Mark Sherfy
Mark Sherfy is the Deputy Center Director at the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown, North Dakota.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 49
Habitat selection and movements of Piping Plover broods suggest a tradeoff between breeding stages
In precocial birds, adults select breeding areas using cues associated with habitat characteristics that are favorable for nesting success and chick survival, but there may be tradeoffs in habitat selection between these breeding stages. Here we describe habitat selection and intra-territory movements of 53 Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) broods (320 observations) during the 2007–2008 breeding
Authors
Mark T. Wiltermuth, Michael J. Anteau, Mark H. Sherfy, Aaron T. Pearse
Book review: Implementing the Endangered Species Act on the Platte Basin water commons
The Platte River is a unique midcontinent ecosystem that is world-renowned for its natural resources, particularly the spectacular spring concentrations of migratory birds, such as sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis), ducks, and geese. The Platte River basin also provides habitat for four federally listed endangered or threatened species—interior least tern (Sternula antillarum athalassos), piping p
Authors
Mark H. Sherfy
Landscape selection by piping plovers has implications for measuring habitat and population size
How breeding birds distribute in relation to landscape-scale habitat features has important implications for conservation because those features may constrain habitat suitability. Furthermore, knowledge of these associations can help build models to improve area-wide demographic estimates or to develop a sampling stratification for research and monitoring. This is particularly important for rare s
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Terry L. Shaffer, Mark T. Wiltermuth, Mark H. Sherfy
Detection probability of least tern and piping plover chicks in a large river system
Monitoring the abundance and stability of populations of conservation concern is often complicated by an inability to perfectly detect all members of the population. Mark-recapture offers a flexible framework in which one may identify factors contributing to imperfect detection, while at the same time estimating demographic parameters such as abundance or survival. We individually color-marked, re
Authors
Erin A. Roche, Terry L. Shaffer, Michael J. Anteau, Mark H. Sherfy, Jennifer H. Stucker, Mark T. Wiltermuth, Colin M. Dovichin
The role of landscape features and density dependence in growth and fledging rates of Piping Plovers in North Dakota, USA
For species with precocial young, survival from hatching to fledging is a key factor influencing recruitment. Furthermore, growth rates of precocial chicks are an indicator of forage quality and habitat suitability of brood-rearing areas. We examined how growth and fledging rates of Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) chicks were influenced by landscape features, such as hatchling density (hatchli
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Mark T. Wiltermuth, Mark H. Sherfy, Terry L. Shaffer, Aaron T. Pearse
Accuracy of the Missouri River Least Tern and Piping Plover Monitoring Program: considerations for the future
The upper Missouri River system provides nesting and foraging habitat for federally endangered least terns (Sternula antillarum; hereafter “terns”) and threatened piping plovers (Charadrius melodus; hereafter “plovers”). These species are the subject of substantial management interest on the Missouri River for several reasons. First, ecosystem recovery is a goal for management agencies that seek t
Authors
Terry L. Shaffer, Mark H. Sherfy, Michael J. Anteau, Jennifer H. Stucker, Marsha A. Sovada, Erin A. Roche, Mark T. Wiltermuth, Thomas K. Buhl, Colin M. Dovichin
Measuring and predicting abundance and dynamics of habitat for piping plovers on a large reservoir
Measuring habitat and understanding habitat dynamics have become increasingly important for wildlife conservation. Using remotely-sensed data, we developed procedures to measure breeding habitat abundance for the federally listed piping plover (Charadrius melodus) at Lake Sakakawea, North Dakota, USA. We also developed a model to predict habitat abundance based on past and projected water levels,
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Mark T. Wiltermuth, Mark H. Sherfy, Terry L. Shaffer
Consequences of least tern (Sternula antillarum) microhabitat nest-site selection on natural and mechanically constructed sandbars in the Missouri River
Nest-habitat selection in colonial species has rarely been assessed at multiple spatial scales to evaluate its fitness consequences. Management for the federally endangered U.S. Interior population of Least Terns (Sternula antillarum) has focused on maintenance of breeding habitats, including mechanical construction of sandbars from dredged material. Least Terns are attracted to large areas of unv
Authors
Jennifer H. Stucker, Deborah A. Buhl, Mark H. Sherfy
Nest survival of piping plovers at a dynamic reservoir indicates an ecological trap for a threatened population
In the past 60 years, reservoirs have reshaped riverine ecosystems and transformed breeding habitats used by the threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus; hereafter plover). Currently, 29% of the Northern Great Plains plover population nests at reservoirs that might function as ecological traps because reservoirs have more diverse habitat features and greater dynamics in water levels than habi
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Terry L. Shaffer, Mark H. Sherfy, Marsha A. Sovada, Jennifer H. Stucker, Mark T. Wiltermuth
Foraging ecology of least terns and piping plovers nesting on Central Platte River sandpits and sandbars
Federally listed least terns (Sternula antillarum) and piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) nest on riverine sandbars on many major midcontinent river systems. On the Central Platte River, availability of sandbar habitat is limited, and both species nest on excavated sandpits in the river's floodplain. However, the extent to which sandpit-nesting birds use riverine habitats for foraging is unknown.
