Conservation Ecology and Monitoring of Raptors Active
Raptors, or birds of prey, are often used to indicate the state of an ecosystem, and monitoring their populations can help us to understand ecosystem processes. Raptors are particularly good animals for monitoring because they are big and therefore charismatic and easy to observe. Whether we’re monitoring nesting biology and reproductive output, counting individuals on roads, or setting up trail cameras in the woods, our team engages in science that is important to ecological well-being and to society.
Non-invasive Genetic Analysis
Our team uses non-invasive monitoring techniques to gather information on poorly known raptor demographic parameters like survivorship, population size, and rates of immigration and emigration. Traditionally, this was done with capture and recapture of individuals, an approach that requires exceptional effort for relatively poor return. However, in the last decade, genetic analysis of non-invasively collected samples, such as hair, scat, and feathers, has become a powerful method to follow individual wild animals. Our team was the first to develop and use non-invasive genetic mark-recapture techniques to estimate demography of raptor populations. We initially focused on imperial eagles in Kazakhstan and we are now using those same tools to understand the demography of golden eagles in California and vultures in Cambodia.
Motion-sensitive Cameras
Our team has also developed a network of motion-sensitive cameras for detection of birds of prey. When set in the field with bait, a motion-sensitive camera becomes a “trap” that “captures” images of all kinds of wildlife. Before this project, such camera traps had been deployed to monitor mammals. We are the first to use them specifically to target birds. Using these camera traps, we have discovered that the winter range of golden eagles in eastern North America is much larger than previously known and we are cataloguing important aspects of the biology, demography, and ecology of this poorly studied population.
Learn about other projects led by Dr. Todd Katzner.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Ecological insights from three decades of animal movement tracking across a changing Arctic
Evaluating a rapid field assessment system for anticoagulant rodenticide exposure of raptors
High frequency of lead exposure in the population of an endangered Australian top predator, the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax fleayi)
Diurnal timing of nonmigratory movement by birds: The importance of foraging spatial scales
Illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas
Use of upland and riparian areas by wintering bald eagles and implications for wind energy
GIS-Modeling of island hopping through the Philippines demonstrates trade-offs migrant grey-faced buzzards during oceanic crossings
Understanding the golden eagle and bald eagle sensory worlds to enhance detection and response to wind turbines
Learning from real-world experience to understand renewable energy impacts to wildlife
Assessing population-level consequences of anthropogenic stressors for terrestrial wildlife
Removal of cattle grazing correlates with increases in vegetation productivity and in abundance of imperiled breeding birds
Lead exposure of red-shouldered hawks during the breeding season in the central Appalachians, USA
Plain language descriptions for some related USGS products and publications.
- Overview
Raptors, or birds of prey, are often used to indicate the state of an ecosystem, and monitoring their populations can help us to understand ecosystem processes. Raptors are particularly good animals for monitoring because they are big and therefore charismatic and easy to observe. Whether we’re monitoring nesting biology and reproductive output, counting individuals on roads, or setting up trail cameras in the woods, our team engages in science that is important to ecological well-being and to society.
Non-invasive Genetic Analysis
Our team uses non-invasive monitoring techniques to gather information on poorly known raptor demographic parameters like survivorship, population size, and rates of immigration and emigration. Traditionally, this was done with capture and recapture of individuals, an approach that requires exceptional effort for relatively poor return. However, in the last decade, genetic analysis of non-invasively collected samples, such as hair, scat, and feathers, has become a powerful method to follow individual wild animals. Our team was the first to develop and use non-invasive genetic mark-recapture techniques to estimate demography of raptor populations. We initially focused on imperial eagles in Kazakhstan and we are now using those same tools to understand the demography of golden eagles in California and vultures in Cambodia.
Motion-sensitive Cameras
Our team has also developed a network of motion-sensitive cameras for detection of birds of prey. When set in the field with bait, a motion-sensitive camera becomes a “trap” that “captures” images of all kinds of wildlife. Before this project, such camera traps had been deployed to monitor mammals. We are the first to use them specifically to target birds. Using these camera traps, we have discovered that the winter range of golden eagles in eastern North America is much larger than previously known and we are cataloguing important aspects of the biology, demography, and ecology of this poorly studied population.
