Colonial Waterbird Nesting Ecology
Colonial Waterbird Nesting Ecology
USGS is engaged in a variety of research aimed at understanding population dynamics in colonially nesting waterbirds of the Chesapeake Bay. Much of this work focuses on how focal species such as Common and Least Terns, Cattle and Snowy Egrets, and others respond to habitat restoration and management on Poplar Island, a large-scale effort lead by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Port of Baltimore that uses dredge material to restore remote island habitat. However, we also work closely with collaborators from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and private sectors to explore how emerging technologies and novel wildlife management strategies can be used to inform research and management actions.
Explore each of the links below to learn more about our umbrellas of research.
Reproductive Success of Terns on Poplar Island
Reproductive Success of Terns on Poplar Island
Novel Management Techniques of Colonial Water Nesting Birds
Novel Management Techniques of Colonial Water Nesting Birds
Use of Emerging Technologies
Use of Emerging Technologies
Filter Total Items: 15
Identifying the forage base and critical forage taxa for Chesapeake waterbirds Identifying the forage base and critical forage taxa for Chesapeake waterbirds
To effectively maximize the conservation value of management plans intended to capture ecosystem-wide health, it is essential to obtain an understanding of emergent patterns in dietary dynamics spanning many species. Chesapeake Bay, USA, is a critical ecosystem used annually by a diverse assortment of waterbird species, including several of conservation concern. However, the ecosystem is
Authors
Matthew Hack, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Cody M. Kent, Diann Prosser
Usurpation and brooding of Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) chicks by Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) Usurpation and brooding of Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) chicks by Common Terns (Sterna hirundo)
While nest usurpation and subsequent incubation of eggs and even brooding of chicks from other species has been reported for Common Terns (Sterna hirundo), such behavior is considered rare. We report an observation of a Common Tern pair usurping the Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) nest and brooding the Least Tern chicks. While the Least Tern pair attempted to provide care for the chicks...
Authors
Jeffery D. Sullivan, Jonathan Irons, Anna Treadway, Ayla McDonough, Alyssa Lee, Amy O’Donnell, Carl R. Callahan, Peter C. McGowan, Diann J. Prosser
Managing conflict between nesting common terns and herring gulls Managing conflict between nesting common terns and herring gulls
Context: Due to the frequent depredation of eggs and chicks by herring gulls (Larus argentatus), numerous approaches to reduce their impact on tern colonies have been tested by wildlife managers. Previous studies have shown that the use of overhead lines presents a promising method to prevent gull nesting in tern colonies, but little work has evaluated if this approach is suitable for...
Authors
Jeffery D. Sullivan, Amy O’Donnell, Lauren Marie-Therese Lescure, Andrew Rapp, Carl C. Callahan, Peter C. McGowan, Tim Carney, Diann Prosser
A comparison of direct & indirect survey methods for estimating colonial nesting waterbird populations A comparison of direct & indirect survey methods for estimating colonial nesting waterbird populations
Population estimates derived from monitoring efforts can be sensitive to the survey method selected, potentially leading to biased estimates and low precision relative to true population size. While small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) present a unique opportunity to survey avian populations while limiting disturbance, relatively little is known about how this method compares with more...
Authors
Diann J. Prosser, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Christopher J. Gilbert, David F. Brinker, Peter C. McGowan, Carl R. Callahan, Ben Hutzell, Laurence E. Smith
An evaluation of transmitter effects on adult and juvenile Common Terns using leg-loop harness attachments An evaluation of transmitter effects on adult and juvenile Common Terns using leg-loop harness attachments
Marking birds with transmitters allows for the collection of data that are critical for fully understanding avian life history, but researchers must also be confident that performing such studies is as safe as possible for transmittered individuals. While much could be learned from tracking juveniles across dependency periods and first migration, doing so would require a harness-based...
