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At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources
USGS2021

Structured decision making and optimal bird monitoring in the northern Gulf of Mexico

The avian conservation community struggles to design and implement large scale, long-term coordinated bird monitoring programs within the northern Gulf of Mexico due to the complexity of the conservation enterprise in the region; this complexity arises from the diverse stakeholders, multiple jurisdictions, complex ecological processes, myriad habitats, and over 500 species of birds using the region for at least some part of their annual cycle. In addition, long-term monitoring over large spatial scales is difficult because of the need for monitoring data to both (1) evaluate management and restoration outcomes, and (2) provide reliable information about the status and trends of bird populations over time. To address these challenges, the Gulf of Mexico Avian Monitoring Network developed a problem statement: “How can a cost-effective monitoring strategy for the Gulf Coast bird community and ecosystem be developed that evaluates ongoing conservation activities and chronic and acute threats; maximizes learning; and is flexible and holistic enough to detect novel ecological threats and evaluate new and emerging conservation activities?” A structured decision-making framework was then used to articulate and quantify stakeholder values related to the problem statement. One use of the stakeholder values was to develop a regional, strategic plan for bird monitoring, which is presented elsewhere. A formal and complete decision support tool for conservation investments in monitoring and research guided by the stakeholder values is presented in this report. The technical aspects of the stakeholder value model and a portfolio analysis that could be used to guide decision making when allocating resources for monitoring activities is described. Whereas the decision analysis presented here could be useful to any decision maker faced with difficult choices about resource allocation, it is designed for decision makers who request monitoring study proposals and then determine which combination of proposals to fund. The portfolio decision support tool is designed to help funding agencies and organizations identify resource allocation strategies to maximize stated objectives. To begin the decision analysis, an objectives hierarchy and quantitative performance metrics from the values of the Gulf of Mexico bird conservation community were created by a panel of regional stakeholders. Each fundamental objective and sub-objective in the hierarchy is composed of several performance metrics. To test the decision support tool, the authors evaluated a combination of monitoring study proposals written for the region and simulated proposals. Each proposal was scored against the performance metrics and used multi-attribute utility theory to combine the multiple objectives into a measure of total monitoring benefit. The total monitoring benefit and costs of each proposal were then used in a constrained optimization routine to identify optimal monitoring portfolios, that is, a combination of activities that maximizes monitoring benefits while meeting cost and other constraints of interest to stakeholders. A graphical solution based on the concept of Pareto efficiency, which is useful in situations when cost constraints and exact budgets are not known, is also provided. Finally, an evaluation of the sensitivity of the decision-making framework to the weights assigned to objectives by stakeholders is included. This decision support tool allows decision makers to identify an optimal suite of monitoring proposals with a transparent portfolio analysis that includes user-defined constraints (such as costs).

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas↗
USGS2011

Grassland bird use of oak barrens and dry prairies in Wisconsin

Grassland bird populations have declined more than any other group of birds in North America and are of conservation concern to state and federal agencies. We determined relative abundances of grassland birds in oak barrens and dry sand prairies—native habitat types rare in the state of Wisconsin. We also investigated the association of relative abundance, patch size, and patch vegetation. Our study was conducted May–July 2000–2002 on Fort McCoy Military Installation in Monroe County, Wisconsin. Fourteen grassland bird species were found in native habitat patches. Vesper sparrow ( Pooecetes gramineus ), grasshopper sparrow ( Ammodramus savannarum ), and field sparrow ( Spizella pusilla ) were the most abundant grassland bird species; all are species of management concern in Wisconsin. Of the most abundant species, only grasshopper sparrow relative abundance increased as patch size increased; vesper sparrow and field sparrow relative abundances decreased as patch size increased. Though found at lower relative abundances, horned larks ( Erephila alpestris ), savannah sparrows ( Passerculus sandwichensis ), and upland sandpipers ( Bartramia longicauda ) were found at higher relative abundances as patch size increased. Patch vegetation was important for some species. Vesper sparrows were found at higher abundances in patches with shorter, less dense vegetation and higher woody cover, eastern meadowlark ( Sturnella magna ) relative abundances were higher in patches with higher proportions of grass, and dickcissel ( Spiza americana ) relative abundances were higher in patches with taller, denser vegetation and lower proportions of litter. Native habitats are important for grassland bird species of management concern and large patches are particularly important for some of them.

Wisconsin↗
USGS2024

Viral pathogen detection in U.S. game-farm mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) flags spillover risk to wild birds

The threat posed by emerging infectious diseases is a major concern for global public health, animal health and food security, and the role of birds in transmission is increasingly under scrutiny. Each year, millions of mass-reared game-farm birds are released into the wild, presenting a unique and a poorly understood risk to wild and susceptible bird populations, and to human health. In particular, the shedding of enteric pathogens through excrement into bodies of water at shared migratory stop-over sites, and breeding and wintering grounds, could facilitate multi-species long-distance pathogen dispersal and infection of high numbers of naive endemic birds annually. The Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos ) is the most abundant of all duck species, migratory across much of its range, and an important game species for pen-rearing and release. Major recent population declines along the US Atlantic coast has been attributed to game-farm and wild mallard interbreeding and the introduction maladaptive traits into wild populations. However, pathogen transmission and zoonosis among game-farms Mallard may also impact these populations, as well as wildlife and human health. Here, we screened 16 game-farm Mallard from Wisconsin, United States, for enteric viral pathogens using metatranscriptomic data. Four families of viral pathogens were identified – Picobirnaviridae (Genogroup I), Caliciviridae (Duck Nacovirus ), Picornaviridae (Duck Aalivirus ) and Sedoreoviridae (Duck Rotavirus G). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Aalivirus in the Americas, and the first report of Calicivirus outside domestic chicken and turkey flocks in the United States. Our findings highlight the risk of viral pathogen spillover from peri-domestically reared game birds to naive wild bird populations.

