Wildlife Program (unpublished)

Geonarrative Investigates Geohazards of the Salton Sea

atorregrosa@usgs.gov — Thu, 8 Dec 2022 06:47:18 EST

The interactive, data-rich USGS geonarrative "A Desert on the Move" looks at earthquake and volcanic hazards around the Salton Sea. Understanding these hazards is an important part of successfully planning and restoring the Salton Sea for the future.

Media Alert: Calling all Wisconsin duck hunters! USGS survey available for Green Bay and Lake Michigan

hkoehler@usgs.gov — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 16:46:32 EDT

Public input requested

An annual waterfowl harvest survey is open to duck hunter feedback now through Dec. 31 for the Green Bay and Lake Michigan regions of Wisconsin.

Explore Natural Hazards Science

lisa@usgs.gov — Thu, 6 Oct 2022 12:20:00 EDT

The Earth is a very dynamic and powerful place where natural hazards can quickly become disasters that threaten society. The USGS monitors and studies the science behind natural hazards of all kinds so that our society can reduce potential risk and loss by being prepared.

COVID-19 virus can infect Mexican free-tailed bats

mlubeck@usgs.gov — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 11:29:33 EDT

MADISON, Wis. — Mexican free-tailed bats can be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus but don’t appear to spread it or become sick, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study published today.

They Do That, Too? Relatable Experiences for Mommas (and Momma-figures) of All Species

egoldbaum@usgs.gov — Fri, 6 May 2022 08:00:49 EDT

Becoming a mother makes you do surprising (and sometimes gross) things. Don’t worry – you're not alone! Here are a few ways that motherhood creates kindred spirits across the animal kingdom.

Six Ways the USGS Celebrates Earth Day Everyday

egoldbaum@usgs.gov — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 08:00:36 EDT

What better way to mark Earth Day than with a listicle all about USGS science for our changing world?

Northern Spotted Owl Still Fights for Survival

plaustsen@usgs.gov — Wed, 6 Oct 2021 08:00:00 EDT

Three studies highlight how the interactions between northern spotted owl and the invasive barred owl are intertwined.

New Alaska Landbird Conservation Plan and Alaska Landbird Monitoring Survey Protocol

ygillies@usgs.gov — Wed, 1 Sep 2021 11:00:00 EDT

Alaska, where four major migratory flyways converge, hosts a diverse array of globally important avian habitats, ranging from towering rainforests to treeless tundra. USGS scientists recently led two teams of experts to produce key documents to help conserve Alaska’s similarly diverse landbird populations: the Alaska Landbird Conservation Plan and the Alaska Landbird Monitoring Survey Protocol.

New Study Helps Wind Industry, Wildlife Managers Identify Risks to Certain Raptors from Collisions with Wind Turbines

apdemas@usgs.gov — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 06:30:00 EDT

A recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Oklahoma State University study shows not all raptor species are equally impacted by collisions with wind turbines. Of 14 species studied, five are at risk of population declines due to collisions.

USGS Participation in the Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop

lisa@usgs.gov — Thu, 8 Jul 2021 12:30:00 EDT

This year's Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop, coordinated by the Natural Hazards Center at CU Boulder on July 11 – 14, 2021, is the 46th and will be organized around the theme of The Hazards and Disaster Workforce: Preparing to Meet 21st Century Challenges. Check out these sessions, posters, and research highlights featuring the USGS Risk Community of Practice members.

It’s Pollinator Week!

jburton@usgs.gov — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 08:00:00 EDT

Pollinators in the form of bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles provide vital but often invisible services, from supporting terrestrial wildlife and plant communities, to supporting healthy watersheds.

New Publication Highlights USGS Science on Migratory Birds

ssoileau@usgs.gov — Tue, 11 May 2021 09:45:00 EDT

At the USGS, more than one hundred staff members are dedicated to the scientific study of migratory birds. Bird biologists work with natural resource managers to develop conservation measures and improved management strategies to help sustain migratory bird populations and their habitats.

ARMI Scientist Michael Adams Receives 2020 PARC Honor

ssoileau@usgs.gov — Wed, 6 May 2020 09:15:00 EDT

Dr. Michael Adams, Lead for the USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) and Supervisory Research Ecologist at the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, has been selected to receive the 2020 Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) Alison Haskell Award for Excellence in Herpetofaunal Conservation.

Research Spotlight: Ducklings Leave Nests in Early Morning, Suggesting Predator Avoidance

aweill@usgs.gov — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 06:00:00 EDT

In a study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) biologists put small cameras next to duck nests to determine what time of day wild ducklings began hatching, when the hen and ducklings departed the nest, and if any predators came to the nest when ducklings were present.

