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Geology topics

J. Tautin

Publications and source records attributed to J. Tautin.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2008

North American Bird Banding and quantitative population ecology

Early bird-banding programs in North America were developed to provide descriptions of bird migration and movement patterns. This initial interest in description quickly evolved into more quantitative interests in two ways. There was (1) interest in quantifying migration and movement patterns, and (2) rapid recognition that re-observations of marked birds provided information about other parameters relevant to population dynamics. These included survival rate, recruitment rate, and population size. The evolution of methods for estimating population size, survival, recruitment, and movement is reviewed and we show it to be closely tied to bird-banding data. These estimation methods have been used with bird-banding data to draw important inferences about evolutionary ecology, population ecology, and population management. Illustrative examples of such inferences are provided.

Book chapter↗
USGS2002

Sources of variation in breeding-ground fidelity of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

Generalizations used to support hypotheses about the evolution of fidelity to breeding areas in birds include the tendency for fidelity to be greater in adult birds than in yearlings. In ducks, in contrast to most bird species, fidelity is thought to be greater among females than males. Researchers have suggested that fidelity in ducks is positively correlated with pond availability. However, most estimates of fidelity on which these inferences have been based represent functions of survival and recapture-resighting probabilities in addition to fidelity. We applied the modeling approach developed by Burnham to recapture and band recovery data of mallard ducks to test the above hypotheses about fidelity. We found little evidence of sex differences in adult philopatry, with females being slightly more philopatric than males in one study area, but not in a second study area. However, yearling females were more philopatric than yearling males in both study areas. We found that adults were generally more philopatric than yearlings. We could find no relationship between fidelity and pond availability. Our results, while partially supporting current theory concerning sex and age differences in philopatry, suggest that adult male mallards are more philopatric than once thought, and we recommend that other generalizations about philopatry be revisited with proper estimation techniques.

Behavioral Ecology↗
USGS2001

Whooping cranes breeding at White Lake, Louisiana, 1939: observations by John J. Lynch, U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey

On 15 May 1939, John J. Lynch of the U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey located 13 whooping cranes (Grus americana), including 2 prefledged young, during an aerial survey near White Lake in southwestern Louisiana. His observation was the last historic record of whooping cranes breeding in the wild in the United States, and it confirmed the presence of a nonmigratory breeding population along the Gulf Coast. While reviewing old U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service files at the National Archives in 1999, we located Lynch's original 1939 field note, 2 letters, 5 photographs, and a draft manuscript describing the discovery; 4 other related letters also were found. Because of their biological and historical interest, we have reproduced the documents in this paper. A thorough assessment of the White Lake marshes as a potential site for returning nonmigratory whooping cranes to southwestern Louisiana should be conducted.

Book chapter↗
USGS2001

Development of a bird banding recapture database

Recaptures (and resightings) constitute the vast majority of post-release data from banded or otherwise marked nongame birds. A powerful suite of contemporary analytical models is available for using recapture data to estimate population size, survival rates and other parameters, and many banders collect recapture data for their project specific needs. However, despite widely recognized, broader programmatic needs for more and better data, banders' recapture data are not centrally reposited and made available for use by others. To address this need, the US Bird Banding Laboratory, the Canadian Bird Banding Office and the Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit are developing a bird banding recapture database. In this poster we discuss the critical steps in developing the database, including: determining exactly which recapture data should be included; developing a standard record format and structure for the database; developing electronic means for collecting, vetting and disseminating the data; and most importantly, developing metadata descriptions and individual data set profiles to facilitate the user's selection of appropriate analytical models. We provide examples of individual data sets to be included in the database, and we assess the feasibility of developing a prescribed program for obtaining recapture data from banders who do not presently collect them. It is expected that the recapture database eventually will contain millions of records made available publicly for a variety of avian research and management purposes

