DOI: 10.5061/dryad.0zpc8673j
title: Water depth influences survival and predator-specific patterns of nest loss in three secretive marsh bird species

description: Wetlands have become increasingly rare in the United States, negatively
 influencing wetland-dependent birds, and many remaining wetlands are
 intensively managed through seasonal dewatering mimicking historic flood
 pulses during spring and summer. However, water around nests may provide
 protection from terrestrial predators, and lowering water levels during
 the breeding season of wetland birds may increase predation risk and
 exacerbate marsh bird population declines. Understanding interactions
 between water depth, nesting marsh birds, and nest predators is critical
 to aid managers in developing a multi-species management approach in
 emergent wetlands. During the 2020 and 2021 breeding seasons, we examined
 nest survival of 148 marsh bird nests (American Coot, Fulica
 americana, n = 1; Common Gallinule, Gallinula
 galeata, n = 64; and Least Bittern; Ixobrychus
 exilis, n = 83) and installed cameras at 78 nests to identify
 predators at a large, restored floodplain wetland in Illinois where the
 primary management technique is seasonal water removal to stimulate
 germination of moist soil plants. We found nest predation of, and
 abandonment by, Least Bittern and Common Gallinule were related to
 shallower water, and early season, high volume dewatering. Least Bitterns
 nested more commonly along wetland edges and nests farther from the shore
 were more likely to survive. Similarly, we found mammalian depredation of
 nests and nest abandonment decreased when deeper water was present around
 nests. Alternatively, snake predation was observed earlier in the year
 prior to water removal from inundated emergent vegetation. Our results
 demonstrate water depth may be an important deterrent of nest predators,
 especially mammals, during the breeding season. Further, we recommend
 managers delay dewatering until after the nesting season at sites where
 management for conservation-priority marsh birds is a focus.
description: The data was collected through measurements and video data at
 marsh bird nests located at Emiquon Preserve, IL in 2020 and 2021. We used
 ArcGIS to locate nests and collect measurements to continuous shoreline
 and analyses were completed in R. 
description: This README file was generated on 2024-01-06 by Stephanie M Schmidt.
 \[Access this dataset on Dryad]
 () GENERAL INFORMATION 1.
 Title: WETLAND DEWATERING INFLUENCES PREDATOR-SPECIFIC PATTERNS OF NEST
 LOSS IN THREE SECRETIVE MARSH BIRD SPECIES 2. Author Information:
 Principal Investigator Contact Information Name: Stephanie M Schmidt
 Institution: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Address:
 Champaign, IL, USA Email: 3. Date of data
 collection (single date, range, approximate date): 2020-2021 4. Geographic
 location of data collection: Emiquon Preserve, Havana, Illinois, USA 5.
 Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the
 data: Illinois Department of Natural Resources (Award: T-122-R) United
 States Fish and Wildlife Service Illinois Ornithological Society American
 Ornithological Society SHARING/ACCESS INFORMATION 1. Licenses/restrictions
 placed on the data: CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain 2. Links to
 publications that cite or use the data: Schmidt SM, Fournier AMV, Osborn
 JM, Benson TJ. Water depth influences survival and predator-specific
 patterns of nest loss in three secretive marsh bird species. Ecol Evol.
 2023 Dec 11;13(12):e10823. doi: 10.1002/ece3.10823. PMID: 38089901; PMCID:
 PMC10714062. 3. Links to other publicly accessible locations of the data:
 None 4. Links/relationships to ancillary data sets: None 5. Was data
 derived from another source? No A. If yes, list source(s): NA 6.
 Recommended citation for this dataset: Schmidt, Stephanie M.; Fournier,
 Auriel M. V.; Osborn, Joshua M.; Benson, Thomas J. (2023). Water depth
 influences survival and predator-specific patterns of nest loss in three
 secretive marsh bird species [Dataset]. Dryad.
