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Publications

USGS publications associated with the Bird Banding Laboratory. For a complete listing of USGS publications:

Filter Total Items: 163

Timing and location of mortality of fledgling, subadult, and adult California Gulls Timing and location of mortality of fledgling, subadult, and adult California Gulls

We investigated patterns of mortality during post-breeding migrations of California Gulls (Larus californicus) nesting near Laramie, Wyoming, USA. We used 151 recoveries and 647 sightings of banded and patagially-marked gulls to compare ratios of mortalities to observations of live birds (1) during four time periods (early and late fall migration, winter, and spring migration), (2) at...
Authors
B.H. Pugesek, K.L. Diem

Field Marks of a Celebration: Roger Tory Peterson's Centennial Birthday Field Marks of a Celebration: Roger Tory Peterson's Centennial Birthday

A red letter day in my life was April 27, 1934, the day I first met Roger. A birding friend, Elisha Atkins, had invited Clinton Reynolds and me to dinner to meet a famous ornithologist. We would all be going on a field trip to Newburyport on the Massachusetts coast the next day. The dinner conversation revolved about a new field guide that Mr. Peterson had just completed and that would...
Authors
J. Dunlap, C.S. Robbins

Atlantic Flyway review: Region IV Piedmont-Coastal Plain, Fall 2007: Patuxent powerline right-of-way (390-0764) Atlantic Flyway review: Region IV Piedmont-Coastal Plain, Fall 2007: Patuxent powerline right-of-way (390-0764)

This station operates at the Patuxent Research Refuge in a powerline right-of-way that bisects an upland deciduous forest. This area has been used for this purpose since 1980, except in the years 2004-2006. Twenty-six nets are arrayed along approximately one-half mile that runs generally on an east-west orientation. The habitat is marked by dense 4-6 foot high shrub foliage with very few...
Authors
Danny Bystrak

Atlantic Flyway review: Region IV Piedmont-Coastal Plain, Fall 2007 Atlantic Flyway review: Region IV Piedmont-Coastal Plain, Fall 2007

Region IV welcomed another coastal station in 2007 with a report from Chris Snook at Charleston, South Carolina. The season was hot and dry throughout Region IV except in Florida where precipitation averaged above normal. Banders blamed their poor success on the lack of cold fronts in August, September, and the first half of October and on persistent strong east winds that blew the...
Authors
Chandler Robbins

Winter ecology of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in southern Texas 1999-2004 Winter ecology of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in southern Texas 1999-2004

This study examines the winter ecology of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in five Texas counties surrounding Corpus Christi, in southern Texas. There is a substantial gap in information on the owl's life cycle during migration and non-breeding winter months; almost all previous research on western burrowing owls has been conducted during the breeding season. The...
Authors
Marc Woodin, Mary Skoruppa, Graham Hickman

Adult tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) survival on the polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated Housatonic River, Massachusetts, USA Adult tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) survival on the polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated Housatonic River, Massachusetts, USA

Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) were captured and banded at six sites that differed in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination levels in the Housatonic River watershed, western Massachusetts, USA, from 2000 through 2004 to test the prediction that apparent survival rates of females in more contaminated areas were lower than those from less contaminated areas. We also tested...
Authors
Christine Custer, T. W. Custer, J.E. Hines, J.D. Nichols, P.M. Dummer

Workshop: Western hemisphere network of bird banding programs Workshop: Western hemisphere network of bird banding programs

Purpose: To promote collaboration among banding programs in the Americas. Introduction: Bird banding and marking provide indispensable tools for ornithological research, management, and conservation of migratory birds on migratory routes, breeding and non-breeding grounds. Many countries and organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean are in the process of developing or have...
Authors
A. Celis-Murillo

Latitudinal variation in population structure of wintering Pacific Black Brant Latitudinal variation in population structure of wintering Pacific Black Brant

Latitudinal variation in population structure during the winter has been reported in many migratory birds, but has been documented in few species of waterfowl. Variation in environmental and social conditions at wintering sites can potentially influence the population dynamics of differential migrants. We examined latitudinal variation in sex and age classes of wintering Pacific Black...
Authors
J.L. Schamber, James Sedinger, David Ward, K.R. Hagmeier

Enhancing bird banding information sharing across the western hemishpere Enhancing bird banding information sharing across the western hemishpere

Bird banding and marking provide indispensable tools for ornithological research, management, and conservation of migratory birds and their habitats along migratory routes, breeding and non-breeding grounds. With the growing interest in international coordination of tracking bird movements, coordination amongst developing and existing programs is essential for effective data management...
Authors
A. Rojo, H. Berlanga, L. Howes, M. Tomosy

The state of the art in raptor electrocution research: A global review The state of the art in raptor electrocution research: A global review

We systematically reviewed the raptor electrocution literature to evaluate study designs and methods used in raptor electrocution research, mitigation, and monitoring, emphasizing original research published in English. Specifically, we wondered if three decades of effort to reduce raptor electrocutions has had positive effects. The majority of literature examined came from North America...
Authors
Robert Lehman, P.L. Kennedy, J. Savidge

Effects of radiomarking on prairie falcons: Attachment failures provide insights about survival Effects of radiomarking on prairie falcons: Attachment failures provide insights about survival

From 1999–2002, we attached satellite-received platform transmitter terminals (PTTs) to 40 adult female prairie falcons (Falco mexicanus) on their nesting grounds in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA) in southwest Idaho. We used 3 variations of a backpack harness design that had been used previously on raptors. Each radiomarked falcon also received a color leg...
Authors
Karen Steenhof, Kirk Bates, Mark Fuller, Michael Kochert, James McKinley, Paul M. Lukacs
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