Under the umbrella: Does management for American woodcock increase reproductive success of a declining songbird?

Abstract

The umbrella species concept is a popular management approach that assumes conservation efforts for one species confer benefits to others, although most assessments of such benefits to non-target species only measure presence and abundance. We compared the density, territory size, and key metrics of reproductive success for eastern towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) between study sites that differed in relative likelihood of selection (RLS), as determined by a resource selection function (RSF), for American woodcock (Scolopax minor), a proposed umbrella species for early successional habitat in eastern North America. Higher woodcock RLS sites had higher densities of singing male eastern towhees, which in turn defended smaller territories. Nest survival and provisioning rates of towhees were not related to woodcock RLS, whereas towhee nestlings at higher RLS sites grew to a greater size. Eastern towhees largely benefited from forest management aimed at American woodcock; towhees in higher woodcock RLS sites will likely occur in greater densities and raise chicks with higher fledging masses, potentially increasing recruits to the population.