Date of Award
5-1973
Culminating Project Type
Thesis
Department
Biology
College
College of Science and Engineering
First Advisor
Alfred Hopwood
Second Advisor
Alfred Grewe
Third Advisor
Ruben Parson
Keywords and Subject Headings
Bank swallow, rough-winged swallow, Mississippi River
Abstract
A program of field observations was devised to determine the extent of use of the Mississippi River near Montice1lo, Minnesota, by bank and rough-winged swallows. The study area extended from one mile above a nuclear-powered electricity generating plant to three miles below the plant. Field work was initiated in June, 1971, and terminated in September, 1972. Swallow colonies in river banks were inspected and various parameters were recorded. Birds were observed during nesting and fledging periods to determine behavior. Swallows were mist-netted and banded to determine ranges in hatching and fledging dates and to determine the size of the local breeding swallow community. Band recapture data for 1972 indicated a dispersal of birds banded in 1971 and a marked habitat preference. Post-fledging data indicated a marked preference for foraging over a rapids upstream of the power plant and for perching on transmission wires near this rapids. The normal operation of the power plant did not appreciably alter the usage of the river by bank and rough-winged swallows.
Recommended Citation
Thrune, Stephen V., "Bank and Rough-Winged Swallow use of the Mississippi River near Monticello, Minnesota" (1973). Culminating Projects in Biology. 84.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/biol_etds/84