Book chapter↗
USGS1999

Present and future of scientific bird ringing

In 1999 scientific bird ringing will celebrate its first century of existence. Started mainly to investigate bird movements, bird ringing has become a much more flexible method to study different aspects of bird biology. Bird ringing can only be properly organised if an effective international co-operation exists. In Europe, this co-ordination is ensured by EURING, made of 35 national ringing centres; sister organisations exist in other parts of the world (like Africa, Australia, U.S. and Canada), sharing the same aims and problems. This RTD is mainly targeted to ornithologists involved with the co-ordination of bird ringing stations and national centres world-wide. Common aspects of the organisation of ringing activities, as well as of the potential ringing has and will have in the future in addressing major scientific questions in Ornithology will be taken into account. The advisability of setting up a standing committee on bird ringing within the IOC will be discussed, and the project of creating a world-wide organisation of ringing schemes in order to further improve communication and exchange of experiences will also be addressed. This new organisation would be formally founded in 1999, when an international conference organised by EURING to celebrate the first 100 years of bird ringing will be held in Denmark.

Book chapter↗
USGS1998

Present and future of scientific bird ringing

In 1999 scientific bird ringing will celebrate its first century of existence. Started mainly to investigate bird movements, bird ringing has become a much more flexible method to study different aspects of bird biology. Bird ringing can only be properly organised if an effective international co-operation exists. In Europe, this co-ordination is ensured by EURING, made of 35 national ringing centres; sister organisations exist in other parts of the world (like Africa, Australia, U.S. and Canada), sharing the same aims and problems. This RTD is mainly targeted to ornithologists involved with the co-ordination of bird ringing stations and national centres world-wide. Common aspects of the organisation of ringing activities, as well as of the potential ringing has and will have in the future in addressing major scientific questions in Ornithology will be taken into account. The advisability of setting up a standing committee on bird ringing within the IOC will be discussed, and the project of creating a world-wide organisation of ringing schemes in order to further improve communication and exchange of experiences will also be addressed. This new organisation would be formally founded in 1999, when an international conference organised by EURING to celebrate the first 100 years of bird ringing will be held in Denmark.

Book chapter↗
USGS1995

Report from the banding lab

Mr. Tautin reported on the seemingly everchanging structure of biological science units within the Interior Department. Current Congressional proposals would either change the name of the Bird Banding Lab's parent agency or make it part of the Geological Survey. The current Congress has not looked favorably on science budgets within the Interior Department, and the Banding Lab's budget is being squeezed ever tighter.

North American Bird Bander↗
USGS1993

The influence of capture-recapture methodology on the evolution of the North American Bird Banding Program

Capture-recapture methodology has advanced greatly in the last twenty years and is now a major factor driving the continuing evolution of the North American bird banding program. Bird banding studies are becoming more scientific with improved study designs and analytical procedures. Researchers and managers are gaining more reliable knowledge which in turn betters the conservation of migratory birds. The advances in capture-recapture methodology have benefited gamebird studies primarily, but nongame bird studies will benefit similarly as they expand greatly in the next decade. Further theoretical development of capture-recapture methodology should be encouraged, and, to maximize benefits of the methodology, work on practical applications should be increased.

Book chapter↗
USGS1982

Assessment of some important factors affecting the singing-ground survey

A brief history of the procedures used to analyze singing-ground survey data is outlined. Some weaknesses associated with the analytical procedures are discussed, and preliminary results of efforts to improve the procedures are presented. The most significant finding to date is that counts made by new observers need not be omitted when calculating an index of the woodcock population. Also, the distribution of woodcock heard singing, with respect to time after sunset, affirms the appropriateness of recommended starting times for counting woodcock. Woodcock count data fit the negative binomial probability distribution.

Wildlife Research Report↗
USGS1977

The current status of woodcock and woodcock surveys in the United States

A comparison of American woodcock (Philohela minor) wing collection survey data for 1975-76 and 1976-77 showed that there was little change in the indices to breeding success and hunter success between years in the Atlantic and Central regions. The 1977 breeding population index was up 15.2 percent from 1976 in the Central region and static in the Atlantic region. There is a long-term decline in the breeding population index in the Atlantic region (P < 0.01) and a long-term increase (P < 0.05) in the Central region's breeding population index. Present survey analysis methods are discussed, and a four-phase plan to improve the methods is presented.

Book chapter↗