SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 
397 
TABLE 1. Methods of observation for six nests of the 
Veery. each attended by a single female (A-F). in a 
Delaware Piedmont forest, 2011. 
Female 
S of Males 
Method 
Time (hrs) 
A 
2 
Video 
16.9 
B 
1 
Direct 
<1.0 
C 
1 
Video 
6.3 
D 
2 
Both 
10.1 
E 
2 
Direct 
<1.0 
F 
1 
Video 
18.7 
multiple male feeders despite engaging 
in annual 
long-distance 
migration. 
Modes of parental care 
among the Turdidae that 
involve more 
than two 
adults per nest are only known from 3% ot the 
species (Cockburn 2006). We present the first 
documentation of multiple male feeders at nests of 
the Veery (C. fuscescens), a Nearetic-neotropical 
migratory thnish long considered to be monogamous. 
METHODS 
Research was conducted at White Clay Creek 
State Park, New Castle County. Delaware (39 44' 
N, 75 45' W), on the floodplain of a Middle- 
Atlantic Piedmont forest (Heckscher 2004) during 
May and June 2011. We monitored six Veery 
nests (Table I) from time of discovery until 
Hedging or failure with field observations and 
use of a compact digital video camera (Oregon 
Scientific ATC2K, Tualatin, OR, USA). The 
small video camera was placed <1 m from the 
nest in each case, covered in camouflage, and 
concealed in natural vegetation. Adult Vecries 
were handed with unique color combinations and 
subsequently identified on film or via binoculars. 
All six nests were in dense forest understory 
dominated by the invasive shrub Rosa muUiflora. 
Nests were located using behavioral cues, most 
often during the nestling phase, as adults made 
regular trips to the nest with food, Only one nest 
was found and monitored prior to hatching. 
RESULTS 
We observed 11 adult Vecries provisioning 
nestlings at six nests (Fig. I). All females (n = 6) 
fed a single brood while males (n - 5) were 
observed provisioning nestlings at one (2 of 5 
males), two (2 of 5), or three (1 of 5) nests. Five of 
six broods (83%) were attended by a male that was 
detected provisioning nestlings at a second or third 
nest. Three of six broods (50%) were attended by 
Males Females 
FIG. 1. Males (1-5) and females (A-F) with their 
respective parental contributions at six Veery' nests (black 
circles) in a Piedmont forest in Delaware. Solid lines 
represent feeding behavior that was captured on video or 
observed in the field. 
multiple male feeders. We observed only one male 
and one female feeder at one nest (17%). 
We examined 52 hrs of video footage from four of 
the six nests (Table 1; mean ± SD = 13.0 ± 5.8 hrs; 
range = 6.3-18.7 hrs). Adult feeders for nests lacking 
footage were identified in the field using binoculars. 
Only four nests were filmed for >6 hrs and our 
findings may underestimate the incidence of multiple 
male feeders at these nests. These males may also 
have attended additional nests that were not observed. 
On the morning of 20 June, MRH observed a 
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) approach 
within 10 m of a monitored nest with mature 
nestlings (<24 hrs from Hedging). All three adult 
feeders, previously identified from video footage, 
were observed vigorously defending the nest site, 
calling emphatically and making diving flights in 
the direction of (he hawk, which subsequently 
retreated. A similar defense by multiple males 
was also observed at a second nest on 27 June 
(also with nestlings <24 hrs from fledging). 
Defensive behavior involving three adults was 
observed at two of the three nests (67%) that were 
atiended by multiple male leeders. 
DISCUSSION 
Our confirmation of multiple male feeders at 
Veery nests is the first for this species and only 
the second report for a Nearctic-neotropical 
migratory songbird. Provisioning strategies ob¬ 
served in our study are consistent with descrip¬ 
tions of the variable polygynandrous mating 
system of congeneric Bicknell s Thrush (Goetz 
