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: 1961
Carbonate deposition on tail feathers of ruddy ducks using evaporation ponds Carbonate deposition on tail feathers of ruddy ducks using evaporation ponds
Substantial carbonate deposits were observed on rectrices of Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) collected during 1982-1984 on evaporation ponds in the San Joaquin Valley, California. Carbonate deposits were composed of about 75% aragonite and 25% calcite, both polymorphous forms of CaCO3. Significantly more carbonate deposits were observed on Ruddy Ducks as length of exposure to...
Authors
N.H. Euliss, R. L. Jarvis, D.S. Gilmer
Importance of individual species of predators on nesting success of ducks in the Canadian prairie pothole region Importance of individual species of predators on nesting success of ducks in the Canadian prairie pothole region
We followed 3094 upland nests of several species of ducks. Clutches in most nests were lost to predation. We related daily nest predation rates to indices of activity of eight egg-eating predators, precipitation during the nesting season, and measures of wetland conditions. Activity indices of red fox (Vulpes vulpes), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), and raccoon (Procyon lotor)...
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, Alan B. Sargeant, Raymond J. Greenwood
Estimating carcass fat and protein in northern pintails during the nonbreeding season Estimating carcass fat and protein in northern pintails during the nonbreeding season
I used northern pintails (Anas acuta) collected from August through March 1979-82 in the Sacramento Valley, California to derive equations to predict ether-extracted carcass fat, carcass protein, and skeletal lean dry weight. Ether-extracted carcass fat was best predicted by total fat depot weight (wet skin, abdominal fat, and intestinal fat) (r2 = 0.94) and estimates based on carcass...
Authors
Michael R. Miller
Observed interactions between coyotes and red foxes Observed interactions between coyotes and red foxes
No abstract available.
Authors
Alan B. Sargeant, Stephen H. Allen
Winter raptor use of the Platte and North Platte River Valleys in south central Nebraska Winter raptor use of the Platte and North Platte River Valleys in south central Nebraska
Winter distribution and abundance of raptors were monitored within the Platte and North Platte river valleys. Data were collected along 265 km of census routes along the Platte and North Platte rivers during the winters of 1978-1979 and 1979-1980. Observations recorded during the second winter involved less observation time and were at somewhat different periods. There were 1574...
Authors
G.R. Lingle
Prescribed burning guidelines in the Northern Great Plains Prescribed burning guidelines in the Northern Great Plains
The use of fire to manage grasslands for wildlife is a relatively new management option for resource managers in the Northern Great Plains (NGP). Nearly all of the burning during the past 20-25 years has been conducted without the aid of specific guidelines for the region. This state-of-the-art set of recommendations was compiled because of this void.Records of 902 grassland fires...
Authors
Kenneth F. Higgins, James L. Piehl, Arnold D. Kruse
Annotated bibliography of fire literature relative to northern grasslands in south-central Canada and north-central United States Annotated bibliography of fire literature relative to northern grasslands in south-central Canada and north-central United States
Natural resource managers have greatly increased the use of fire to manage grassland habitats during the past two decades in the northern Great Plains region of the United States and Canada. In support of these efforts, we have compiled this annotated bibliography to provide a condensed reference of fire literature for those managers with an interest in fire ecology. References are...
Authors
Kenneth F. Higgins, David P. Fellows, J. Mike Callow, Arnold D. Kruse, James L. Piehl
Vegetation of wetlands of the prairie pothole region Vegetation of wetlands of the prairie pothole region
Five themes dominate the literature dealing with the vegetation of palustrine and lacustrine wetlands of the prairie pothole region: environmental conditions (water or moisture regime, salinity), agricultural disturbances (draining, grazing, burning, sedimentation, etc.), vegetation dynamics, zonation patterns, and classification of the wetlands.The flora of a prairie wetland is a...
Authors
H.A. Kantrud, J.B. Millar, A.G. Van Der Valk
Size differences in migrant sandpiper flocks: Ghosts in ephemeral guilds Size differences in migrant sandpiper flocks: Ghosts in ephemeral guilds
Scolopacid sandpipers were studied from 1980 until 1984 during spring migration in North Dakota. Common species foraging together in mixed-species flocks differed in bill length most often by 20 to 30 percent (ratios from 1.2:1 to 1.3:1). Observed flocks were compared to computer generated flocks drawn from three source pools of Arctic-nesting sandpipers. The source pools included 51...
Authors
J.L. Eldridge, Douglas H. Johnson
Duck nest success in the prairie pothole region Duck nest success in the prairie pothole region
We estimated nest success of mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), gadwall (A. strepera), blue-winged teal (A. discors), northern shoveler (A. clypeata), and northern pintail (A. acuta) for 5 regions in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota, for 1-3 periods between 1966 and 1984, and for 8 habitat classes. We obtained composite estimates of nest success for regions and periods by weighting...
Authors
Albert T. Klett, Terry L. Shaffer, Douglas H. Johnson
Determinants of breeding distributions of ducks Determinants of breeding distributions of ducks
The settling of breeding habitat by migratory waterfowl is a topic of both theoretical and practical interest. We use the results of surveys conducted annually during 1955-81 in major breeding areas to examine the factors that affect the distributions of 10 common North American duck species. Three patterns of settling are described: homing, opportunistic, and flexible. Homing is...
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, J.W. Grier
Agricultural chemicals and the quality of prairie-pothole wetlands for adult and juvenile waterfowl - What are the concerns? Agricultural chemicals and the quality of prairie-pothole wetlands for adult and juvenile waterfowl - What are the concerns?
A review of the literature and results of ongoing studies indicates that the potential for agricultural chemicals, particularly aerially-applied insecticides, to enter prairie potholes and reduce the quality of these wetlands for waterfowl is great, and that a coordinated effort by farmers, wildlife managers, and regulatory agencies is needed to minimize these impacts
Authors
C.E. Grue, M.W. Tome, G.A. Swanson, S.M. Borthwick, L.R. DeWeese