Graphic created and published by Rosenberg et al. (2019). Click photo to access paper.

In the Americas, migratory songbirds such as Orange-crowned Warblers and Bullock’s Orioles, that are not typically considered nectarivorous, have been observed drinking from nectar feeders or foraging in flowers, including members of the agriculturally important plum (Prunus) genus and maple (Acer) genus often used in landscaping. Members of these plant taxa are also forage for bee species, indicating that songbirds may play an important role in maintaining genetic connectivity given widespread bee declines in North America. Songbirds may move pollen across extensive distances during migration, thus providing a significant pollination service for plant populations across patchy landscapes.

However, across the United States and beyond, songbirds are experiencing extensive population declines. More than 90% of the total loss of avifauna in North America can be attributed to twelve bird families, two of which (Parulidae and Icteridae) constitute two of the primary taxa of interest for this study. Thus, understanding the potential role of songbirds as pollinators is critical for sustaining this ecological process and informing bird conservation practice and policy.