Cassin’s Sparrows Nesting on the Southern High Plains of Texas

Authors

Warren C. Conway, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State UniversityFollow
Eileen Johnson

Publication Date

12-1-2011

Abstract

We monitored 15 Cassin’s Sparrow (Peucaea cassini) nests in two mesquite (Prosopis spp.) dominated grassland sites on the Southern High Plains of Texas during 2001. Mayfield daily survival rate was 0.942 ± 0.194 (30% nest success) and two unsuccessful nests were parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater). Although constrained by few nests in this study, we report a comparatively higher parasitism frequency (13%) and lower nest success than other regional (Texas) studies, but overall parasitism frequency in this study mirrors rates reported throughout the geographic range. The impacts of parasitism on Cassin’s Sparrow populations remain unknown. Future studies focusing upon Cassin’s Sparrows should incorporate direct comparisons of parasitism frequency and impacts as related to Cassin’s Sparrow nest site selection and population trends.

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Recommended Citation

Conway, Warren C. and Johnson, Eileen (2011) "Cassin’s Sparrows Nesting on the Southern High Plains of Texas," Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society: Vol. 44: Iss. 1, Article 14.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tos_bulletin/vol44/iss1/14