Habitat-specific survival of golden-winged warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) during the non-breeding season in an agricultural landscape

Nearctic-Neotropical migratory birds are considered priority species for conservation because they are subject to threats at distinct breeding, migratory and stopover locations throughout their annual cycle, and many species have undergone severe population declines. Research during the non-breeding season has focused on identifying the locations and habitats that migrants use, but wintering migrants are known to occupy habitats of both high and low quality, especially when the best sites are saturated by conspecifics. Thus, the presence or abundance of a species may not be a reliable indicator of winter habitat quality. The habitat associations of the golden-winged warbler Vermivora chrysoptera, a Nearctic-Neotropical migrant bird species of elevated conservation concern, are relatively well studied, yet conservation efforts are hindered by lack of information about basic demographic rates. In particular, no published estimates exist for non-breeding season survival, which can be a key...