Species We Study: Birds Active
To understand information needs and respond to the many challenges in bird conservation, USGS scientists participate in Flyway committees, on Joint Venture boards and working groups, in professional organizations, and in other conservation partnerships. These activities connect USGS scientists to conservation partners with whom they work to address substantial challenges. More than one hundred USGS scientists are dedicated to the scientific study of birds.
Bird Research
USGS Alaska Science Center Wildlife Tracking Data Collection
Informing Renewable Energy Development Siting Decisions with Vertebrate Biodiversity Measures
Shorebird Research
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Changing Arctic Ecosystems
Landbird Research in Alaska
Boreal Partners in Flight
Waterfowl Research
Pacific Island Bird Survey Design and Data Analysis
Mapping Grassland Bird Community Distribution under a Changing Climate
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database
Demographic Analysis of the Endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS migratory bird research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS migratory bird data is available from the button below.
Observation Data of Migratory Birds during Spring and Fall Migration and their use of Habitats in the Yakutat Foreland of Alaska
Aquatic Prey Resources in Response to Estuary Restoration in Willapa Bay, Washington (2014-2015)
Data Supporting Studies of Waterbird and Arctic Lake Ecosystems within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, 1974-1992
Migration stopover ecology of cinnamon teal in western North America
Egg Morphometric Data Obtained for White-faced Ibis Nesting in Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Great Salt Lake, Utah (2010-2012)
Aerial surveys of shorebirds at pre-migratory staging sites in western Alaska, 2018-2019
Tule Greater White-fronted Goose Migration Tracks (2019-2020) and Atmospheric Smoke Concentrations (2020).
North American Bird Banding Program Dataset 1960-2021 retrieved 2021-07-25
North American Bird Banding Program Dataset 1960-2020 retrieved 2020-06-26
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) Satellite Telemetry and Observational Data, Western North America, 1993-1997
Western sandpiper diet composition in south San Francisco Bay, CA
Nest data for white-faced Ibis in Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Great Salt Lake, Utah in summer 2012
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS migratory bird research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS migratory bird publications is available from the button below.
Balancing future renewable energy infrastructure siting and associated habitat loss for migrating whooping cranes
Museum genomics provide evidence for persistent genetic differentiation in a threatened seabird species in the Western Atlantic
Prioritizing habitats based on abundance and distribution of molting waterfowl in the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area of the National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska
Interpreting long-distance movements of non-migratory golden eagles: Prospecting and nomadism?
Grassland conservation supports migratory birds and produces economic benefits for the commercial beekeeping industry in the U.S. Great Plains
Functional wetland loss drives emerging risks to waterbird migration networks
The Pacific as the world’s greatest theater of bird migration: Extreme flights spark questions about physiological capabilities, behavior, and the evolution of migratory pathways
The impact of future climate on wetland habitat in a critical migratory waterfowl corridor of the Prairie Pothole Region
Revealing migratory path, important stopovers and non-breeding areas of a boreal songbird in steep decline
Life-history attributes of Arctic-breeding birds drive uneven responses to environmental variability across different phases of the reproductive cycle
Dispersal distance is driven by habitat availability and reproductive success in Northern Great Plains piping plovers
A review of algal toxin exposures on reserved federal lands and among trust species in the United States
Find out what's new!
- Overview
To understand information needs and respond to the many challenges in bird conservation, USGS scientists participate in Flyway committees, on Joint Venture boards and working groups, in professional organizations, and in other conservation partnerships. These activities connect USGS scientists to conservation partners with whom they work to address substantial challenges. More than one hundred USGS scientists are dedicated to the scientific study of birds.
