Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Biology

Supervisor

Hobson, Keith A.

Abstract

Farmland bird populations have experienced declines with increasing agricultural intensification for which the leading hypothesis is a reduction of prey insects. This may be especially relevant for aerial insectivores whose primary diet is aerial insects. For this thesis, I examined nestling body condition and used stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) and fecal DNA barcoding to determine the diet of a farmland breeding aerial insectivore, the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), within an agro-ecosystem in Southern Ontario, Canada. Nestling body condition was positively affected by agricultural intensification, but all benefits were lost by the pre-fledging stage and with no effect on productivity. Stable isotopes indicated that nestling diet was derived from within agro-ecosystems. While nestling diet breadth was negatively affected by agricultural intensification, I found evidence for a robust dipteran diet unaffected by landscape. My results provide little evidence of long-term negative repercussions to breeding within agriculturally intense landscapes for the Barn Swallow.

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