The USGS Alaska Science Center shorebird research program focuses on studies that improve our knowledge of shorebirds and addresses key questions for management agencies about the distribution and abundance of these species.
Daniel R Ruthrauff, Ph.D.
Reproductive and migration ecology of shorebirds; shorebird population demography
My career in Alaska began in 1996, working as a seasonal technician on various bird studies. Today, my research broadly investigates the biotic and abiotic factors that affect bird populations. My projects primarily focus on shorebirds as study subjects, but I also have extensive experience studying landbirds and waterfowl. My work focuses on documenting the status and distribution of shorebirds, studying the migration ecology of shorebirds, and assessing the reproductive ecology of Alaska-breeding shorebirds. Because most of Alaska's shorebirds are migratory, I collaborate on international efforts on many of these same topics. My current research focuses on the interactive effects of climate change and rapidly expanding goose populations on shorebirds, landbirds, and their breeding habitats in Arctic Alaska.
Science and Products
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...
Tracking Data for Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica)
Available here are tracking data for two subspecies of Bar-tailed Godwits. One of the subspecies, Limosa lapponica baueri , nests in Alaska and spends the nonbreeding season in New Zealand and eastern Australia whereas L.l.menzbieri nests in Siberia and spends the nonbreeding season in western Australia. This study was the first to describe the year-round movements of these extremely long-distance...
Bird Species Checklists from USGS Alaska Science Center Field Camps
Scientists from the USGS Alaska Science Center regularly work in remote field camps, often for days or weeks at a time. Though not the primary research focus of these camps, many researchers maintain daily checklists of all bird species encountered during field work. These checklists can provide documentation of the presence, distribution, timing of arrival and departure, and breeding chronology...
Tracking Data for Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Available here are tracking data for the whimbrel, a striking example of a shorebird with its long and curved bill. The whimbrel is found throughout tundra and boreal habitats of Alaska during the summer and spends the winter along coast lines of the continental U.S., and central and South America. These data were collected to better understand the migratory patterns of this iconic species.
Tracking Data for Marbled Godwits (Limosa fedoa)
Available here are tracking data of Marbled Godwits, a large-bodied shorebird that, in Alaska, nests in the southwestern portion of the state. These data were collected to better understand the timing and patterns of migratory movements and seasonal use of different coastal areas in the Pacific region.
Filter Total Items: 41
USGS Alaska Science Center Shorebird Research Program
The USGS Alaska Science Center shorebird research program focuses on studies that improve our knowledge of shorebirds and addresses key questions for management agencies about the distribution and abundance of these species.
Wing of juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6"
Wing of juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Wing of juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" after capture
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" after capture on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" after capture on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6"
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit B4 with transmitter
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit B4 with a solar-powered satellite tag near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit B4 with a solar-powered satellite tag near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Tracking juvenile bar-tailed godwits
USGS collaborator Jesse Conklin (Max Planck Institute) tracks juvenile Bar-tailed Godwits near Nome, Alaska. Researchers tracked birds locally using 0.5-gram VHF radios as part of a study to understand the growth and survival of godwit chicks. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S.
USGS collaborator Jesse Conklin (Max Planck Institute) tracks juvenile Bar-tailed Godwits near Nome, Alaska. Researchers tracked birds locally using 0.5-gram VHF radios as part of a study to understand the growth and survival of godwit chicks. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" with metal leg band
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" with metal leg band. At this time researchers put a metal band on the chick and glued a small (0.5 gram) VHF transmitter to the bird.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" with metal leg band. At this time researchers put a metal band on the chick and glued a small (0.5 gram) VHF transmitter to the bird.
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Group of walruses on beach, Alaska Peninsula
Group of walruses on beach between Hook and Cinder lagoons on the Alaska Peninsula.
Group of walruses on beach between Hook and Cinder lagoons on the Alaska Peninsula.
Pacific Golden-Plover on the shore near Big Creek near Egegik, Alaska
Pacific Golden-Plover on the shore near Big Creek, Alaska.
Pacific Golden-Plover on the shore near Big Creek, Alaska.
