Grassland Sparrow (Ammodramus humeralis) Science Article 2
abstract
There productive successo f GrasshopperS parrows (Ammodramusa vannarum),SavannahS parrows( Passerculussa ndwichensisV),e sper Sparrows( Pooecetegsr amineus),and Field Sparrows (Spizella pusilla) breeding on a reclaimed surface mine in northern WestVirginia was studied from 1978 through 1980. Only Vesper Sparrows showed significant(P (0.05) annual differences in clutch size. Predation was the major cause of egg andnestlingl ossesd uring all 3 yr. Of 185n estsl ocated,8 0 (43% ) were presumedl ostt o predators.Our study site, surroundedb y woodlots and pastureland,a pparentlyc oncentratedp redators.We believe northern black racers (Coluber constrictorc onstrictor)a nd Common Crows(Corvusb rachyrhynchows)e re the major predators.G enerally,p redatorsw ere equallys uccessfulin locating nests during the incubation and nestling periods
THOMAS WRAY, II, KENNETH A. STRAIT, AND ROBERT C. WHITMORE, The Auk 99: 157-164. January 1982