Authors
Mark H. Sherfy, Michael J. Anteau, Terry L. Shaffer, Marsha A. Sovada, Jennifer H. Stucker
Selection of nest-site habitat by interior least terns in relation to sandbar construction
Federally endangered interior least terns (Sternula antillarum) nest on bare or sparsely vegetated sandbars on midcontinent river systems. Loss of nesting habitat has been implicated as a cause of population declines, and managing these habitats is a major initiative in population recovery. One such initiative involves construction of mid-channel sandbars on the Missouri River, where natural sandb
Authors
Mark H. Sherfy, Jennifer H. Stucker, Deborah A. Buhl
Selection indicates preference in diverse habitats: A ground-nesting bird (Charadrius melodus) using reservoir shoreline
Animals use proximate cues to select resources that maximize individual fitness. When animals have a diverse array of available habitats, those selected could give insights into true habitat preferences. Since the construction of the Garrison Dam on the Missouri River in North Dakota, Lake Sakakawea (SAK) has become an important breeding area for federally threatened piping plovers (Charadrius mel
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Mark H. Sherfy, Mark T. Wiltermuth
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 49
Habitat selection and movements of Piping Plover broods suggest a tradeoff between breeding stages
In precocial birds, adults select breeding areas using cues associated with habitat characteristics that are favorable for nesting success and chick survival, but there may be tradeoffs in habitat selection between these breeding stages. Here we describe habitat selection and intra-territory movements of 53 Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) broods (320 observations) during the 2007–2008 breeding
Authors
Mark T. Wiltermuth, Michael J. Anteau, Mark H. Sherfy, Aaron T. Pearse
Book review: Implementing the Endangered Species Act on the Platte Basin water commons
The Platte River is a unique midcontinent ecosystem that is world-renowned for its natural resources, particularly the spectacular spring concentrations of migratory birds, such as sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis), ducks, and geese. The Platte River basin also provides habitat for four federally listed endangered or threatened species—interior least tern (Sternula antillarum athalassos), piping p
Authors
Mark H. Sherfy
Landscape selection by piping plovers has implications for measuring habitat and population size
How breeding birds distribute in relation to landscape-scale habitat features has important implications for conservation because those features may constrain habitat suitability. Furthermore, knowledge of these associations can help build models to improve area-wide demographic estimates or to develop a sampling stratification for research and monitoring. This is particularly important for rare s
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Terry L. Shaffer, Mark T. Wiltermuth, Mark H. Sherfy
Detection probability of least tern and piping plover chicks in a large river system
Monitoring the abundance and stability of populations of conservation concern is often complicated by an inability to perfectly detect all members of the population. Mark-recapture offers a flexible framework in which one may identify factors contributing to imperfect detection, while at the same time estimating demographic parameters such as abundance or survival. We individually color-marked, re
Authors
Erin A. Roche, Terry L. Shaffer, Michael J. Anteau, Mark H. Sherfy, Jennifer H. Stucker, Mark T. Wiltermuth, Colin M. Dovichin
The role of landscape features and density dependence in growth and fledging rates of Piping Plovers in North Dakota, USA
For species with precocial young, survival from hatching to fledging is a key factor influencing recruitment. Furthermore, growth rates of precocial chicks are an indicator of forage quality and habitat suitability of brood-rearing areas. We examined how growth and fledging rates of Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) chicks were influenced by landscape features, such as hatchling density (hatchli
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Mark T. Wiltermuth, Mark H. Sherfy, Terry L. Shaffer, Aaron T. Pearse
