http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i4710id.html

1
Tyrannid Flycatchers As Indicators Of Habitat
Quality
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus)
http//www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGui
de/Vermilion_Flycatcher.html
Nathan 06 May 2008
http//www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i4710id.ht
ml
2
http//www.backfromthebrink.org/speciesimages/5/1_
southwestern_willow_flycatcher.jpgimgrefurl
http//identify.whatbird.com/img/4/1069/image.aspx
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax
traillii extimus)
http//www.backfromthebrink.org/speciesimages/5/2_
southwestern_willow_flycatcher.jpgimgrefurl
3
(Sogge et al. 1997)
4
Sogge et al. 1997
5
Figure 1. Breeding ranges of the willow
flycatcher subspecies. Adapted from Unit 1987
and Browning 1993. Technical Report
NPS/NAUCPRS/NRTR-97/12 (Sogge 1997)
6
http//www.southwestbirders.com/SS_121501/vermilio
n20flycatcher_006s.jpg
7
-13 subspecies recognized (USGS Patuxent) -1
Extinct (B. of North Amer.)
http//www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGui
de/Vermilion_Flycatcher_dtl.htmlmap
8
Range of Vermilion Flycatcher
http//www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i4710id.ht
ml
9
Methods
Standard survey protocol -Permits -Training
Workshops -Standard Techniques and Routine
Surveys -Capturing, Banding, Observations -GIS/R
emote Sensing
San Pedro River, Arizona http//www.schmoker.org/B
irdPics/Flycatchers.html
http//identify.whatbird.com/img/4/1180/image.aspx
10
Large Scale Regional Surveys EPA Forest Health
Monitoring Unit (FHM)
-Triangular Grid of 40-km2 hexagons -Spacing
of 27.1 km between centers of the hexagons
-Observed species rather than the number of
individuals -Types of bird species observed in
similar behaviors were also grouped together
for some statistical analyses (Canterbury
2000).
http//www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Flycatcher
s/VEFL4.jpg
11
Results
-Presence of canopy nesters and shrubland
assemblage groups increased with canopy cover,
while habitat generalists and forest edge
assemblages showed no consistent trend in regard
to canopy cover -Numbers of granivores and
bark-foraging insectivores had the greatest
response to habitat disturbance levels

-The index derived was an attempt at a
broad-based indicator of how much a
population or community has been affected by
disturbance (Canterbury 2000).
http//www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Flycatcher
s/VEFL12.jpg
12
http//www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/photos/pyrrub
24833.jpg
-Several papers have been written criticizing the
use of the indicator species concept, because
"individual species do not necessarily reflect
trends in other co-occurring species," and can
furthermore "respond independently to
environmental variation" (Canterbury 2000)
13
Discussion
The ultimate measure of habitat suitability is
not simply whether or not a site is occupied.
Suitable habitats are those in which flycatcher
reproductive success and survivorship results in
a stable or growing population. Without
long-term data showing which sites have stable
or growing populations, we cannot determine
which habitats are suitable or optimal for
breeding southwestern willow flycatchers.
(Sogge et al. 1997)
Lower San Pedro River http//www.fws.gov/mountain-
prairie/endspp/protocols/SWWF202004.pdf
14
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Glenn Johnson for helping me to
identify the important aspects of this topic, and
also for his instruction in field techniques.
My deep gratitude goes to Dr. Charles von Riper,
III for his support in directing me to relevant
sources of information.
http//www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i4710id.ht
ml
15
Literature Cited
http//www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i4710id.ht
ml http//www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/endspp/pro
tocols/SWWF202004.pdf http//www.arthurgrosset.c
om/sabirds/photos/pyrrub24833.jpg http//www.schm
oker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Flycatchers/VEFL12.jpg h
ttp//www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Flycatchers
/VEFL4.jpg http//identify.whatbird.com/img/4/118
0/image.aspx http//www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Fly
catchers.html http//www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/fra
mlst/i4710id.html http//www.birds.cornell.edu/Al
lAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Vermilion_Flycatcher_dtl.htm
lmap http//www.southwestbirders.com/SS_121501/v
ermilion20flycatcher_006s.jpg http//www.backfro
mthebrink.org/speciesimages/5/2_southwestern_willo
w_flycatcher.jpgimgrefurl
16
Literature Cited
http//www.backfromthebrink.org/speciesimages/5/1_
southwestern_willow_flycatcher.jpgimgrefurl htt
p//identify.whatbird.com/img/4/1069/image.aspx h
ttp//www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuid
e/Vermilion_Flycatcher.html http//www.mbr-pwrc.u
sgs.gov/Infocenter/i4710id.html Technical Report
NPS/NAUCPRS/NRTR-97/12 (Sogge 1997) Canterbury
et al. 2000