 DATA & FILE OVERVIEW
 1. File List: A) 2021-data---Marsh-Birds.md -R code for analyses of
 habitat variables and Common Gallinule and Least Bittern nest survival in
 2021 only B) COGA-data---Marsh-Birds.md -R code for analyses of habitat
 variables and Common Gallinule nest survival in 2020 and 2021 only C)
 LEBI-data---Marsh-Birds.md -R code for analyses of habitat variables and
 Least Bittern nest survival in 2020 and 2021 only D)
 Multinomial-data---Marsh-Birds.md -R code for analyses of habitat
 variables, predator identity, and Common Gallinule, Least Bittern, and
 American Coot nest survival in 2020 and 2021 only E) Data_EcoandEv_.xlsx
 -2021 only: habitat variables and Common Gallinule and Least Bittern nest
 survival in 2021 only -COGA: habitat variables and Common Gallinule nest
 survival in 2020 and 2021 only -LEBI: habitat variables and Least Bittern
 nest survival in 2020 and 2021 only -Multinomial: habitat variables,
 predator identity, and Common Gallinule, Least Bittern, and American Coot
 nest survival in 2020 and 2021 only 1. Relationship between files, if
 important: .md files serve as R code for analysis with .xlsx file tabs 2.
 Additional related data collected that was not included in the current
 data package: None 3. Are there multiple versions of the dataset? No A. If
 yes, name of file(s) that was updated: NA i. Why was the file updated? NA
 ii. When was the file updated? NA
 \#########################################################################
 DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Data_EcoandEv_.xlsx, tab: 2021 only 1.
 Number of variables: 34 2. Number of cases/rows: 669 3. Variable List:
 *Nest_Name: Name for each nest at Emiquon Preserve *Species: 4-letter code
 for each nesting species (LEBI, COGA) *Species_num: number assigned to
 species at Emiquon Preserve, 3=COGA, 4=LEBI *Year: Year study was
 conducted (2021) *Year_Factor: Year as a factor, 2021=B *Start_Date: Date
 of previous nest visit/data collection (video daily) - julien date
 *End_Date: Date of current nest visit/data collection (video daily) -
 julien date *Day_of_Year: Date of previous nest visit/data collection
 (video daily) - julien date *Days: number of days from start date to end
 date *Visit_Freq: categorized as 3 days between visits or 5 days between
 visits. Nests with a 3 day visit frequency = short, 5 day visit
 frequency=long *Camera: Y/N, was a camera up at the nest *Nest_Stage:
 category I=incubating, H=hatched *Nest_Stage_num: category as numeric,
 0=incubating, 1=hatched *Fate: category of fate, I=incubating, H=hatched,
 A=abandoned, D=dead (predator) *Pred: Y/N, was a nest predated/lost
 *Predator_Class: predator class, Avian=Avian, Mammal=Mammal, Other=Other,
 N/A=no predation event recorded *Predator_Species: predator species
 detected (Abandoned, Common Gallinule, Marsh Wren, Unknown, Weather, N/A =
 no predation/loss event recorded) *Fate_Binomial: 1/0, 1=alive, 0=fail
 *Fate_Factor: one/zero, one=alive, zero=fail *Total_Nest_Height_cm: total
 nest height from substrate to bottom of nest (cm) *Water_Depth_cm: total
 water depth from below the nest, substrate to surface (cm) *Dist_Shore_m:
 distance from continuous shoreline to nest (m) *Dist_Shore_hm: distance
 from continuous shoreline to nest (hm) *Emergent_Veg_Height_cm: average
 height of tallest and shortest emergent veg (root to tip) within 1m of the
 nest (cm) *Avg_Stem: average number of stems within a 30cmx30cm sqaure
 next to the nest at 2 randomly selected carinal directions 0.5m from the
 nest *Vis: % visibility above the nest *Vis_cat: category of % visbility
 above the nest 1=0-34%, 2=35-74%, 3-75%-100% *Dom_Veg: dominant vegetation
 at nest site, PEM=persistent emergent, FL=floating leaved *Habitat_Type:
 habitat type at nest site, OW=open water, hemi=hemi marsh, dense=dense
 emergent vegetation *Habitat_Type_cat: category of habitat type, 1=OW,
 2=hemi, 3=dense *Age: age of nest in days *Clutch_Size: number of eggs in
 clutch *Avg_Clutch: average clutch size for species, LEBI = 5, COGA = 7
 *Dev_Avg_Clutch: difference of clutch_size - avg_clutch 4. Missing data
 codes: N/A, nests without predation events have N/A in predator class and
 species categories 5. Specialized formats or other abbreviations used:
 described in variable list
 \#########################################################################
 DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Data_EcoandEv_.xlsx, tab: COGA 1. Number of
