Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Why do we study Pacific Black Brant geese?
Black Brant geese nest in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Europe, and Russia. Pacific Black Brant--found primarily in Alaska during summer--are a focal species of international attention because of their importance to subsistence and sport hunters and their wide geographic range. Since 1963, surveys have been conducted every fall at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Alaska to record the number of juvenile and adult Pacific Black Brant geese. This data is used to calculate and monitor the overall population of Pacific Black Brant.
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Does banding hurt birds?
No, banding does not hurt birds. When proper techniques and equipment are carefully employed, it’s a safe procedure for birds. Trained banders, who apply their expertise and thoughtfulness towards the health and well-being of the birds, follow strict procedures based on the Bander’s ethic code .
I found (or killed) a bird with a band or color marker around its leg. What do I do?
Bird band information is an important tool that is used to monitor populations, set hunting regulations, restore endangered species, study effects of environmental contaminants, and address such issues as Avian Influenza, bird hazards at airports, and crop depredations. The North American Bird Banding Program is jointly administered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Canadian Wildlife...
Who can band birds?
Because banding birds requires capturing the birds and handling them before the banding takes place, the banding of birds in the United States is controlled under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and requires a federal banding permit. Some states require a state permit as well. Only official federal bands can be legally placed on birds that are released to the wild within the United States. Banders...
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Pacific brant family on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska.
Pacific brant family on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska.
The black brant population is declining based on mark recapture
Blood selenium concentrations in female Pacific black brant molting in Arctic Alaska: Relationships with age and habitat salinity
High fidelity does not preclude colonization: range expansion of molting Black Brant on the Arctic coast of Alaska
Intercolony variation in growth of black brant goslings on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska
Demographic characteristics of molting black brant near Teshekpuk Lake, Alaska
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- FAQ
Does banding hurt birds?
No, banding does not hurt birds. When proper techniques and equipment are carefully employed, it’s a safe procedure for birds. Trained banders, who apply their expertise and thoughtfulness towards the health and well-being of the birds, follow strict procedures based on the Bander’s ethic code .
I found (or killed) a bird with a band or color marker around its leg. What do I do?
Bird band information is an important tool that is used to monitor populations, set hunting regulations, restore endangered species, study effects of environmental contaminants, and address such issues as Avian Influenza, bird hazards at airports, and crop depredations. The North American Bird Banding Program is jointly administered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Canadian Wildlife...
Who can band birds?
Because banding birds requires capturing the birds and handling them before the banding takes place, the banding of birds in the United States is controlled under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and requires a federal banding permit. Some states require a state permit as well. Only official federal bands can be legally placed on birds that are released to the wild within the United States. Banders...
- Multimedia
Black Brant In Flight
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Pacific Brant family in AlaskaPacific brant family on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska.
Pacific brant family on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska.
- Publications
The black brant population is declining based on mark recapture
Annual survival and recruitment in black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) have declined since the 1990s, yet aerial surveys of the global population have been stable or even increasing over the past decade. We used a combination of a Lincoln estimator based on harvest information and band recoveries, and marked‐unmarked ratios in bag checks in 1 harvest area in Mexico to estimate the number of adAuthorsJames S. Sedinger, Thomas V. Riecke, Alan G. Leach, David H. WardBlood selenium concentrations in female Pacific black brant molting in Arctic Alaska: Relationships with age and habitat salinity
Blood samples collected from 81 female Pacific black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) molting near Teshekpuk Lake, Alaska, were analyzed for selenium concentration. The concentration of selenium in blood of after second year (hatched two or more years ago) females (0.84 μg/g wet weight) was significantly greater than the concentration in second year (hatched the previous year) females (0.61 μg/gAuthorsJ. Christian Franson, Paul L. Flint, Joel A. SchmutzHigh fidelity does not preclude colonization: range expansion of molting Black Brant on the Arctic coast of Alaska
High rates of site fidelity have been assumed to infer static distributions of molting geese in some cases. To test this assumption, we examined movements of individually marked birds to understand the underlying mechanisms of range expansion of molting Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) on the Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) of Alaska. The Teshekpuk Lake Special Area (TLSA) on the ACP was createdAuthorsPaul L. Flint, Brandt W. Meixell, Edward J. MallekIntercolony variation in growth of black brant goslings on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska
Recent declines in black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) are likely the result of low recruitment. In geese, recruitment is strongly affected by habitat conditions experienced by broods because gosling growth rates are indicative of forage conditions during brood rearing and strongly influence future survival and productivity. In 2006–2008, we studied gosling growth at 3 of the 4 major coloniesAuthorsT.F. Fondell, Paul L. Flint, J.S. Sedinger, C.A. Nicolai, J.L. SchamberDemographic characteristics of molting black brant near Teshekpuk Lake, Alaska
Molting Brant in the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area (TLSA) on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska were studied from 1987 to 1992 using capture-mark-recapture techniques to determine origin, age and sex composition, return rates and site fidelity. Brant originated from 10 nesting colonies in Canada and Alaska. The captured birds were 76% adults and 57% males. Ninety-one percentAuthorsK.S. Bollinger, D.V. Derksen - News