Authors
Evan J Buck, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Claire S. Teitelbaum, David F. Brinker, Peter C. McGowan, Diann Prosser
Comparing Landsat Dynamic Surface Water Extent to alternative methods of measuring inundation in developing waterbird habitats Comparing Landsat Dynamic Surface Water Extent to alternative methods of measuring inundation in developing waterbird habitats
This study investigates the applicability of the Landsat Dynamic Surface Water Extent (DSWE) science product for waterbird habitat modeling in multiple non-canopied habitat types. We compare surface water distribution estimates derived from DSWE to two site-specific survey methods: visual surveys and digitized aerial imagery. These site-specific surveys were conducted on Poplar Island, a
Authors
John B. Taylor, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Claire S. Teitelbaum, Jan G. Reese, Diann Prosser
Poplar Island: Understanding the development of a beneficial use restoration site Poplar Island: Understanding the development of a beneficial use restoration site
Poplar Island, like many other islands throughout the Chesapeake Bay, eroded from 460 hectares in 1847 to only 1.5 hectares by the 1990’s. However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Department of Transportation, and numerous other state and federal agencies selected this site as the location of a beneficial use project aimed at restoring remote island habitat in the Chesapeake...
Authors
Diann Prosser, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Jennifer L. Wall, Evan J Buck, John F. Taylor, Carl R. Callahan, Peter C. McGowan
A comparison of methods for the long-term harness-based attachment of radio-transmitters to juvenile Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) A comparison of methods for the long-term harness-based attachment of radio-transmitters to juvenile Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)
Background While the period from fledging through first breeding for waterbird species such as terns (e.g., genus Sterna, Sternula) is of great interest to researchers and conservationists, this period remains understudied due in large part to the difficulty of marking growing juveniles with radio transmitters that remain attached for extended periods.Methods In an effort to facilitate...
Authors
Evan J Buck, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Cody M. Kent, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Diann Prosser
Assessing nest attentiveness of Common Terns via video cameras and temperature loggers Assessing nest attentiveness of Common Terns via video cameras and temperature loggers
While nest attentiveness plays a critical role in the reproductive success of avian species, little nest attentiveness data with high temporal resolution is available for many species. However, improvements in both video monitoring and temperature logging devices present an opportunity to improve our understanding of this aspect of avian behavior. To investigate nest attentiveness...
Authors
Jeffery D. Sullivan, Paul R. Marban, Jennifer M. Mullinax, David F. Brinker, Petter C. McGowan, Carl C. Callahan, Diann Prosser
Using thermal infrared cameras to detect avian chicks at various distances and vegetative coverages Using thermal infrared cameras to detect avian chicks at various distances and vegetative coverages
Population monitoring of nesting waterbirds often involves frequent entries into the colony, but alternative methods such as local remotely sensed thermal imaging may help reduce disturbance while providing a cost-effective way to survey breeding populations. Such an approach can have high initial costs, however, which may have reduced the number of studies investigating functionality of...
Authors
Diann Prosser, Tom Collier, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Katherine Emily Dale, Carl R. Callahan, Peter C. McGowan, Edward Gaylord, Julia M. Geschke, Lucas Howell, Paul R. Marban, Saba Raman
Assessing beach and island habitat loss in the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva coastal bay region, USA, through processing of Landsat TM and OLI imagery: A case study Assessing beach and island habitat loss in the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva coastal bay region, USA, through processing of Landsat TM and OLI imagery: A case study
Beaches and islands provide economic value to humans and critical habitat for breeding and foraging wildlife. These ecosystems, however, are being severely impacted by global climate change and sea level rise through increased erosion and frequency of inundation. The case study presented here aimed to document island loss in the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva coastal bay region of the...
Authors
Paul R. Marban, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Jonathan P. Resop, Diann J. Prosser
Promoting change in common tern (Sterna hirundo) nest site selection to minimize construction related disturbance Promoting change in common tern (Sterna hirundo) nest site selection to minimize construction related disturbance
With dramatic declines in waterbird populations around the globe, wildlife managers have taken great care to minimize disturbance to breeding waterbird colonies. However, sometimes disturbance cannot be avoided and other actions must be considered. During the 2017 breeding season, a colony of Sterna hirundo (Common terns) were deterred from a historic nesting site due to concerns that...
