Demography of the Cape Sable seaside sparrow (Ammodramus miritamus miabilis)

Lockwood, Julie; Fenn, Katherine; Caudill, Jeffery; Okines, David; Duncan, Jeffery

A report outlining the population biology and ecology requirements of the Cape Sable seaside sparrow in order to understand birth and death rates, immigration, and emmigration. The successful recovery of any threatened species requires a knowledge of its population biology and ecological requirements (Bourliere 1991). Describing population dynamics reduces to understanding birth and death rates and immigration and emmigration (Clobert and Lebreton 1991). Despite framing the questions in straightforward terms, providing answers is often difficult. This is especially true for the rare and cautious Cape Sable seaside sparrow (Ammodramus miratimus mirabilis) whose behavior and patchy distribution have hampered efforts to collect the most basic demographic information (Curnutt 1996). This sub-species, endemic to south Florida, has been recognized as federally endangered since 1967 (Curnutt 1996). In the last seven years, populations have declined by 50% or more in some areas (Curnutt et al. 1998, Nott et al. 1998). In order to institute management or restoration activities that benefit the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, we need to pinpoint the demographic factors being compromised, how they are compromised, and to what degree. Below we describe a five-year study aimed at answering these questions.