 variables: 26 2. Number of cases/rows: 396 3. Variable List: *Nest_Name:
 Name for each nest at Emiquon Preserve *Species: 4-letter code for each
 nesting species (COGA) *Species_num: number assigned to species at Emiquon
 Preserve, 3=COGA *Year: Year study was conducted (2020, 2021)
 *Year_Factor: Year as a factor, 2020=A, 2021=B *Start_Date: Date of
 previous nest visit/data collection (video daily) - julien date *End_Date:
 Date of current nest visit/data collection (video daily) - julien date
 *Day_of_Year: Date of previous nest visit/data collection (video daily) -
 julien date *Days: number of days from start date to end date *Camera:
 Y/N, was a camera up at the nest *Nest_Stage: category I=incubating,
 H=hatched *Nest_Stage_num: category as numeric, 0=incubating, 1=hatched
 *Fate: category of fate, I=incubating, H=hatched, A=abandoned, D=dead
 (predator) *Pred: Y/N, was a nest predated/lost *Predator_Class: predator
 class, Avian=Avian, Mammal=Mammal, Other=Other, N/A=no predation event
 recorded *Predator_Species: predator species detected (Abandoned,
 Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Gallinule, Fox Snake, Raccoon, Unknown, N/A =
 no predation/loss event recorded) *Fate_Binomial: 1/0, 1=alive, 0=fail
 *Fate_Factor: one/zero, one=alive, zero=fail *Total_Nest_Height_cm: total
 nest height from substrate to bottom of nest (cm) *Water_Depth_cm: total
 water depth from below the nest, substrate to surface (cm) *Dist_Shore_m:
 distance from continuous shoreline to nest (m) *Emergent_Veg_Height_cm:
 average height of tallest and shortest emergent veg (root to tip) within
 1m of the nest (cm) *Age: age of nest in days *Clutch_Size: number of eggs
 in clutch *Avg_Clutch: average clutch size for species, COGA = 7
 *Dev_Avg_Clutch: difference of clutch_size - avg_clutch 4. Missing data
 codes: N/A, nests without predation events have N/A in predator class and
 species categories 5. Specialized formats or other abbreviations used:
 described in variable list
 \#########################################################################
 DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Data_EcoandEv_.xlsx, tab: LEBI 1. Number of
 variables: 27 2. Number of cases/rows: 819 3. Variable List: *Nest_Name:
 Name for each nest at Emiquon Preserve *Species: 4-letter code for each
 nesting species (LEBI) *Species_num: number assigned to species at Emiquon
 Preserve, 4=LEBI *Year: Year study was conducted (2020, 2021)
 *Year_Factor: Year as a factor, 2020=A, 2021=B *Start_Date: Date of
 previous nest visit/data collection (video daily) - julien date *End_Date:
 Date of current nest visit/data collection (video daily) - julien date
 *Day_of_Year: Date of previous nest visit/data collection (video daily) -
 julien date *Days: number of days from start date to end date *Visit_Freq:
 categorized as 3 days between visits or 5 days between visits. Nests with
 a 3 day visit frequency = short, 5 day visit frequency=long *Camera: Y/N,
 was a camera up at the nest *Nest_Stage: category I=incubating, H=hatched
 *Nest_Stage_num: category as numeric, 0=incubating, 1=hatched *Fate:
 category of fate, I=incubating, H=hatched, A=abandoned, D=dead (predator)
 *Pred: Y/N, was a nest predated/lost *Predator_Class: predator class,
 Avian=Avian, Mammal=Mammal, Other=Other, N/A=no predation event recorded
 *Predator_Species: predator species detected (Abandoned, Fox Snake, Marsh
 Wren, Mink, Racoon, Unknown, Weather, N/A = no predation/loss event
 recorded) *Fate_Binomial: 1/0, 1=alive, 0=fail *Total_Nest_Height_cm:
 total nest height from substrate to bottom of nest (cm) *Water_Depth_cm:
 total water depth from below the nest, substrate to surface (cm)
 *Dist_Shore_m: distance from continuous shoreline to nest (m)
 *Dist_Shore_hm: distance from continuous shoreline to nest (hm)
 *Emergent_Veg_Height_cm: average height of tallest and shortest emergent
 veg (root to tip) within 1m of the nest (cm) *Age: age of nest in days
 *Clutch_Size: number of eggs in clutch *Avg_Clutch: average clutch size
 for species, LEBI = 5 *Dev_Avg_Clutch: difference of clutch_size -
 avg_clutch 4. Missing data codes: N/A, nests without predation events have
 N/A in predator class and species categories 5. Specialized formats or
 other abbreviations used: described in variable list
 \#########################################################################
 DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Data_EcoandEv_.xlsx, tab: Multinomial 1.
