John Sauer, Ph.D.
John Sauer is a Wildlife Biologist at the Eastern Ecological Science Center in Laurel, MD.
He has also worked as a Statistician with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and as a Lecturer at the University of Kansas. John is an Elective Fellow of the American Ornithological Society and serves on the Board of Editors of Ecology, Ecological Monographs, and Avian Conservation and Ecology. John has been awarded the AOS Ralph W. Schreiber Conservation Award (2018) and a United States Department of Interior Distinguished Service Award (2018).
John participates in a wide variety of research projects united by the general themes of population ecology, survey design and analysis, geographic and temporal analysis of population change, analysis of count data, geographical ecology, and summary and display of large-scale surveys. Current projects include:
Analysis of population change from count data-John has participated in a series of research projects associated with analysis of population change from count data. Along with a variety of collaborators, he develops methods for analysis of counts in which counts are modeled hierarchically, as over-dispersed Poisson random variables, allowing for adjustment of both factors that influence visibility of animals and factors that actually influence population sizes. These methods are presently being implemented for the North American Breeding Bird Survey, the Christmas Bird Count, breeding waterfowl surveys in the Northeastern United States and Canada, and the Woodcock Singing-ground Survey. The methods are also used for spatial modeling and landscape level analyses, addressing questions relevant to conservation and ecology. He conducts yearly analyses of all North American Breeding Bird Survey data, and consults with researchers and managers who use the database.
Development of internet-based procedures for summary and analysis of survey data-In collaboration with other Patuxent staff, John has developed a series of web sites that allow users access to information from the North American Breeding Bird Survey and other datasets. Survey data can be accessed at several geographic scales, from individual sample units to continental summaries. A recent innovation is development of a map-based application that integrates BBS and displays BBS results at multiple geographic scale, similar to USGS mapping products associated with water resources. Custom analyses of population change can be conducted for regions, species, and time periods specified by users. Website address: http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov
Evaluating the Design of the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey-The Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey (WBPHS) is a primary source of waterfowl population status and trend information for management of ducks in North America. John, along with colleagues in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, are reviewing the current distributions of priority waterfowl species relative to the scope of the WBPHS, suggestin
Science and Products
Effect of restrictive harvest regulations on survival and recovery rates of American black ducks
Monitoring long-term trends in Wisconsin frog and toad populations
Estimating rates of local species extinction, colonization and turnover in animal communities
Effect of restrictive harvest regulations on survival and recovery rates of American black ducks
Effects of landscape composition and wetland fragmentation on frog and toad abundance and species richness in Iowa and Wisconsin, USA [abstract]
New approaches to the analysis of population trends in land birds: Comment
A citywide breeding bird survey for Washington, DC
Population trends of Black Terns from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, 1966-1996
Monitoring Canadian bird populations with winter counts
Population trends of black ducks and mallards from the North American Breeding Bird Survey: Are increases in mallards associated with declines in black ducks?