Research Spotlight: California Central Valley Ducks Move Shorter Distances and Use Smaller Areas Than Expected

aweill@usgs.gov — Thu, 30 May 2019 10:30:00 EDT

In a new publication, U.S. Geological Survey biologists report the results of real-time tracking of three species of dabbling ducks in California’s Central Valley with GPS to examine the ducks’ fine-scale 24-hour movement patterns.

WERC Scientists Combine Bird Calls and Artificial Intelligence to Keep Tabs on the Elusive Ashy-Storm Petrel (Audubon magazine)

esanchez-chopitea@usgs.gov — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 11:15:00 EDT

CALIFORNIA COAST – Artificial intelligence and acoustic sensors help scientists monitor seabirds

Burrowing Owls and Horned Lizards Thrive in Ecological Hot Spot Next to Los Angeles Airport (Los Angeles Times)

esanchez-chopitea@usgs.gov — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 06:15:00 EDT

LOS ANGELES -- WERC Researchers study lizards and owls at the LAX Dunes preserve

A Unified Research Strategy for Disease Management

skemp@usgs.gov — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 12:15:00 EDT

As wildlife diseases increase globally, an understanding of host-pathogen relationships can elucidate avenues for management and improve conservation efficacy. Amphibians are among the most threatened groups of wildlife, and disease is a major factor in global amphibian declines.

Mapping Public Lands in the United States

mnewell@usgs.gov — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 07:30:00 EDT

The Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is the official inventory of public parks and other protected areas in all U.S. states and territories.

Flexibility in Behavior of Some Animals Helps Them Accommodate a Changing Climate

rmcclymont@usgs.gov — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 05:45:00 EDT

A new study by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners has identified situations and conditions where some animals display behavioral flexibility – the ability to rapidly change behavior in response to short – or long-term environmental changes such as climate variability.

Return of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear

rmcclymont@usgs.gov — Wed, 5 Jul 2017 09:00:00 EDT

From the journals of Lewis & Clark, April 13, 1805 (in the vicinity of Pouch Point Recreation Area - 16 miles south of New Town, North Dakota):

Hot new imagery of wintering bats suggests a group behavior for battling white-nose syndrome

Anonymous — Wed, 5 Jul 2017 08:45:00 EDT

Hot new imagery from temperature-sensing cameras suggests that bats who warm up from hibernation together throughout the winter may be better at surviving white nose syndrome, a disease caused by a cold-loving fungus ravaging insect-eating bat populations in the United States and Canada.

A Deadly Double Punch: Together, Turbines and Disease Jeopardize Endangered Bats

mlubeck@usgs.gov — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 12:45:00 EST

The Other 364 Days of the Year: The Real Lives of Wild Reindeer

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 05:00:00 EST

Caribou, North America’s wild reindeer, have lives apart from their famous role on Christmas Eve. Reindeer and caribou are large, cold-adapted, herding herbivores related to deer, elk and moose.

To learn more about how these arctic antler-bearers spend the other 364 days of the year, we talked to USGS caribou expert Dr. Layne Adams, who has studied these animals for more than 30 years.

Not Just for Kissing: Mistletoe and Birds, Bees, and Other Beasts

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 03:00:00 EST

Perhaps some of you have already experienced a sweet smooch or two under the holiday mistletoe, enjoying this fairly old kissing ritual for people. While figuring prominently in ancient lore, mistletoe is important in other vital ways: it provides essential food, cover and nesting sites for an amazing number of critters. In fact, some animals couldn’t even survive without mistletoe.

Sea Otter Survey Encouraging, but Comes Up Short of the “Perfect Story”

ssoileau@usgs.gov — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 09:00:00 EDT

SANTA CRUZ, California — The southern sea otter, Enhydra lutris nereis, continues its climb toward recovery, according to the annual count released today by the U.S. Geological Survey and partners.

New Research Confirms Continued, Unabated and Large-Scale Amphibian Declines: Local Action Key to Reversing Losses

Anonymous — Mon, 23 May 2016 05:00:00 EDT

New U.S. Geological Survey-led research suggests that even though amphibians are severely declining worldwide, there is no smoking gun – and thus no simple solution – to halting or reversing these declines.

Happy Mother’s Day to Moms of All Species

Anonymous — Fri, 6 May 2016 10:00:00 EDT

USGS wishes to honor all mothers, of all species. Many of our research findings have and are shedding light on the lives of non-human moms.

Piping Plovers Losing Breeding Habitat to Wetland Drainage

shorvath@usgs.gov — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 19:00:00 EST

Piping plovers, a federally threatened species of shorebirds, are likely losing wetland breeding habitat in the Great Plains as a result of wetland drainage, climate change or both, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study.

Cause of Deadly Disease in Snakes Identified

shorvath@usgs.gov — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 19:00:00 EST

The fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola is the definitive cause of the skin infections in snakes known as snake fungal disease, or SFD, according to U.S. Geological Survey research published today in the journal mBio.