Ephemeral by Nature: cerulean warblers

Cerulean Warbler

Emily Boves with cerulean

In 2008-09, I worked with naturalist Emily Boves at the nature center.

Emily assisted her husband Than, who was a part of the Cerulean Warbler Technical Group. The field-research project was designed to study the response of cerulean warbler populations to experimental timber management throughout the species’ breeding range.

Than Boves with cerulean

At the time, Than Boves, was
a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Tennessee in natural resources. Boves was in charge of two study sites in the Cumberland Mountains of Eastern Tennessee: Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area and Sundquist Wildlife Management Area. Because land will continue to be developed, the group was trying to figure how to best manage for cerulean warblers. Their numbers have been steadily declining over the last 20 years and 80 percent of their remaining population now breeds in the Appalachian Mountains. Many believe that the cerulean warbler population has declined more in recent history than any other species of woodland bird.

Than completed his second field season on July 15, 2009. His crew found over 70 nests between the two sites. Sharp-eyed Emily worked for Than both seasons and found 46 nests this year and 35 last year. The nest success rate was over 50 percent both seasons.

In April 2013, I accompanied Tiffany Beachy and Lee Bryant to Royal Blue, specifically to several of the same plots she monitored from 2005 to '07, as part of her cerulean warbler field research under the tutelage of Dr. David Buehler with the University of Tennessee.