The seasonal adjustment for Williamson's Sapsucker was 11.78 (SD 0.09) and for Red-naped Sapsucker was 8.77 (SD 0.51), i.e., BBS long-term route means detected, on average, only 8.5% and 11.4%, respectively, of the birds known to be present based on playbacks. When these adjustments were applied, the rounded PIF estimates were revised upwards from 300,000 to 870,000 for the global range of Williamson's Sapsucker, and from 180,000 to 490,000 for Red-naped Sapsucker in BCR 9 in B.C. Ninety-five percent Confidence Intervals relative to the estimates were-28% to +34% for Williamson's Sapsucker and-34% to +44% for Red-naped Sapsucker. The largest contributor to the fairly wide confidence intervals of the adult population estimates was the between-route variance of the BBS data itself. Only modest improvements to the wide confidence intervals were possible even if seasonal, time-of-day, and pair adjustments could be estimated precisely with no associated error.
. Climate change-induced droughts represent an exogenous shock to ecosystem functions and biodiversity. Boreal forests appear to be particularly susceptible to these climatic fluctuations. Droughts in boreal forests have the potential to disrupt food webs within the system. However, the interplay between drought events and food availability for boreal species is not well studied. Identifying key food sources and characterizing dietary breadth is necessary for understanding the ecology of a species and potential impacts of changing environmental conditions. The Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) is a generalist forager and boreal forest habitat specialist with documented population declines. There exists little research on the diet of Boreal Chickadees. To fill this knowledge gap, and better understand the dynamics of food availability for climate-threatened birds, we used DNA metabarcoding techniques to reveal the diet of nestling Boreal Chickadees in northern Minnesota in 2021 and 2022. We found that nestlings were primarily provisioned prey items from the orders Araneae, Diptera, and Lepidoptera. We compared prey items detected in diet to arthropod surveys to evaluate prey selection and found that Boreal Chickadees consumed Diptera and Lepidoptera prey items in greater proportions than expected based on availability from our surveys. Our results showed that arthropod communities and dietary diversity and breadth were lower in a drought year compared to a non-drought year. This is the first study to analyze Boreal Chickadee nestling diet and this information can be used as a baseline to evaluate diet shifts in response to ongoing anthropogenic disturbances such as climate change and land-use changes.