Accuracy of the Missouri River Least Tern and Piping Plover Monitoring Program: considerations for the future
The upper Missouri River system provides nesting and foraging habitat for federally endangered least terns (Sternula antillarum; hereafter “terns”) and threatened piping plovers (Charadrius melodus; hereafter “plovers”). These species are the subject of substantial management interest on the Missouri River for several reasons. First, ecosystem recovery is a goal for management agencies that seek t
Authors
Terry L. Shaffer, Mark H. Sherfy, Michael J. Anteau, Jennifer H. Stucker, Marsha A. Sovada, Erin A. Roche, Mark T. Wiltermuth, Thomas K. Buhl, Colin M. Dovichin
Measuring and predicting abundance and dynamics of habitat for piping plovers on a large reservoir
Measuring habitat and understanding habitat dynamics have become increasingly important for wildlife conservation. Using remotely-sensed data, we developed procedures to measure breeding habitat abundance for the federally listed piping plover (Charadrius melodus) at Lake Sakakawea, North Dakota, USA. We also developed a model to predict habitat abundance based on past and projected water levels,
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Mark T. Wiltermuth, Mark H. Sherfy, Terry L. Shaffer
Consequences of least tern (Sternula antillarum) microhabitat nest-site selection on natural and mechanically constructed sandbars in the Missouri River
Nest-habitat selection in colonial species has rarely been assessed at multiple spatial scales to evaluate its fitness consequences. Management for the federally endangered U.S. Interior population of Least Terns (Sternula antillarum) has focused on maintenance of breeding habitats, including mechanical construction of sandbars from dredged material. Least Terns are attracted to large areas of unv
Authors
Jennifer H. Stucker, Deborah A. Buhl, Mark H. Sherfy
Nest survival of piping plovers at a dynamic reservoir indicates an ecological trap for a threatened population
In the past 60 years, reservoirs have reshaped riverine ecosystems and transformed breeding habitats used by the threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus; hereafter plover). Currently, 29% of the Northern Great Plains plover population nests at reservoirs that might function as ecological traps because reservoirs have more diverse habitat features and greater dynamics in water levels than habi
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Terry L. Shaffer, Mark H. Sherfy, Marsha A. Sovada, Jennifer H. Stucker, Mark T. Wiltermuth
Foraging ecology of least terns and piping plovers nesting on Central Platte River sandpits and sandbars
Federally listed least terns (Sternula antillarum) and piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) nest on riverine sandbars on many major midcontinent river systems. On the Central Platte River, availability of sandbar habitat is limited, and both species nest on excavated sandpits in the river's floodplain. However, the extent to which sandpit-nesting birds use riverine habitats for foraging is unknown.
Authors
Mark H. Sherfy, Michael J. Anteau, Terry L. Shaffer, Marsha A. Sovada, Jennifer H. Stucker
Selection of nest-site habitat by interior least terns in relation to sandbar construction
Federally endangered interior least terns (Sternula antillarum) nest on bare or sparsely vegetated sandbars on midcontinent river systems. Loss of nesting habitat has been implicated as a cause of population declines, and managing these habitats is a major initiative in population recovery. One such initiative involves construction of mid-channel sandbars on the Missouri River, where natural sandb
Authors
Mark H. Sherfy, Jennifer H. Stucker, Deborah A. Buhl
Selection indicates preference in diverse habitats: A ground-nesting bird (Charadrius melodus) using reservoir shoreline
Animals use proximate cues to select resources that maximize individual fitness. When animals have a diverse array of available habitats, those selected could give insights into true habitat preferences. Since the construction of the Garrison Dam on the Missouri River in North Dakota, Lake Sakakawea (SAK) has become an important breeding area for federally threatened piping plovers (Charadrius mel
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Mark H. Sherfy, Mark T. Wiltermuth