Habitat selection by the elegant trogon (Trogon elegans) at multiple scales.

Abstract

In this dissertation I discuss several facets of the ecology of the elegant trogon (Trogon elegans). In Chapter 1, I assessed habitat selection by the trogon from 1993 to 1995 at three spatial scales (those of the mountain and canyon, home range, and microsite scales). At the broadest (inter-mountain and inter-canyon) scale, trogons were positively associated with cover by sycamore, pinyon, and juniper vegetation, and the abundances of three bird species. At the intermediate scale, radio-tagged trogons in the Huachuca and Santa Rita mountains used both upland and riparian areas, and selectively used sites with dense vegetation within those areas. At the microsite scale, nest sites of trogons were primarily located in sycamore trees in riparian areas. Successful nests could be discriminated from unsuccessful nests on the basis of three variables. Adult trogons used trees that were mostly dead for several behaviors besides nesting, and males foraged from sycamore and oak trees. Across all three scales, trogons were associated with variables describing sycamores, junipers, pines, and oaks, indicating that these trees were important to elegant trogon habitat use in Arizona. In Chapter 2, I discussed the behavior and phenology of nesting elegant trogons in the Chiricahua, Huachuca, and Santa Rita mountains in 1993-1994. I described the average durations and characteristics of nest advertisement, incubation, brooding, nestling attendance, and fledgling attendance behaviors. Elegant trogons in Arizona had different behaviors from other members of Neotropical Trogonidae, especially in regards to their durations of incubation and feeding. In Chapter 3, I present analyses of disturbance records collected while observing trogons in 1993-1995, and the finding that elegant trogons did not react strongly to most contacts with humans. However, on some occasions trogons reacted long enough to humans to potentially impact their productivity at nest sites. Therefore, some protection of nesting trogons may be warranted. In general, management of trogons in Arizona will require consideration of whole watersheds, including the condition of riparian water tables and upland vegetation.