 Number of variables: 27 2. Number of cases/rows: 929 3. Variable List:
 *Nest_Name: Name for each nest at Emiquon Preserve *Species: 4-letter code
 for each nesting species (COGA, AMCO, LEBI) *Species_num: number assigned
 to species at Emiquon Preserve, 3=COGA, AMCO=1, LEBI=4 *Year: Year study
 was conducted (2020, 2021) *Year_Factor: Year as a factor, 2020=A, 2021=B
 *Start_Date: Date of previous nest visit/data collection (video daily) -
 julien date *End_Date: Date of current nest visit/data collection (video
 daily) - julien date *Day_of_Year: Date of previous nest visit/data
 collection (video daily) - julien date *Days: number of days from start
 date to end date *Camera: Y/N, was a camera up at the nest *Nest_Stage:
 category I=incubating, H=hatched *Nest_Stage_num: category as numeric,
 0=incubating, 1=hatched *Fate: category of fate, I=incubating, H=hatched,
 A=abandoned, D=dead (predator) *Pred: Y/N, was a nest predated/lost
 *Predator_Class: predator class, Avian=Avian, Mammal=Mammal, Other=Other,
 N/A=no predation event recorded *Predator_Species: predator species
 detected (Abandoned, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Gallinule, Fox Snake,
 Marsh Wren, Mink, Raccoon, Unknown, Weather, N/A = no predation/loss event
 recorded) *Fate_Binomial: 1/0, 1=alive, 0=fail *Fate_Code:
 Survive=Survive, Avian=Avian Predator, Mammal=Mammal Predator,
 Reptile=Reptile Predator, Other=Other (abandoned, unknown)
 *Total_Nest_Height_cm: total nest height from substrate to bottom of nest
 (cm) *Water_Depth_cm: total water depth from below the nest, substrate to
 surface (cm) *Dist_Shore_m: distance from continuous shoreline to nest (m)
 *Dist_Shore_hm: distance from continuous shoreline to nest (hm)
 *Emergent_Veg_Height_cm: average height of tallest and shortest emergent
 veg (root to tip) within 1m of the nest (cm) *Age: age of nest in days
 *Clutch_Size: number of eggs in clutch *Avg_Clutch: average clutch size
 for species, COGA = 7, LEBI = 5, AMCO = 7 *Dev_Avg_Clutch: difference of
 clutch_size - avg_clutch 4. Missing data codes: N/A, nests without
 predation events have N/A in predator class and species categories 5.
 Specialized formats or other abbreviations used: described in variable
 list The data for this study was collected through measurements and video
 data at marsh bird nests located at Emiquon Preserve, IL in 2020 and 2021.
 We used ArcGIS to locate nests and collect measurements to continuous
 shoreline and analyses were completed in R. Description of the data and
 file structure The data are presented in excel files and organized by
 species of nesting bird (Least Bittern - LEBI and Common Gallinule - GOGA)
 as well as by year (2021 only data) and by predator class (Multinomial
 data). Sharing/Access information Contact the corresponding author for
 additional data information. Code/Software All analyses were completed in
 R and the code is included as a markdown file (.md).