- Science
Learn about other projects led by Dr. Todd Katzner.
- Data
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
- Publications
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Filter Total Items: 64Ecological insights from three decades of animal movement tracking across a changing Arctic
The Arctic is entering a new ecological state, with alarming consequences for humanity. Animal-borne sensors offer a window into these changes. Although substantial animal tracking data from the Arctic and subarctic exist, most are difficult to discover and access. Here, we present the new Arctic Animal Movement Archive (AAMA), a growing collection of more than 200 standardized terrestrial and marAuthorsSarah C Davidson, Gil Bohrer, Eliezer Gurarie, Scott LaPoint, Peter J Mahoney, Natalie Boelman, Jan UH Eitel, Laura R. Prugh, Lee A. Vierling, Jyoti Jennewein, Emma Grier, Ophélie Couriot, Allicia P Kelly, Arjan JH Meddens, Ruth Y Oliver, Roland Kays, Martin Wikelski, Tomas Aarvak, Josh T. Ackerman, Mónica Almeida e Silva, José A. Alves, Erin Bayne, Bryan Bedrosian, Jerrold L. Belant, Andrew M Berdahl, Alicia Berlin, Dominique Berteaux, Joël Bêty, Dmitrij Boiko, Travis L. Booms, Bridget L Borg, Stan Boutin, W. Sean Boyd, Kane Brides, Stephen C. Brown, Victor N. Bulyuk, Kurt K Burnham, David Cabot, Michael L. Casazza, Katherine S. Christie, Erica H. Craig, Shanti E. Davis, Tracy Davison, Dominic Demma, Christopher R. DeSorbo, Andrew E. Dixon, Robert Domenech, Götz Eichhorn, Kyle Elliott, Joseph R. Evenson, Klaus-Michael Exo, Steven Ferguson, Wolfgang Fiedler, Aaron T. Fisk, J. Fort, Alastair Franke, Mark R. Fuller, Stefan Garthe, Gilles Gauthier, Grant Gilchrist, Petr Glazov, Carrie E. Gray, David Grémillet, Larry Griffin, Mike Hallworth, Autumn-Lynn Harrison, Holly Hennin, J Mark Hipfner, James Hodson, James A. Johnson, Kyle Joly, Kimberly Jones, Todd E. Katzner, Jeff W Kidd, Elly Knight, Michael N. Kochert, Andrea Kölzsch, Helmut Kruckenberg, Benjamin J Lagassé, Sandra Lai, Jean-François Lamarre, Richard B. Lanctot, Nicholas C Larter, A David Latham, Christopher J. Latty, James P. Lawler, Don-Jean Léandri-Breton, Hansoo Lee, Stephen B. Lewis, Oliver P. Love, Jesper Madsen, Mark Maftei, Mark L. Mallory, Buck Mangipane, Mikhail Y. Markovets, Peter P. Marra, Rebecca L McGuire, Carol McIntyre, Emily A McKinnon, Tricia A. Miller, Sander Moonen, Tong Mu, Gerhard JDM Müskens, Janet Ng, Kerry L Nicholson, Ingar Jostein Øien, Cory T. Overton, Patricia A Owen, Allison G. L. Patterson, Aevar Petersen, Ivan Pokrovsky, Luke L. Powell, Rui Prieto, Petra Quillfeldt, Jennie Rausch, Kelsey Russell, Sarah T. Saalfeld, Hans Schekkerman, Joel A. Schmutz, Philipp Schwemmer, Dale R. Seip, Adam Shreading, Mónica A. Silva, Brian W. Smith, Fletcher Smith, Jeff P. Smith, Katherine RS Snell, Aleksandr Sokolov, Vasiliy Sokolov, Diana V Solovyeva, Mathew S Sorum, Grigori Tertitski, J. F. Therrien, Kasper Thorup, Lee Tibbitts, Ingrid Tulp, Brian D. Uher-Koch, Rob SA van Bemmelen, Steve Van Wilgenburg, Andrew L. Von Duyke, Jesse Watson, Bryan D Watts, Judy A Williams, Matthew Wilson, Jay Wright, Michael A Yates, David Yurkowski, Ramūnas Žydelis, Mark HebblewhiteEvaluating a rapid field assessment system for anticoagulant rodenticide exposure of raptors
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are commonly used to control rodent pests. However, worldwide, their use is associated with secondary and tertiary poisoning of nontarget species, especially predatory and scavenging birds. No medical device can rapidly test for AR exposure of avian wildlife. Prothrombin time (PT) is a useful biomarker for AR exposure, and multiple commercially available point-of-cAuthorsAriana J Dickson, James R. Belthoff, Kristen A Mitchell, Brian W. Smith, Zachary P. Wallace, Matthew J. Stuber, Michael J. Lockhart, Barnett A. Rattner, Todd E. KatznerHigh frequency of lead exposure in the population of an endangered Australian top predator, the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax fleayi)