Black-bellied Plover on the mud shore of Big Creek near Egegik, Alaska
Black-bellied Plover on the mud shore of Big Creek, Alaska.
Black-bellied Plover on the mud shore of Big Creek, Alaska.
Pacific Golden-Plover standing on rocks near Big Creek, Alaska
Pacific Golden-Plover standing on rocks near Big Creek, Alaska.
Pacific Golden-Plover standing on rocks near Big Creek, Alaska.
Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska
Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska.
Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska.
Bristle-thighed Curlew on a fence post on the island of Oahu, Hawaii
Bristle-thighed Curlew on a fence post on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Bristle-thighed Curlew on a fence post on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Whimbrel chick on the Colville River Delta, Alaska
Whimbrel chick on the Colville River Delta, Alaska.
Whimbrel chick on the Colville River Delta, Alaska.
Female Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site along the Colville River, Alaska
Female Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site along the Colville River, Alaska.
Female Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site along the Colville River, Alaska.
Scientist holding Whimbrel with a solar-powered satellite transmitter
Bob Gill, Jr., is holding a Whimbrel equipped with a solar-powered satellite transmitter. The photo was taken along the Colville River near Nuiqsut, Alaska.
Bob Gill, Jr., is holding a Whimbrel equipped with a solar-powered satellite transmitter. The photo was taken along the Colville River near Nuiqsut, Alaska.
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. USGS and USFWS recently found that almost the entire population of Alaska-breeding bar-tailed godwits feed along sand bars near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River in autumn.
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. USGS and USFWS recently found that almost the entire population of Alaska-breeding bar-tailed godwits feed along sand bars near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River in autumn.
Whimbrel nest in the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge
Whimbrel nest in the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge.
Whimbrel nest in the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge.
Black-capped Chickadee with an elongated and decurved maxilla
Black-capped Chickadee with an elongated and decurved maxilla.
Black-capped Chickadee with an elongated and decurved maxilla.
Bar-tailed Godwits on mudflats near Cape Avinof, Alaska
Bar-tailed Godwits - photo taken on mudflats near Cape Avinof, Alaska, while doing avian influenza sampling.
Bar-tailed Godwits - photo taken on mudflats near Cape Avinof, Alaska, while doing avian influenza sampling.
Science and Products
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...
Tracking Data for Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica)
Available here are tracking data for two subspecies of Bar-tailed Godwits. One of the subspecies, Limosa lapponica baueri , nests in Alaska and spends the nonbreeding season in New Zealand and eastern Australia whereas L.l.menzbieri nests in Siberia and spends the nonbreeding season in western Australia. This study was the first to describe the year-round movements of these extremely long-distance...
Bird Species Checklists from USGS Alaska Science Center Field Camps
Scientists from the USGS Alaska Science Center regularly work in remote field camps, often for days or weeks at a time. Though not the primary research focus of these camps, many researchers maintain daily checklists of all bird species encountered during field work. These checklists can provide documentation of the presence, distribution, timing of arrival and departure, and breeding chronology...
Tracking Data for Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Available here are tracking data for the whimbrel, a striking example of a shorebird with its long and curved bill. The whimbrel is found throughout tundra and boreal habitats of Alaska during the summer and spends the winter along coast lines of the continental U.S., and central and South America. These data were collected to better understand the migratory patterns of this iconic species.
Tracking Data for Marbled Godwits (Limosa fedoa)
Available here are tracking data of Marbled Godwits, a large-bodied shorebird that, in Alaska, nests in the southwestern portion of the state. These data were collected to better understand the timing and patterns of migratory movements and seasonal use of different coastal areas in the Pacific region.
Filter Total Items: 41
USGS Alaska Science Center Shorebird Research Program
The USGS Alaska Science Center shorebird research program focuses on studies that improve our knowledge of shorebirds and addresses key questions for management agencies about the distribution and abundance of these species.
The USGS Alaska Science Center shorebird research program focuses on studies that improve our knowledge of shorebirds and addresses key questions for management agencies about the distribution and abundance of these species.