Bird ResearchFilter Total Items: 104USGS Alaska Science Center Wildlife Tracking Data Collection
Understanding the short- and long-distance movements of wildlife is critical for a wide variety of ecological research questions and management decisions. Since the mid-1980s, the USGS Alaska Science Center has used information from telemetry devices on wildlife species to determine locations of animals throughout their annual cycles, understand patterns of habitat use, quantify time spent on...Informing Renewable Energy Development Siting Decisions with Vertebrate Biodiversity Measures
Renewable energy development is expanding in southwestern deserts, including in Arizona. Energy developers look to resource management agencies to provide siting guidance on public lands where there might be conflicts with wildlife. Often, agency guidance considers species of conservation concern and economic importance, but information on comprehensive vertebrate biodiversity has been hard to...Shorebird Research
With its vast size and geographic position at the northern end of several migration pathways, Alaska is a critically important site for the world’s shorebirds. Thirty-seven shorebird species regularly breed in Alaska. Most of these species conduct epically long migrations to take advantage of Alaska’s abundant food resources and breeding habitat, making Alaska a global resource for shorebirds...Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species; from loons and seaducks that nest inland, to petrels and puffins that breed on islands off shore. All these birds depend on the sea to provide a wide variety of food types— from clams, crabs and urchins nearshore— to krill, forage fish, and squid offshore. The...Changing Arctic Ecosystems
Arctic regions of Alaska are important for cultural and economic sustainability and host a wide variety of wildlife species, many of which are of conservation and management interest to the U.S. Department of the Interior. The USGS and collaborators provide information about Arctic ecosystems that are used by Arctic residents, management agencies, and industry.Landbird Research in Alaska
On this page, learn about USGS work on Beak Deformities and Boreal Partners in Flight.Boreal Partners in Flight
WELCOME to the Alaska Landbird Resource Information System, the official web site for Boreal Partners in Flight! Thanks for taking the time to learn more about the Boreal Partners in Flight program and our efforts to understand and conserve northern populations of landbirds.Waterfowl Research
Scientists at the USGS Alaska Science Center have conducted research on waterfowl species (ducks, geese, and swans) in Alaska since the 1970s. Because Alaska is an international crossroads of migratory bird flyways, with millions of birds from Asia and North America breeding in Alaska each summer, USGS research has also taken place in adjacent countries (Russia, Japan, Canada, Mexico) and in the...Pacific Island Bird Survey Design and Data Analysis
Abundance data are collected for bird populations throughout the Pacific Islands by numerous federal, state, university, and non-profit organizations. In order to ensure data are standardized and available to researchers throughout the region, interagency bird databases have been created and continue to be used. These databases contain more than a million compiled, proofed, and standardized...Mapping Grassland Bird Community Distribution under a Changing Climate
Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, and Oklahoma State University are studying the distribution of grassland bird communities across the western Great Plains to anticipate how species distributions may respond to a changing climate.North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database
The North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD) contains survey transect data designed and conducted by numerous partners primarily to census seabirds at sea. The NPPSD includes more than 486,000 transect segments and includes observations of over 20 million birds of 258 species collected over the span of 50 years (from 1973 to 2022).Demographic Analysis of the Endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow
USGS researchers will examine how hydrology and landscape vegetation changes impact Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow survival and population growth. - Data
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS migratory bird research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS migratory bird data is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 13Observation Data of Migratory Birds during Spring and Fall Migration and their use of Habitats in the Yakutat Foreland of Alaska
This data package presents raw legacy data collected during 1980 on the Yakutat Forelands of southeast Alaska. The data were collected to identify and understand the occurrence and distribution of birds and mammals in the ocean and wetlands near Yakutat. Migration "sea watches", aerial surveys, and ground plot surveys were conducted in the foreland area of Yakutat in spring (April - May) and fallAquatic Prey Resources in Response to Estuary Restoration in Willapa Bay, Washington (2014-2015)
The ongoing restoration of more than 200 hectares of estuarine habitat at Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, southwestern Washington, is expected to benefit a variety of species, including salmonids that use estuarine and tidal marshes as rearing and feeding areas as well as migratory waterbirds. During March through June 2014 and 2015, this study was initiated to assess aquatic prey resources. WeData Supporting Studies of Waterbird and Arctic Lake Ecosystems within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, 1974-1992
This data package presents raw legacy data collected during 1974-1992 on the Arctic Coastal Plain (primarily in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska; NPR-A). The data were collected in support of a long-term multi-species wetland ecosystem study that aimed to provide an understanding of occurrence and densities of bird, mammal, fish, invertebrate, and plant species. The study included the TesheMigration stopover ecology of cinnamon teal in western North America
Identifying migration routes and fall stopover sites of cinnamon teal (Spatula cyanoptera septentrionalium) can provide a spatial guide to management and conservation efforts, and address vulnerabilities in wetland networks that support migratory waterbirds. Using high spatio-temporal resolution GSM-GPS transmitters, we tracked the fall migration of 61 cinnamon teal across western North America ovEgg Morphometric Data Obtained for White-faced Ibis Nesting in Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Great Salt Lake, Utah (2010-2012)
This data consists of egg morphometric data from white-faced ibis. Eggs were collected in the field and then measured and dissected in the lab to obtain estimates of length, width and mass. This data supports the following publication: Herzog, M.P., Ackerman, J.T. and Hartman, C.A., 2021. Egg morphometrics and egg shape coefficients for White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi). The Wilson JournalAerial surveys of shorebirds at pre-migratory staging sites in western Alaska, 2018-2019
These data are in one table and document the numbers of four species of shorebird counted during aerial surveys of coastal sites in western Alaska. Survey regions encompassed coastline between the mouths of the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers, and the northern coast of the Alaska Peninsula from the mouths of the Kvichak and Naknek Rivers to Nelson Lagoon. Surveys were flown from 7-9 September 2018 andTule Greater White-fronted Goose Migration Tracks (2019-2020) and Atmospheric Smoke Concentrations (2020).