Lead poisoning, mainly through incidental ingestion of lead ammunition in carcasses, is a threat to scavenging and predatory bird species worldwide. In Australia, shooting for animal control is widespread, and a range of native scavenging species are susceptible to lead exposure. However, the prevalence of lead exposure in Australia's scavenging and predatory birds is largely unknown. We evaluatedAuthorsJames M. Pay, Todd E. Katzner, Clare E. Hawkins, Amelia J. Koch, Jason M. Wiersm, William E. Brown, Nick J. Mooney, Elissa Z. CameronDiurnal timing of nonmigratory movement by birds: The importance of foraging spatial scales
Timing of activity can reveal an organism's efforts to optimize foraging either by minimizing energy loss through passive movement or by maximizing energetic gain through foraging. Here, we assess whether signals of either of these strategies are detectable in the timing of activity of daily, local movements by birds. We compare the similarities of timing of movement activity among species using sAuthorsJulie M. Mallon, Marlee A. Tucker, Annalea Beard, Richard O Bierregaard Jr., Keith L. Bildstein, Katrin Böhning-Gaese, John N. Brzorad, Evan R. Buechley, Javier Bustamante, Carlos Carrapato, José Alfredo Castillo‐Guerrero, Elizabeth Clingham, Mark Desholm, Christopher R. DeSorbo, Robert Domenech, Hayley Douglas, Olivier Duriez, Peter Enggist, Nina Farwig, Wolfgang Fiedler, Anna Gagliardo, Clara García‐Ripollés, José Antonio Gil Gallús, Morgan E. Gilmour, Roi Harel, Autumn-Lynn Harrison, Leeann Henry, Todd E. Katzner, Roland Kays, Erik Kleyheeg, Rubén Limiñana, Pascual López-López, Giuseppe Lucia, Alan Maccarone, Egidio Mallia, Ugo Mellone, E.K. Mojica, Ran Nathan, Scott H. Newman, Steffen Oppel, Yotam Orchan, Diann J. Prosser, Hannah Riley, Sascha Rösner, Dana G. Schabo, Holger Schulz, Scott A. Shaffer, Adam Shreading, João Paulo Silva, Jolene Sim, Henrik Skov, Orr Spiegel, Matthew J. Stuber, John Y. Takekawa, Vicente Urios, Javier Vidal‐Mateo, Kevin Warner, Bryan D. Watts, Nicola Weber, Sam Weber, Martin Wikelski, Ramunas Zydelis, Thomas Mueller, William F. FaganIllegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas
Illegal killing of nongame wildlife is a global yet poorly documented problem. The prevalence and ecological consequences of illegal killing are often underestimated or completely unknown. We review the practice of legal recreational shooting and present data gathered from telemetry, surveys, and observations on its association with illegal killing of wildlife (birds and snakes) within conservatioAuthorsTodd E. Katzner, Jay D. Carlisle, Sharon Poessel, Eve C. Thomason, Benjamin P. Pauli, David Pilliod, James R. Belthoff, Julie A. Heath, Kristina J. Parker, Kevin S. Warner, Heather Hayes, Madeline Aberg, Patricia Ortiz, Sandra Amdor, Steven Alsup, Stephanie E. Coates, Tricia A. Miller, Zoe K. T. DuranUse of upland and riparian areas by wintering bald eagles and implications for wind energy
Weather can shape movements of animals and alter their exposure to anthropogenic threats. Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are increasingly at risk from collision with turbines used in onshore wind energy generation. In the midwestern United States, development of this energy source typically occurs in upland areas that bald eagles use only intermittently. Our objective was to determine theAuthorsSara J Schmuecker, Drew A Becker, Michael J. Lanzone, Bob Fogg, Susan P Romano, Todd E. Katzner, Tricia A. MillerGIS-Modeling of island hopping through the Philippines demonstrates trade-offs migrant grey-faced buzzards during oceanic crossings
