Kirchman et al. • MIGRATION STOPOVER IN AN INLAND PINE BARREN 
549 
Altona' 
Clintonville 
FIG- I- Significant pine barrens of the northeastern United States showing the location of the Albany P.ne 
Bush Preserve. 
ftunge and Marra 2005), and can be measured 
us *ng stable hydrogen isotope ratios as intrinsic 
markers to trace movements of individuals (Was- 
*naarand Hobson 2001). 
Stable isotopes of hydrogen are incorporated 
into avian tissues through diet in ratios that reflect 
a na turally occurring geographic gradient in rain 
w ater, Feathers, which are metabolically inert 
alter they are fully replaced, hold an isotope ratio 
s 'gnature of the location where they were grown. 
Mope ratios from feathers of migrating individ- 
Ufl lx that molt prior to autumn migration can be 
Us ed to examine their approximate breeding 
lat 'tude (Hobson 2002). These data can be used 
10 estimate the catchment area of stopover sites 
'Mazerolle et al. 2005). and to connect popula- 
passing through migration monitoring sta¬ 
tions to breeding populations. 
Our objectives were to: (1) describe the 
temporal dynamics and species composition of 
the autumn migratory avifauna of the Albany Pine 
Bush Preserve (APBP), an inland pine barren in 
east-central New York, and (2) use stable 
hydrogen isotope measurements from feathers or 
captured birds to identify the breeding areas of 
selected migrant species using the APBP. 
METHODS 
Study Site .—The 1.300-ha Albany Pine Bush 
Preserve is southwest of the confluence of the 
Mohawk and Hudson rivers in east-central New 
York State, USA (42 r 42’ N, 73" 52' W) at an 
elevation of 79-110 m (Fig. 1). The Preserve 
supports at least 14 recognized terrestrial com¬ 
munity types (Reschke 1990) but is dominated by 
a pitch pine (Pinus rigida)-scmb oak (Quereus 
ilicifolia, Q. prinoides) community (Schneider el 
al. 1991) with pitch pines in the overstory and 
scrub oaks and other shrubs (primarily Ericaceae) 
in the understory. Vegetation communities are 
