Flight distances from nests and behaviours of the olive-sided flycatcher (Contopus cooperi)

Abstract

The Olive-sided Flycatcher is a migratory species currently facing a dramatic population decline. The species is listed as threatened in Canada under the Species at Risk Act. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between flight distances from active nests and behaviour of the Olive-sided Flycatcher. Four of the eight male birds in observed nesting pairs in a recently burned and logged region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, were found to follow a pattern of foraging, preening and other behaviours most often 0 m to 49 m away from the nest. Singing was most often observed 100+ m away from the nest. Males of the other four pairs each deviated from the pattern in a specific way. Habitat influenced the pattern, as birds inhabiting open or burned areas did not travel as far from the nest as birds in dense forest. With limited research conducted on the species, any information relating to habitat, nesting behaviour and behaviour in general is important.