Organism of my study: The focus of my field search is Black-capped Chickadee, a small bird commonly found in forested regions and urban parks.
Observations along the environment:
during my observation on December 8, 2024, I explored different locations within Assiniboine park in Winnipeg, MB. I recorded data at three distinct sites along characterized by varying vegetation and human activity.
Location 1: Dense coniferous areas (South side of the park)
- observed 4 individuals forming one group.
- birds were foraging actively for seeds on coniferous branches.
- short, frequent vocalizations.
Location 2: Mixed vegetation area with deciduous and coniferous trees (Central park trail)
- observed 5 individuals divided into two groups.
- foraging included seeds from cones and occasional pecking at snow.
- Slight increase in vocal frequency when encountering joggers nearby.
Location 3: Open space with scattered deciduous trees (North side of the park)
- observed 3 individuals forming one group.
- focused behaviour on caching seeds on specific branches.
- vocalizations increased, particularly during group interactions.
Hypothesis = the distribution and caching behaviour of Black-capped Chickadees are influenced by vegetation type and the presence of human activity.
Prediction = I predict that Chickadees will be more abundant and engage in higher caching activity in areas dominated by coniferous trees and with minimal human disturbance.
Response variable
- caching frequency (continuous variable) = measured as the number of caching events observed within 30 minute period per group.
Explanatory variable
- vegetation type (categorical such as coniferous, deciduous, mixed, etc.)
Through this fieldwork I have gained valuable insights into the behaviour and environmental preferences of Black-capped Chickadees.