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
Developing techniques to census and monitor American white pelicans and other colonial waterbirds at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge in North Dakota
Demographic analysis of waterfowl populations
An evaluation of waterfowl breeding ecology in the context of their predator community in eastern South Dakota
Support to Fish and Wildlife Service and Prairie Pothole Joint Venture for monitoring and management of migratory bird populations
Studying Immune Responses in the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator
Joint Ecosystem Modeling: EverSnail
Avian Ecology and Multi-Species Habitat Use in Pacific Coast Estuaries
Use of Remote Sensing Data to Quantify Bird and Bat Distributions and Inform Migratory Bird Conservation Efforts
Use of Remote Sensing Data to Quantify Bird Distributions and Aid in the Environmental Assessment of Energy Development in the Gulf of Mexico Region
Interaction Between Alternative Energy Development and Raptors
Information for Golden Eagle Management
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.
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.
Nesting ecology of White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) in Great Salt Lake, Utah
GIS-Modeling of island hopping through the Philippines demonstrates trade-offs migrant grey-faced buzzards during oceanic crossings
Migratory behavior and winter geography drive differential range shifts of eastern birds in response to recent climate change
Joint seasonality in geographic and ecological spaces, illustrated with a partially migratory bird
Red Knot (Calidris canutus) research—Preliminary results and future opportunities
Good prospects: High-resolution telemetry data suggests novel brood-site selection behavior in waterfowl
A red knot as a black swan: How a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the Greenland Icecap
Using value of information to prioritize research needs for migratory bird management under climate change: A case study using federal land acquisition in the United States
Tracking the migration of Pacific Golden-Plovers from nonbreeding grounds at Moorea, French Polynesia, using Pinpoint GPS-Argos tags
A multiscale approach to understanding migratory land bird habitat use of functional stopover habitat types and management efforts
Integrating broad‐scale data to assess demographic and climatic contributions to population change in a declining songbird
Heterogeneity in migration strategies of the whooping crane
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- 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: 104Developing techniques to census and monitor American white pelicans and other colonial waterbirds at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge in North Dakota
Monitoring colonial waterbirds is essential to detect and to provide insights about changes in waterbird distribution and abundance. For colonial waterbirds, major population fluctuations often go undetected because surveys are not conducted regularly, inventory methods are inconsistent, or estimates have unknown reliability. The waterbird colony at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge in North...Demographic analysis of waterfowl populations
Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC) has a long history of conducting broad-scale demographic analyses on available waterfowl. Our current efforts are collaborative with a variety of partners. Current studies include: 1) analysis of banding data for lesser scaup to inform the role of harvest on the continental population; 2) analysis of North American survey information of mallards to...An evaluation of waterfowl breeding ecology in the context of their predator community in eastern South Dakota
Population growth in upland-nesting ducks is highly influenced by spatial and temporal variation in nest survival, and mammalian predators are the major cause of nest failure. Beginning in spring 2018, a graduate student from South Dakota State University and co-advised by a NPWRC scientist will study predator communities and their movements in landscapes with varying grassland patch composition...Support to Fish and Wildlife Service and Prairie Pothole Joint Venture for monitoring and management of migratory bird populations
Sound management of migratory bird breeding populations in the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region hinges on effective monitoring programs and comprehensive analyses of long-term survey data. To this end, Northern Prairie provides support to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in several important areas. The Four-Square-Mile Breeding Duck and Habitat Survey was developed by Northern Prairie in the mid...Studying Immune Responses in the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
The objectives of this study are to (1) investigate whether the immune system will respond to chemical stressors, such as new flame retardant compounds, and (2) determine if such chemical stressors influence white blood cells (WBC) responses after exposure to a viral pathogen mimicking bird flu.Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator
