Estimating mass change of migrant songbirds during stopover: comparison of three different methods

ABSTRACT Stopover‐site quality has often been assessed using changes in the body mass of migrants estimated from individuals recaptured on subsequent days or using regression methods. We compared estimates of mass change using these two techniques to estimates of mass change determined from birds recaptured on the same day. Using spring and fall banding data collected on Appledore Island, Maine, from 1990–2007, we examined body mass changes of the five most common species. Over this period, 18,954 individuals of these five species were captured and banded, with 11.6% of birds recaptured at least 1 d after initial capture and 3.1% recaptured on the same day. Using both regression and same‐day recapture methods, all five species had positive hourly mass gains during fall migration; results were mixed for the subsequent‐day analysis method. Trends were less consistent during spring migration. Using all three methods of estimating mass change, Red‐eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus) lost mass, American Redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla) and Northern Waterthrushes (Parkesia noveboracensis) gained mass, and results for Yellow‐bellied Flycatchers (Empidonax flaviventris), and Black‐and‐white Warblers (Mniotilta varia) varied with method. We found similar trends in mass change using the same‐day recapture and regression methods. However, we found lower mean mass gain for most species using the same‐day recapture method, suggesting that there may be a short‐term capture and handling effect. Our results provide additional support for the use of regression models to compare changes in mass of migrating songbirds at stopover sites.