Empirical Bayes Estimation of Proportions with Application to Cowbird Parasitism Rates

Bayesian models provide a structure for studying collections of parameters such as are considered in the investigation of communities, ecosystems, and andscapes. This structure allows for improved estimation of individual parameters by considering them in the context of a group of related parameters. Individual estimates are differentially adjusted toward an overall mean, with the magnitude of their adjustment based on their precision. Consequently, Bayesian estimation allows for a more reliable ranking of parameters and, in particular, a more credible identification of extreme values from a collection of estimates.