A survey for mallard pairs in the Atlantic flyway
Population trends of black terns from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, 1966-1996
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 216
Effect of restrictive harvest regulations on survival and recovery rates of American black ducks
Population management of waterfowl requires an understanding of the effects of changes in hunting regulations on harvest and survival rates. Mean survival and recovery rates of American black ducks (Anas rubripes) were estimated during 3 periods of increasingly restrictive harvest regulations: 1950-66, 1967-82, and 1983-93. From the first to the second period, direct recovery rates declined for atAuthorsC.M. Francis, J.R. Sauer, J.R. SerieMonitoring long-term trends in Wisconsin frog and toad populations
No abstract available.AuthorsM.J. Mossman, L.M. Hartman, R. Hay, J.R. Sauer, B.J. DhueyEstimating rates of local species extinction, colonization and turnover in animal communities
Species richness has been identified as a useful state variable for conservation and management purposes. Changes in richness over time provide a basis for predicting and evaluating community responses to management, to natural disturbance, and to changes in factors such as community composition (e.g., the removal of a keystone species). Probabilistic capture-recapture models have been used receAuthorsJames D. Nichols, T. Boulinier, J. E. Hines, K. H. Pollock, J.R. SauerEffect of restrictive harvest regulations on survival and recovery rates of American black ducks
Population management of waterfowl requires an understanding of the effects of changes in hunting regulations on harvest and survival rates. Mean survival and recovery rates of American black ducks (Anas rubripes) were estimated during 3 periods of increasingly restrictive harvest regulations: 1950-66, 1967-82, and 1983-93. From the first to the second period, direct recovery rates declined forAuthorsC.M. Francis, J.R. Sauer, J.R. SerieEffects of landscape composition and wetland fragmentation on frog and toad abundance and species richness in Iowa and Wisconsin, USA [abstract]
We examined the relationships between anuran diversity and landscape features in the Upper Midwestern United States. Anuran relative abundance and species richness were measured using data collected by Wisconsin and Iowa state calling surveys conducted from 1990-1995. Landscape features surrounding survey points were determined using National Wetland Inventory and Wisconsin Wetland Inventory mapAuthorsM. G. Knutson, J.R. Sauer, D.A. Olsen, M.J. Mossman, L.M. Hemesath, M.J. LannooNew approaches to the analysis of population trends in land birds: Comment
James et al. (1996, Ecology 77:13-27) used data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) to examine geographic variability in patterns of population change for 26 species of wood warblers. They emphasized the importance of evaluating nonlinear patterns of change in bird populations, proposed LOESS-based non-parametric and semi-parametric analyses of BBS data, and contrasted their resulAuthorsWilliam A. Link, John R. SauerA citywide breeding bird survey for Washington, DC
`DC Birdscape' was initiated in 1993 to systematically count the birds occurring throughout Washington D.C. during the breeding season. It involved a coordinated planning effort and partnership between the Audubon Naturalist Society, the National Park Service, and the National Biological Survey, and engaged the participation of more than 100 volunteers. A method for rapidly assessing the statusAuthorsJ. Hadidian, J.R. Sauer, C. Swarth, P. Handly, Sam Droege, C. Williams, J. Huff, G. DiddenPopulation trends of Black Terns from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, 1966-1996
Data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey indicate a survey-wide decline in Black Terns (Chlidonias niger) at an average rate of 3.1% annually during 1966-1996. Black Terns in Canada decreased at an average annual rate of 3.5% during this interval, while the United States population showed no significant trends. These long-term declines largely reflect trends prior to 1980, when the continAuthorsB.G. Peterjohn, J.R. SauerMonitoring Canadian bird populations with winter counts
Two winter bird surveys in Canada have range-wide population monitoring potential: Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) and Project FeederWatch (PFW). CBC trends are shown to be correlated to Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) trends, whether or not part of the winter range lies outside the CBC coverage area. Some species are poorly covered by this survey (e.g. seabirds, nocturnal species, and Neotropical migraAuthorsErica H. Dunn, J.R. SauerPopulation trends of black ducks and mallards from the North American Breeding Bird Survey: Are increases in mallards associated with declines in black ducks?
No abstract available.AuthorsJ.R. Sauer, Sam DroegeA survey for mallard pairs in the Atlantic flyway
During 1989-1992, spring surveys of randomly selected, 1-km2 plots, stratified by physiographic strata, were conducted in the Atlantic flyway from New Hampshire to Virginia, to estimate mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) pairs. All potential waterfowl habitat in each plot was checked by ground crews. The adjusted mean mallard pair estimate over the 4-year period was 300,849 (range 271,193-320,642, meaAuthorsH.W. Heusmann, J.R. SauerPopulation trends of black terns from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, 1966-1996
Data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey indicate a survey-wide decline in Black Terns (Chlidonias niger) at an average rate of 3.1% annually during 1966-1996. Black Terns in Canada decreased at an average annual rate of 3.5% during this interval, while the United States population showed no significant trends. The long-term declines largely reflect trends prior to 1980, when the continAuthorsB.G. Peterjohn, J.R. Sauer - Web Tools