Marl prairie is the most diverse freshwater vegetation community in the Greater Everglades and provides the only suitable habitat for the federally endangered Cape Sable seaside sparrow (CSSS; Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis ).Joint Ecosystem Modeling: EverSnail
EverSnail, developed in collaboration with the University of West Florida, is an age- and size-structured spatially-explicit landscape model of native apple snails ( Pomacea paludosa ).Avian Ecology and Multi-Species Habitat Use in Pacific Coast Estuaries
Waterbirds such as shorebirds, waders, and ducks depend on healthy and productive estuaries to “fuel up” for long distance migrations along the Pacific Flyway. Estuarine ecosystems include a mosaic of managed, natural, and restoring wetlands , and provide critical stop-over and wintering areas for federally protected migratory bird species. USGS WERC’s Dr. Susan De La Cruz works with federal...Use of Remote Sensing Data to Quantify Bird and Bat Distributions and Inform Migratory Bird Conservation Efforts
Three federal wildlife refuge complexes on the upper Texas coast include portions of the Columbia Bottomlands and other forests that are important for migratory birds and possibly bats: Texas Mid-Coast, Trinity River, and Chenier Plain.Use of Remote Sensing Data to Quantify Bird Distributions and Aid in the Environmental Assessment of Energy Development in the Gulf of Mexico Region
Knowing where migratory birds consistently stop to rest and forage is critical for conservation planning, particularly along the northern and western Gulf where there is increased interest in energy development.Interaction Between Alternative Energy Development and Raptors
Energy production has become essential for modern society. At the same time, this process can have negative effects on wildlife and ecosystems. It is in the best interest of society and the environment to understand these effects and to manage and mitigate for them. Our team focuses on measuring how energy development influences birds of prey and learning how to minimize impacts.Information for Golden Eagle Management
This work provides basic information for managing golden eagles in the context of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668-668d). The recent development of energy resources, such as wind, oil, gas, and solar, can potentially affect landscapes in ways that require changes in golden eagle management practices. Our work emphasizes priority information needs identified by the USGS and U... - 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: 13No Result Found - 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: 60Nesting ecology of White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) in Great Salt Lake, Utah
We studied the nesting ecology of White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) at 3 sites within the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA. Ibises built nests in small mounds (mean height = 14.4 ± 4.3 cm) above shallow water (mean depth = 12.0 ± 6.6 cm) located within patchy vegetation (mean percent vegetative cover = 17.2 ± 17.8% vegetative cover) with mean vegetation height of 31.7 ±AuthorsMark P. Herzog, Josh T. Ackerman, C. Alex Hartman, Howard BrowersGIS-Modeling of island hopping through the Philippines demonstrates trade-offs migrant grey-faced buzzards during oceanic crossings
Migration can be costly with consequences that can influence population trajectories. These costs and consequences are especially heightened during over-water travels, which can be high-risk events for birds. We created spatial models to evaluate potential migratory responses of “oceanic”, island-hopping grey-faced buzzards that encounter variation in landscape parameters and weather as they moveAuthorsCamille B. Concepcion, Keith L. Bildstein, Todd E. KatznerMigratory behavior and winter geography drive differential range shifts of eastern birds in response to recent climate change
Over the past half century, migratory birds in North America have shown divergent population trends relative to resident species, with the former declining rapidly and the latter increasing. The role that climate change has played in these observed trends is not well understood, despite significant warming over this period. We used 43 y of monitoring data to fit dynamic species distribution modelsAuthorsClark Rushing, Andy Royle, David Ziolkowski, Keith L. PardieckJoint seasonality in geographic and ecological spaces, illustrated with a partially migratory bird
As most species live in seasonal environments, considering varying conditions is essential to understand species dynamics in both geographic and ecological spaces. Both resident and migratory species need to contend with seasonality and balance settling in favorable areas with tracking favorable environmental conditions during the year. We present an exploratory framework to jointly investigate aAuthorsMathieu Basille, James I. Watling, Stephanie Romanach, Rena R. BorkhatariaRed Knot (Calidris canutus) research—Preliminary results and future opportunities
