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Publications

USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center staff publish results of their research in USGS series reports and in peer-reviewed journals. Publication links are below.  Information on all USGS publications can be found at the USGS Publications Warehouse.

Filter Total Items: 1930

[Book review] A new text on birds: Ornithology, by Frank B. Gill [Book review] A new text on birds: Ornithology, by Frank B. Gill

Review of: Ornithology. Frank B. Gill. New York : W.H. Freeman, 1990. ISBN: 0716720655.
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson

Conditioning of sandhill cranes during fall migration Conditioning of sandhill cranes during fall migration

Body mass of adult female and male sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) increased an average of 17 and 20%, respectively, from early September to late October on staging areas in central North Dakota and varied by year. Increases in body mass averaged 550 and 681 g among female and male G. c. canadensis, respectively, and 616 and 836 g among female and male G. c. rowani. Adult and juvenile...
Authors
Gary L. Krapu, Douglas H. Johnson

Estimating nest success: When Mayfield wins Estimating nest success: When Mayfield wins

The Apparent estimator of nest success may be severely biased because unsuccessful nests are less likely to be found than are successful nests. The Mayfield estimator is a preferred alternative. The situation is somewhat different for nests in colonies or on islands because of greater visibility of nests, higher synchrony of nesting, and often higher hatch rates than dispersed mainland...
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, T.L. Shaffer

Nutrient reserve dynamics of breeding canvasbacks Nutrient reserve dynamics of breeding canvasbacks

We compared nutrients in reproductive and nonreproductive tissues of breeding Canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) to assess the relative importance of endogenous reserves and exogenous foods. Fat reserves of females increased during rapid follicle growth and varied more widely in size during the early phase of this period. Females began laying with ca. 205 g of fat in reserve and lost 1.8 g...
Authors
Jeb A. Barzen, Jerome R. Serie

Diet of canvasbacks during breeding Diet of canvasbacks during breeding

We examined diets of canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) breeding in southwestern Manitoba during 1977-81. Percent volume of animal foods consumed did not differ between males and females nor among prenesting, rapid follicle growth, laying, incubation, and renesting periods in females (mean = 50.1%). Tubers and shoots of fennelleaf pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus) and midge larvae...
Authors
J. E. Austin, J.R. Serie, J.H. Noyes

Weights of wild mallard Anas platyrhynchos, gadwall A. strepera, and blue-winged teal A. discors during the breeding season Weights of wild mallard Anas platyrhynchos, gadwall A. strepera, and blue-winged teal A. discors during the breeding season

During 1976-81 we weighed several thousands of wild Mallard, Gadwall, and Blue-winged Teal in central North Dakota to examine duckling growth patterns, adult weights, and the factors influencing them. One-day-old Mallard and Gadwall averaged 32.4 and 30.4 g, respectively, a reduction of 34% and 29% from fresh egg weights. In all three species, the logistic growth curve provided a good...
Authors
John T. Lokemoen, Douglas H. Johnson, David E. Sharp

Use of social indices to predict reproductive success in canvasbacks Use of social indices to predict reproductive success in canvasbacks

We correlated temporal changes in social groupings of canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) breeding near Minnedosa, Manitoba, with an independent estimate of hen success during 1974-80. Roadside counts of pairs, lone males, and flocked males were made along transects at 5-day intervals, normalized to percentages to allow comparisons among years, and plotted to obtain measurements of selected...
Authors
Jerome R. Serie, Lewis M. Cowardin

Premigrational movements and behavior of young mallards and wood ducks in north-central Minnesota Premigrational movements and behavior of young mallards and wood ducks in north-central Minnesota

Movements and behavior of 89 young mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and 48 young wood ducks (Aix sponsa) were monitored on a 932-km2 study area in north-central Minnesota in late summer and fall, 1972-74, with telemetry, visual observation, and aerial surveys. Initial flights of both species were confined to the natal (brood) marsh; first flights away from the natal marsh occurred in the...
Authors
R.E. Kirby, L.M. Cowardin, J.R. Tester
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