Migration can be costly with consequences that can influence population trajectories. These costs and consequences are especially heightened during over-water travels, which can be high-risk events for birds. We created spatial models to evaluate potential migratory responses of “oceanic”, island-hopping grey-faced buzzards that encounter variation in landscape parameters and weather as they moveAuthorsCamille B. Concepcion, Keith L. Bildstein, Todd E. KatznerUnderstanding the golden eagle and bald eagle sensory worlds to enhance detection and response to wind turbines
The objective for this study was to measure the auditory and visual physiology of Golden and Bald Eagles in order to use eagle sensory capabilities to inform the design of potential deterrent stimuli that could be used to reduce eagle/turbine collisions with wind turbines. The rationale for this approach is that sensory systems of any organism will limit the capability of that organism to perceiveAuthorsEsteban Fernández-Juricic, Jeffrey Lucas, Todd E. Katzner, B. Goller, P. Baumhardt, N. LovkoLearning from real-world experience to understand renewable energy impacts to wildlife
The project team sought to use real-world data to understand adverse effects to wildlife of renewable energy production that is critical to meeting California’s climate and clean energy goals. The project had three main components. First, a systematic literature review studied 20 peer-reviewed publications and 612 reports from other nonreviewed sources from 231 wind and solar facilities in North AAuthorsTara J Conkling, Hannah B. Vander Zanden, Sharon Poessel, Scott R. Loss, Taber D Allison, James E. Diffendorfer, Adam E. Duerr, David M. Nelson, Julie L Yee, Todd E. KatznerAssessing population-level consequences of anthropogenic stressors for terrestrial wildlife
Human activity influences wildlife. However, the ecological and conservation significances of these influences are difficult to predict and depend on their population‐level consequences. This difficulty arises partly because of information gaps, and partly because the data on stressors are usually collected in a count‐based manner (e.g., number of dead animals) that is difficult to translate intoAuthorsTodd E. Katzner, Melissa A. Braham, Tara Conkling, James E. Diffendorfer, Adam E. Duerr, Scott R. Loss, David M. Nelson, Hannah B. Vander Zanden, Julie L. YeeRemoval of cattle grazing correlates with increases in vegetation productivity and in abundance of imperiled breeding birds
Livestock grazing is the most prevalent land use practice in the western United States and a widespread cause of degradation of riparian vegetation. Riparian areas provide high-quality habitat for many species of declining migratory breeding birds. We analyzed changes in vegetation and bird abundance at a wildlife refuge in southeastern Oregon over 24 years, following cessation of 120 years of livAuthorsSharon Poessel, Joan Hagar, Patricia Haggerty, Todd E. KatznerLead exposure of red-shouldered hawks during the breeding season in the central Appalachians, USA
Lead is toxic to humans and wildlife. Most studies of lead exposure of raptors focus on the winter, non-breeding season when they scavenge heavily. We evaluated blood lead concentrations (BLCs) of red-shouldered hawks (Buteo lineatus) during the non-scavenging season in the eastern United States. BLCs of 53 of 70 hawks were above the limit of detection ( x¯ = 9.25 µg/dL ± 19.81; ± SD). Adult hawAuthorsTodd E. Katzner - News
Plain language descriptions for some related USGS products and publications.