Authors
Peter C. McGowan, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Carl C. Callahan, William Schultz, Jennifer L. Wall, Diann Prosser
USGS is engaged in a variety of research aimed at understanding population dynamics in colonially nesting waterbirds of the Chesapeake Bay. Much of this work focuses on how focal species such as Common and Least Terns, Cattle and Snowy Egrets, and others respond to habitat restoration and management on Poplar Island, a large-scale effort lead by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Port of Baltimore that uses dredge material to restore remote island habitat. However, we also work closely with collaborators from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and private sectors to explore how emerging technologies and novel wildlife management strategies can be used to inform research and management actions.
Explore each of the links below to learn more about our umbrellas of research.
Reproductive Success of Terns on Poplar Island
Reproductive Success of Terns on Poplar Island
Novel Management Techniques of Colonial Water Nesting Birds
Novel Management Techniques of Colonial Water Nesting Birds
Use of Emerging Technologies
Use of Emerging Technologies
Filter Total Items: 15
Identifying the forage base and critical forage taxa for Chesapeake waterbirds Identifying the forage base and critical forage taxa for Chesapeake waterbirds
To effectively maximize the conservation value of management plans intended to capture ecosystem-wide health, it is essential to obtain an understanding of emergent patterns in dietary dynamics spanning many species. Chesapeake Bay, USA, is a critical ecosystem used annually by a diverse assortment of waterbird species, including several of conservation concern. However, the ecosystem is
Authors
Matthew Hack, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Cody M. Kent, Diann Prosser
Usurpation and brooding of Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) chicks by Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) Usurpation and brooding of Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) chicks by Common Terns (Sterna hirundo)
While nest usurpation and subsequent incubation of eggs and even brooding of chicks from other species has been reported for Common Terns (Sterna hirundo), such behavior is considered rare. We report an observation of a Common Tern pair usurping the Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) nest and brooding the Least Tern chicks. While the Least Tern pair attempted to provide care for the chicks...
Authors
Jeffery D. Sullivan, Jonathan Irons, Anna Treadway, Ayla McDonough, Alyssa Lee, Amy O’Donnell, Carl R. Callahan, Peter C. McGowan, Diann J. Prosser
Managing conflict between nesting common terns and herring gulls Managing conflict between nesting common terns and herring gulls
Context: Due to the frequent depredation of eggs and chicks by herring gulls (Larus argentatus), numerous approaches to reduce their impact on tern colonies have been tested by wildlife managers. Previous studies have shown that the use of overhead lines presents a promising method to prevent gull nesting in tern colonies, but little work has evaluated if this approach is suitable for...
Authors
Jeffery D. Sullivan, Amy O’Donnell, Lauren Marie-Therese Lescure, Andrew Rapp, Carl C. Callahan, Peter C. McGowan, Tim Carney, Diann Prosser
A comparison of direct & indirect survey methods for estimating colonial nesting waterbird populations A comparison of direct & indirect survey methods for estimating colonial nesting waterbird populations
Population estimates derived from monitoring efforts can be sensitive to the survey method selected, potentially leading to biased estimates and low precision relative to true population size. While small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) present a unique opportunity to survey avian populations while limiting disturbance, relatively little is known about how this method compares with more...
Authors
Diann J. Prosser, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Christopher J. Gilbert, David F. Brinker, Peter C. McGowan, Carl R. Callahan, Ben Hutzell, Laurence E. Smith
An evaluation of transmitter effects on adult and juvenile Common Terns using leg-loop harness attachments An evaluation of transmitter effects on adult and juvenile Common Terns using leg-loop harness attachments
Marking birds with transmitters allows for the collection of data that are critical for fully understanding avian life history, but researchers must also be confident that performing such studies is as safe as possible for transmittered individuals. While much could be learned from tracking juveniles across dependency periods and first migration, doing so would require a harness-based...
