Publications

The foraging behavior of arctic foxes was observed in a waterfowl nesting area on the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta of Alaska in 1985–1986. Observations were made during peak fox activity from two towers, 3 m high, located in different community types. Data were collected continuously for individual foxes on specific activities, the community in which activities occurred, and the type of food...

Gallinaceous birds typically retain the juvenal ninth (JIX) and tenth (JX) primary wing feathers during the first prebasic molt (Petrides 1945, terminology follows Humphrey and Parkes 1959). However, not all Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) retain JIX and JX during this molt. Some retain only JX (reviewed by Lewis 1967), and in 21% of 125 Florida Wild Turkeys (M. g. osceola), all 10...

Between 1952 and 1988, we studied the abundance, distribution, occurrence, and habitats used by birds in the northwest portion of Bristol Bay and the adjacent Kilbuck and Ahklun mountains. In the 809 days we were present, we conducted 53 studies or surveys of birds in the region. We gathered information on 185 species, of which 65% (121) nested, 10% (19) probably nested, and 11% (21)...

Arctic geese nest in a highly seasonal environment in which ungrazed plants reach peak nitrogen concentrations when goslings hatch (Sedinger and Raveling 1986). Grazing by geese prolongs peak nutrient concentrations but reduces food availability. This should cause nutrient availability to decline seasonally. Here, we test the hypothesis that late-hatching goslings of Black Brant (Branta...

Change-in-ratio methods have been developed to estimate the size of populations with two or three population subclasses. Most of these methods require the often unreasonable assumption of equal sampling probabilities for individuals in all subclasses. This paper presents new models based on the weaker assumption that ratios of sampling probabilities are constant over time for populations...

Mortality rates of seabirds in the Japanese land-based drift gillnet fishery for salmon were assessed from 413 gillnet sets made by Japanese research vessels in offshore areas used by the commercial fleet. Sixteen species of seabirds were recorded in nets. Shearwaters, primarily Short-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris), and to a lesser extent Sooty Shearwaters (P. griseus)...

About 15% of Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) breeding on the Semidi Islands in 1979 had light-phase plumage; the remainder were dark. Fulmars of different plumage types mated indiscriminantly, but the lighter member of a mixed pair was more likely to be male than female. Pairs that included at least one light-phase member had lower breeding success than dark/dark pairs in one of...

Aerial and boat-based surveys for Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) were conducted simultaneously over short transect distances (ca. 2 km) in three different areas of the Alexander Archipelago to assess the accuracy and variability of aerial counts compared to boat-based counts. Additional aerial surveys were conducted over a wider geographic area to assess temporal and...

Various methods were investigated for assessing the relationship between wind-hardened snow (upsik) and forage availability to reindeer. Mean bottom area of individual craters was not a function of depth, hardness or integrated hardness. Individual crater area was partially dependent on specific cratering time (r2 = .60). Cratering time per active period increased with integrated snow...

Laboratory simulation of water temperature regimes that occur in subarctic rivers through winter necessitates the ability to maintain near‐freezing conditions. A heat‐exchanging apparatus is described that provided a convenient means of simulating the range of temperatures (0.5–12°C) that incubating eggs of salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) typically experience in south‐central Alaskan...

At monthly intervals from February 1980 through December 1986, a 14.5-km section of central California coastline was systematically surveyed for beach-cast carcasses of marine birds and mammals. Five hundred and fifty-four bird carcasses and 194 marine mammal carcasses were found. Common murres, western grebes, and Brandt's cormorants composed 45% of the bird total. California sea lions...

We assessed mitochondrial DNA variation in North American black bears (Ursus americanus), brown bears (Ursus arctos), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Divergent mitochondrial DNA haplotypes (0.05 base substitutions per nucleotide) were identified in populations of black bears from Montana and Oregon. In contrast, very similar haplotypes occur in black bears across North America. This...