April through May (spring) and August through September (fall) locations for tule greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons elgasi) marked with GPS collars at Summer Lake Wildlife Area, OR in 2018 and 2019. Locations may include pre-migration and post-migration designations. Locations occurring between September 11, 2020, and arrival at, or within 50 kilometers of the Summer Lake Wildlife AreaNorth American Bird Banding Program Dataset 1960-2021 retrieved 2021-07-25
The North American Bird Banding Program is directed in the United States by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL), Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge (EESC) and in Canada by the Bird Banding Office (BBO), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The respective banding offices have similar functions and policies and use the same bands, rNorth American Bird Banding Program Dataset 1960-2020 retrieved 2020-06-26
The North American Bird Banding Program is directed in the United States by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL), Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge (EESC) and in Canada by the Bird Banding Office (BBO), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The respective banding offices have similar functions and policies and use the same bands, rGolden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) Satellite Telemetry and Observational Data, Western North America, 1993-1997
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data at Risk (DaR) team partnered with the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC) to preserve and release a subset of their golden eagle telemetry data. In the 1990's, researchers from what is now FRESC worked with Boise State University (BSU) and collected telemetry and ground observation data that documented the local and migratory movements and bWestern sandpiper diet composition in south San Francisco Bay, CA
Diet composition can be influenced by age- and sex-related factors including an individual's morphology, social status, and acquired skills; however, specialization may only be necessary when competition is intensified by high population densities or increased energetic demands. The western sandpiper is a small (22-35 grams) migratory shorebird that exhibits female-biased sexual size dimorphism wiNest data for white-faced Ibis in Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Great Salt Lake, Utah in summer 2012
Nest monitoring data of white-faced ibis. Data were collected at seven day intervals and provide information on success and failure of the nest during that interval. Summary vegetation and habitat data were also collected at the nest. These data support the following publication: Mark P. Herzog, Ackerman, Joshua T., Hartman, C. Alex, and Browers, Howard, 2020, Nesting ecology of White-faced - Publications
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS migratory bird research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS migratory bird publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 60Balancing future renewable energy infrastructure siting and associated habitat loss for migrating whooping cranes
The expansion of human infrastructure has contributed to novel risks and disturbance regimes in most ecosystems, leading to considerable uncertainty about how species will respond to altered landscapes. A recent assessment revealed that whooping cranes (Grus americana), an endangered migratory waterbird species, avoid wind-energy infrastructure during migration. However, uncertainties regarding coAuthorsKristen S. Ellis, Aaron T. Pearse, David A. Brandt, Mark T. Bidwell, Wade C. Harrell, Matthew J. Butler, Max Post van der BurgMuseum genomics provide evidence for persistent genetic differentiation in a threatened seabird species in the Western Atlantic
Connectivity among wildlife populations facilitates exchange of genetic material between groups. Changes to historical connectivity patterns resulting from anthropogenic activities can therefore have negative consequences for genetic diversity, particularly for small or isolated populations. DNA obtained from museum specimens can enable direct comparison of temporal changes in connectivity among pAuthorsPaige A. Byerly, R. Terry Chesser, Robert C. Fleischer, Nancy McInerney, Natalia Przelomska, Paul S LebergPrioritizing habitats based on abundance and distribution of molting waterfowl in the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area of the National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska
The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) encompasses more than 9.5 million hectares of federally managed land on the Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska, where it supports a diversity of wildlife, including millions of migratory birds. Within the NPR-A, Teshekpuk Lake and the surrounding area provide important habitat for migratory birds and this area has been designated by the BureauAuthorsPaul L. Flint, Vijay P. Patil, Bradley Shults, Sarah J. ThompsonInterpreting long-distance movements of non-migratory golden eagles: Prospecting and nomadism?