The Red Knot, Calidris canutus, is a highly migratory shorebird with a cosmopolitan distribution. Six subspecies have been identified, two of which occur regularly in North America (C.c. rufa and C.c. roselaari). Given their long-distance migrations through many jurisdictions and conservation status, tools are needed to reliably distinguish the subspecies when captured away from their breeding areAuthorsDavid C. Kazyak, Aaron Aunins, Robin L. JohnsonGood prospects: High-resolution telemetry data suggests novel brood-site selection behavior in waterfowl
Breeding success should increase with prior knowledge of the surrounding environment, which is dependent upon an animal’s ability to evaluate habitat. Prospecting for nesting locations and migratory stop-over sites are well-established behaviors among bird species. We assessed whether ducks in Suisun Marsh, California, USA, a brackish marsh, prospect for suitable wetlands in the week prior to brooAuthorsMichael L. Casazza, Fiona McDuie, Austen Lorenz, David A. Keiter, Julie L. Yee, Cory T. Overton, Sarah H. Peterson, Cliff L. Feldheim, Joshua T. AckermanA red knot as a black swan: How a single bird shows navigational abilities during repeat crossings of the Greenland Icecap
Despite the wealth of studies on seasonal movements of birds between southern nonbreeding locations and High Arctic breeding locations, the key mechanisms of navigation during these migrations remain elusive. A flight along the shortest possible route between pairs of points on a sphere (‘orthodrome’) requires a bird to be able to assess its current location in relation to its migration goal and tAuthorsEva Kok, T. Lee Tibbitts, David C. Douglas, Paul Howey, Anne Dekinga, Benjamin Gnep, Theunis PiersmaUsing value of information to prioritize research needs for migratory bird management under climate change: A case study using federal land acquisition in the United States
In response to global habitat loss, many governmental and non‐governmental organizations have implemented land acquisition programs to protect critical habitats permanently for priority species. The ability of these protected areas to meet future management objectives may be compromised if the effects of climate change are not considered in acquisition decisions. Unfortunately, the effects of climAuthorsClark S Rushing, Madeleine A. Rubenstein, James E. Lyons, Michael C. RungeTracking the migration of Pacific Golden-Plovers from nonbreeding grounds at Moorea, French Polynesia, using Pinpoint GPS-Argos tags
We used Pinpoint GPS-Argos tags to track migration of Pacific Golden-Plovers Pluvialis fulva in 2017 and 2018 from Moorea Island, at the extreme southeastern edge of the species’ winter range. Of 20 tagged birds, 13 uploaded locations during all or part of their northward migration. The birds departed in mid-April traveling a long (8,250–10,200 km) northwestward track. Ten individuals signaled froAuthorsOscar W. Johnson, T. Lee Tibbitts, Michael F. Weber, David R. Bybee, Roger H. Goodwill, Andrea Bruner, Errika J. Smith, Emmalee L. Buss, Trinity Q.A. Waddell, Daxton Brooks, Carolyn Smith, Jean-Yves MeyerA multiscale approach to understanding migratory land bird habitat use of functional stopover habitat types and management efforts
It is hard to believe that many of the small “backyard birds” people see during spring and autumn can make migratory journeys that span thousands of kilometers. In fact, over two-thirds of all land birds (i.e., those not associated with aquatic habitats) and over half of the migratory species in North America move long distances to areas in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean islaAuthorsTheodore J. ZenzalIntegrating broad‐scale data to assess demographic and climatic contributions to population change in a declining songbird
Climate variation and trends affect species distribution and abundance across large spatial extents. However, most studies that predict species response to climate are implemented at small spatial scales or are based on occurrence‐environment relationships that lack mechanistic detail. Here, we develop an integrated population model (IPM) for multi‐site count and capture‐recapture data for a decliAuthorsJim Saracco, Madeleine A. RubensteinHeterogeneity in migration strategies of the whooping crane
Migratory birds use numerous strategies to successfully complete twice-annual movements between breeding and wintering sites. Context for conservation and management can be provided by characterizing these strategies. Variations in strategy among and within individuals support population persistence in response to changes in land use and climate. We used location data from 58 marked Whooping CraneAuthorsAaron T. Pearse, Kristine L. Metzger, David A. Brandt, Mark T. Bidwell, Mary J. Harner, David M. Baasch, Wade C. Harrell - News
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