Wing of juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6"
Wing of juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Wing of juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" after capture
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" after capture on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" after capture on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6"
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit B4 with transmitter
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit B4 with a solar-powered satellite tag near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit B4 with a solar-powered satellite tag near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Tracking juvenile bar-tailed godwits
USGS collaborator Jesse Conklin (Max Planck Institute) tracks juvenile Bar-tailed Godwits near Nome, Alaska. Researchers tracked birds locally using 0.5-gram VHF radios as part of a study to understand the growth and survival of godwit chicks. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S.
USGS collaborator Jesse Conklin (Max Planck Institute) tracks juvenile Bar-tailed Godwits near Nome, Alaska. Researchers tracked birds locally using 0.5-gram VHF radios as part of a study to understand the growth and survival of godwit chicks. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" with metal leg band
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" with metal leg band. At this time researchers put a metal band on the chick and glued a small (0.5 gram) VHF transmitter to the bird.
Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" with metal leg band. At this time researchers put a metal band on the chick and glued a small (0.5 gram) VHF transmitter to the bird.
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Bar-tailed godwit habitat on the Seward Peninsula near Nome, Alaska. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a study to track the migration of juvenile (hatch year) bar-tailed godwits from breeding sites near Nome, Alaska.
Group of walruses on beach, Alaska Peninsula
Group of walruses on beach between Hook and Cinder lagoons on the Alaska Peninsula.
Group of walruses on beach between Hook and Cinder lagoons on the Alaska Peninsula.
Pacific Golden-Plover on the shore near Big Creek near Egegik, Alaska
Pacific Golden-Plover on the shore near Big Creek, Alaska.
Pacific Golden-Plover on the shore near Big Creek, Alaska.
Black-bellied Plover on the mud shore of Big Creek near Egegik, Alaska
Black-bellied Plover on the mud shore of Big Creek, Alaska.
Black-bellied Plover on the mud shore of Big Creek, Alaska.
Pacific Golden-Plover standing on rocks near Big Creek, Alaska
Pacific Golden-Plover standing on rocks near Big Creek, Alaska.
Pacific Golden-Plover standing on rocks near Big Creek, Alaska.
Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska
Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska.
Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska.
Bristle-thighed Curlew on a fence post on the island of Oahu, Hawaii
Bristle-thighed Curlew on a fence post on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Bristle-thighed Curlew on a fence post on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Whimbrel chick on the Colville River Delta, Alaska
Whimbrel chick on the Colville River Delta, Alaska.
Whimbrel chick on the Colville River Delta, Alaska.
Female Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site along the Colville River, Alaska
Female Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site along the Colville River, Alaska.
Female Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site along the Colville River, Alaska.
Scientist holding Whimbrel with a solar-powered satellite transmitter
Bob Gill, Jr., is holding a Whimbrel equipped with a solar-powered satellite transmitter. The photo was taken along the Colville River near Nuiqsut, Alaska.
Bob Gill, Jr., is holding a Whimbrel equipped with a solar-powered satellite transmitter. The photo was taken along the Colville River near Nuiqsut, Alaska.
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. USGS and USFWS recently found that almost the entire population of Alaska-breeding bar-tailed godwits feed along sand bars near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River in autumn.
Male Bar-tailed Godwit at a breeding site near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. USGS and USFWS recently found that almost the entire population of Alaska-breeding bar-tailed godwits feed along sand bars near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River in autumn.
Whimbrel nest in the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge
Whimbrel nest in the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge.
Whimbrel nest in the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge.
Black-capped Chickadee with an elongated and decurved maxilla
Black-capped Chickadee with an elongated and decurved maxilla.
Black-capped Chickadee with an elongated and decurved maxilla.
Bar-tailed Godwits on mudflats near Cape Avinof, Alaska
Bar-tailed Godwits - photo taken on mudflats near Cape Avinof, Alaska, while doing avian influenza sampling.
Bar-tailed Godwits - photo taken on mudflats near Cape Avinof, Alaska, while doing avian influenza sampling.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government