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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

Factors limiting mallard brood survival in prairie pothole landscapes Factors limiting mallard brood survival in prairie pothole landscapes

In order to estimate mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) production from managed and unmanaged lands, waterfowl biologists need measurable predictors of brood survival. We evaluated effects of percent of seasonal basins holding water (WETSEAS), percent of upland landscape in perennial cover (PERNCOVER), rainfall (RAIN), daily minimum ambient temperature (TMIN), hatch date (HATCHDATE), brood age...
Authors
Gary L. Krapu, Pamela J. Pietz, David A. Brandt, Robert R. Cox

Relationships of habitat patch size to predator community and survival of duck nests Relationships of habitat patch size to predator community and survival of duck nests

We studied duck nest success and predator community composition in relation to size of discrete patches of nesting cover in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the United States in 1993-95. We focused on nests in uplands that were seeded to perennial grasses and forbs and enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. We estimated daily...
Authors
M.A. Sovada, M.C. Zicus, R. J. Greenwood, D.P. Rave, W.E. Newton, R.O. Woodward, J.A. Beiser

Identifying predators and fates of grassland passerine nests using miniature video cameras Identifying predators and fates of grassland passerine nests using miniature video cameras

Nest fates, causes of nest failure, and identities of nest predators are difficult to determine for grassland passerines. We developed a miniature video-camera system for use in grasslands and deployed it at 69 nests of 10 passerine species in North Dakota during 1996-97. Abandonment rates were higher at nests
Authors
Pamela J. Pietz, Diane A. Granfors

Habitat use and reproductive success of western snowy plovers at new nesting areas created for California least terns Habitat use and reproductive success of western snowy plovers at new nesting areas created for California least terns

The Pacific coast population of western snowy plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1993 and its decline is primarily attributed to habitat loss. In southern California, snowy plovers typically nest in association with federally endangered California least terns (Sterna antillarum browni). Since least terns were...
Authors
Abby N. Powell, Christine L. Collier

Waterfowl research priorities in the northern Great Plains Waterfowl research priorities in the northern Great Plains

It is necessary periodically to identify research priorities so that future research will be directed toward the most pertinent issues in waterfowl ecology and management. To that end, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center convened a quorum of experts on the ecology of breeding waterfowl, the Waterfowl Working Group, to 1) develop a mission statement, 2) identify waterfowl research...
Authors
R. R. Cox, Douglas H. Johnson, M. A. Johnson, R.E. Kirby, J.W. Nelson, R. E. Reynolds

Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Eastern Meadowlark Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Eastern Meadowlark

Information on the habitat requirements and effects of habitat management on grassland birds were summarized from information in more than 4,000 published and unpublished papers. A range map is provided to indicate the relative densities of the species in North America, based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data. Although birds frequently are observed outside the breeding range indicated...
Authors
Scott D. Hull

Evidence for edge effects on multiple levels in tallgrass prairie Evidence for edge effects on multiple levels in tallgrass prairie

We tested how edges affect nest survival and predator distribution in a native tallgrass prairie system in southwestern Missouri using artificial nests, natural nests of Dickcissels (Spiza americana) and Henslow's Sparrows (Ammodramus henslowii), and mammal track stations. Survival of artificial nests was lower within 30 m of forest edge. Nesting success of Dickcissels and Henslow's...
Authors
Maiken Winter, Douglas H. Johnson, John Faaborg
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