Movements by animals can serve different functions and occur over a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Routine movement types, such as residency (localized movements) and migration, have been well studied. However, nonroutine movement types, such as dispersal, prospecting, and nomadism, are less well understood. Documenting these rarely detected events requires tracking large numbers of indivAuthorsSharon Poessel, Brian Woodbridge, Brian W. Smith, Robert K. Murphy, Bryan E Bedrosian, Douglas A. Bell, David Bittner, Peter H. Bloom, Ross H. Crandall, Robert Domenech, Robert N. Fisher, Patricia Haggerty, Steven J. Slater, Jeff A. Tracey, James W. Watson, Todd E. KatznerGrassland conservation supports migratory birds and produces economic benefits for the commercial beekeeping industry in the U.S. Great Plains
Although declines in grassland birds have been documented, national initiatives to conserve grasslands and their biota have fallen short in part because the non-market values of natural ecosystems and species are often not recognized in political decision making. Identifying shared, anthropogenic threats faced by market-valued and non-market-valued species may generate additional support for grassAuthorsClint R.V. Otto, Haochi Zheng, Torre Hovick, Max Post van der Burg, Benjamin A. GeaumontFunctional wetland loss drives emerging risks to waterbird migration networks
Migratory waterbirds (i.e., shorebirds, wading birds, and waterfowl) rely on a diffuse continental network of wetland habitats to support annual life cycle needs. Emerging threats of climate and land-use change raise new concerns over the sustainability of these habitat networks as water scarcity triggers cascading ecological effects impacting wetland habitat availability. Here we use important waAuthorsJ Patrick Donnelly, Johnnie N Moore, Michael L. Casazza, Shea P CoonsThe Pacific as the world’s greatest theater of bird migration: Extreme flights spark questions about physiological capabilities, behavior, and the evolution of migratory pathways
The Pacific Basin, by virtue of its vastness and its complex aeroscape, provides unique opportunities to address questions about the behavioral and physiological capabilities and mechanisms through which birds can complete spectacular flights. No longer is the Pacific seen just as a formidable barrier between terrestrial habitats in the north and the south, but rather as a gateway for specializedAuthorsTheunis Piersma, Robert E. Gill, Daniel R. Ruthrauff, Christopher G. Guglielmo, Jesse R. Conklin, Colleen M. HandelThe impact of future climate on wetland habitat in a critical migratory waterfowl corridor of the Prairie Pothole Region
Depressional wetlands are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature and precipitation, so understanding how wetland inundation dynamics respond to changes in climate is essential for describing potential effects on wildlife breeding habitat. Millions of depressional basins make up the largest wetland complex in North America known as the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR). The wetland ecosystems thaAuthorsOwen P. McKennaRevealing migratory path, important stopovers and non-breeding areas of a boreal songbird in steep decline
The Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) is a steeply declining aerial insectivore with one of the longest migrations of any North American passerine. We deployed light-level geolocators and archival GPS tags on breeders in boreal Alaska to determine migratory routes, important stopovers and non-breeding locations. Data from 16 individuals revealed a median 23,555 km annual journey (range: 19AuthorsJulie C Hagelin, Michael T. Hallworth, Christopher P Barger, James A. Johnson, Kristin A DuBour, Grey W Pendelton, Lucas H. DeCicco, Laura A McDuffie, Steven M. Matsuoka, Marian A Snively, Peter P. MarraLife-history attributes of Arctic-breeding birds drive uneven responses to environmental variability across different phases of the reproductive cycle
Animals exhibit varied life-history traits that reflect adaptive responses to their environments. For Arctic-breeding birds, traits related to diet, egg nutrient allocation, clutch size, and chick growth are predicted to be under increasing selection pressure due to rapid climate change and increasing environmental variability across high-latitude regions. We compared four migratory birds (black bAuthorsDaniel R. Ruthrauff, Vijay P. Patil, Jerry W. Hupp, David H. WardDispersal distance is driven by habitat availability and reproductive success in Northern Great Plains piping plovers
BackgroundDispersal is a critical life history strategy that has important conservation implications, particularly for at-risk species with active recovery efforts and migratory species. Both natal and breeding dispersal are driven by numerous selection pressures, including conspecific competition, individual characteristics, reproductive success, and spatiotemporal variation in habitat. Most studAuthorsRose J. Swift, Michael J. Anteau, Kristen S. Ellis, Megan Ring, Mark H. Sherfy, Dustin L. ToyA review of algal toxin exposures on reserved federal lands and among trust species in the United States
Associated health effects from algal toxin exposure are a growing concern for human and animal health. Algal toxin poisonings may occur from contact with or consumption of water supplies or from ingestion of contaminated animals. The U.S. Federal Government owns or holds in trust about 259 million hectares of land, in addition to the Trust species obligations. We completed the first comprehensiveAuthorsZachary Laughrey, Victoria Christensen, Robert J. Dusek, Sarena Senegal, Julia S. Lankton, Tracy Ziegler, Lee C. Jones, Daniel Jones, Brianna Williams, Stephanie Gordon, Gerald A. Clyde, Erich B Emery, Keith Loftin - News
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