Authors
Evan J Buck, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Claire S. Teitelbaum, David F. Brinker, Peter C. McGowan, Diann Prosser
Comparing Landsat Dynamic Surface Water Extent to alternative methods of measuring inundation in developing waterbird habitats Comparing Landsat Dynamic Surface Water Extent to alternative methods of measuring inundation in developing waterbird habitats
This study investigates the applicability of the Landsat Dynamic Surface Water Extent (DSWE) science product for waterbird habitat modeling in multiple non-canopied habitat types. We compare surface water distribution estimates derived from DSWE to two site-specific survey methods: visual surveys and digitized aerial imagery. These site-specific surveys were conducted on Poplar Island, a
Authors
John B. Taylor, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Claire S. Teitelbaum, Jan G. Reese, Diann Prosser
Poplar Island: Understanding the development of a beneficial use restoration site Poplar Island: Understanding the development of a beneficial use restoration site
Poplar Island, like many other islands throughout the Chesapeake Bay, eroded from 460 hectares in 1847 to only 1.5 hectares by the 1990’s. However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Department of Transportation, and numerous other state and federal agencies selected this site as the location of a beneficial use project aimed at restoring remote island habitat in the Chesapeake...
Authors
Diann Prosser, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Jennifer L. Wall, Evan J Buck, John F. Taylor, Carl R. Callahan, Peter C. McGowan
A comparison of methods for the long-term harness-based attachment of radio-transmitters to juvenile Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) A comparison of methods for the long-term harness-based attachment of radio-transmitters to juvenile Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)
Background While the period from fledging through first breeding for waterbird species such as terns (e.g., genus Sterna, Sternula) is of great interest to researchers and conservationists, this period remains understudied due in large part to the difficulty of marking growing juveniles with radio transmitters that remain attached for extended periods.Methods In an effort to facilitate...
Authors
Evan J Buck, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Cody M. Kent, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Diann Prosser
Assessing nest attentiveness of Common Terns via video cameras and temperature loggers Assessing nest attentiveness of Common Terns via video cameras and temperature loggers
While nest attentiveness plays a critical role in the reproductive success of avian species, little nest attentiveness data with high temporal resolution is available for many species. However, improvements in both video monitoring and temperature logging devices present an opportunity to improve our understanding of this aspect of avian behavior. To investigate nest attentiveness...
Authors
Jeffery D. Sullivan, Paul R. Marban, Jennifer M. Mullinax, David F. Brinker, Petter C. McGowan, Carl C. Callahan, Diann Prosser
Using thermal infrared cameras to detect avian chicks at various distances and vegetative coverages Using thermal infrared cameras to detect avian chicks at various distances and vegetative coverages
Population monitoring of nesting waterbirds often involves frequent entries into the colony, but alternative methods such as local remotely sensed thermal imaging may help reduce disturbance while providing a cost-effective way to survey breeding populations. Such an approach can have high initial costs, however, which may have reduced the number of studies investigating functionality of...
Authors
Diann Prosser, Tom Collier, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Katherine Emily Dale, Carl R. Callahan, Peter C. McGowan, Edward Gaylord, Julia M. Geschke, Lucas Howell, Paul R. Marban, Saba Raman
Assessing beach and island habitat loss in the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva coastal bay region, USA, through processing of Landsat TM and OLI imagery: A case study Assessing beach and island habitat loss in the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva coastal bay region, USA, through processing of Landsat TM and OLI imagery: A case study
Beaches and islands provide economic value to humans and critical habitat for breeding and foraging wildlife. These ecosystems, however, are being severely impacted by global climate change and sea level rise through increased erosion and frequency of inundation. The case study presented here aimed to document island loss in the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva coastal bay region of the...
Authors
Paul R. Marban, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Jonathan P. Resop, Diann J. Prosser
Promoting change in common tern (Sterna hirundo) nest site selection to minimize construction related disturbance Promoting change in common tern (Sterna hirundo) nest site selection to minimize construction related disturbance
With dramatic declines in waterbird populations around the globe, wildlife managers have taken great care to minimize disturbance to breeding waterbird colonies. However, sometimes disturbance cannot be avoided and other actions must be considered. During the 2017 breeding season, a colony of Sterna hirundo (Common terns) were deterred from a historic nesting site due to concerns that...
Authors
Peter C. McGowan, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Carl C. Callahan, William Schultz, Jennifer L. Wall, Diann Prosser