Response of the ovenbird (Aves: Parulidae) to an outbreak of the spruce budworm
Keyword(s):
The response of the ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) to an outbreak of the spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) was investigated in Algonquin Park, Ontario. Ovenbirds exhibited a functional response involving an unusual method of foraging for this species. The numerical response was based on smaller, more tightly packed territories and probably also on larger first and subsequent clutches. It is suggested that the great variability in clutch size of certain wood warblers (Parulidae) may indicate a tendency to lay successive clutches under conditions of food abundance.