Frontiers Earth Science Journal↗
USGS2009

Grassland bird associations with introduced and native grass Conservation Reserve Program fields in the Southern High Plains

We examined relative abundances of grassland birds among Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields seeded with 2 monocultures of introduced grass species and 2 mixes of native grasses in the Southern High Plains of Texas. We assessed bird compositions among these 4 cover types and between the cover types pooled into categories of introduced and native fields. Breeding season bird diversity and total abundance did not differ among cover types or between introduced and native fields. Grasshopper Sparrows ( Ammodramus savannarum ), Cassin's Sparrows ( Aimophila cassinii ), and Western Meadowlarks ( Sturnella neglecta ) accounted for more than 90% of breeding season detections. Grasshopper Sparrows were the most abundant and found in all cover types. Cassin's Sparrows were 38% to 170% more abundant among the native seed mix without buffalograss ( Buchloë dactyloides ) compared to 3 other cover types. Although this association was statistically lost when cover types were pooled into introduced or native fields ( U = 93.5, P = 0.91), the species was still 50% more abundant among native CRP than introduced CRP fields. Meadowlarks occurred ubiquitously but at very low numbers during the breeding season. During winter, avian abundance was 44% greater among native CRP than introduced CRP fields. Meadowlarks, Homed Larks ( Eremophila alpestris ), and Savannah Sparrows ( Passerculus sandwichensis ) accounted for 94% of all winter detections. Meadowlarks occurred ubiquitously, but Horned Larks and Savannah Sparrows were 157% and 96% more abundant, respectively, among native CRP than introduced CRP fields. Our data suggest that monocultures of introduced grasses may benefit some bird species but also that native seed mixes may have a more positive influence through increased diversity and abundance of grassland birds. However, pooling cover types into the broader categories of introduced or native grasses may dampen or occlude biologically meaningful results. It may be prudent to avoid broad categorization of CRP fields based solely on native or introduced grass cover when assessing habitat associations of grassland birds.

Texas↗
USGS2008

Responses in bird communities to wildland fires in southern California

There is a growing body of literature covering the responses of bird species to wildland fire events. Our study was unique among these because we investigated the effects of large-scale wildland fires on entire bird communities across multiple vegetation types. We conducted avian point counts during the breeding seasons for two years before and two years after the Cedar and Otay Fires in 2003 in southern California. Our balanced sampling effort took place at two sites, one low-elevation and one high-elevation, each containing replicate stations (burned and unburned) within five vegetation types: chaparral, coastal sage scrub, grassland, oak woodland, and riparian. Although fire caused some degree of change in the vegetation structure at all of our impacted survey points, we found that the post-fire shrub and tree cover was significantly lower in only two of the vegetation types within the low-elevation site, coastal sage scrub and chaparral. We found no significant changes in cover at the high-elevation site. Using univariate and multivariate analyses, we tested whether the fires were associated with a change in bird species diversity, community structure, and the relative abundance of individuals within a species. We found that species diversity changed in only one circumstance: it increased in coastal sage scrub at the low-elevation site. Multivariate analyses revealed significant differences in the post-fire bird community structure in the low-elevation chaparral, low-elevation coastal sage scrub, and the high-elevation grassland communities. Vegetation characteristics altered by fire, such as decreases in shrub and tree cover, influenced the changes we observed in the bird communities. The relative abundance of some species (lazuli bunting [ Passerina amoena ] and horned lark [ Eremophila alpestris ]) significantly increased after the fires, while other species declined significantly (Anna's hummingbird [ Calypte anna ], wrentit [ Chamaea fasciata ], and bushtit [ Psaltriparus minimus ]). We detected mixed results for the spotted towhee ( Pipilo maculatus ), which increased in burned chaparral and declined in burned coastal sage scrub within the low-elevation site. We suggest that the observed responses of birds to these fires may be attributed to: (1) the availability of nearby unburned refugia, (2) the continued suitability of post-fire vegetation at the study sites, and (3) the generally high mobility of this taxon.

California↗
USGS2018

Patch and landscape responses of bird abundance to fragmentation in agroecosystems of east-central Argentina

Forest fragmentation in agroecosystems is linked to declines of avian species worldwide. Agriculture has greatly reduced native forest cover in east-central Argentina. Assessing the influence of fragmentation on forest bird populations is vital to inform reliable conservation and management strategies for the Espinal region of Argentina. We determined the relationships of vegetation structure within native forest patches, size and shape of these patches (patch scale), composition and spatial configuration (at landscape scale) to relative abundance of 17 forest bird species during austral fall-winter and spring-summer seasons. Birds were sampled from 2007 – 2009 in 45 forest patches within three landscape mosaics (30x30 km) representing a gradient of native forest fragmentation in east-central Argentina. We used an information-theoretic approach and approximated model inference to examine the effect of predictor environmental variables at two spatial scales on patterns of forest bird abundance. Density of trees within forest patches was the main predictor of bird abundance at the patch scale. Amount of forest and spatial configuration were also important. The abundance of several bird species was greater in patches with high density of trees and landscapes characterized by more forest cover and larger patches in close proximity. We found two main avian response patterns to forest fragmentation and patch characteristics. This information contributes reliable knowledge for the design of conservation measures of agricultural landscapes in the Espinal region of Argentina.

Avian Conservation and Ecology↗
USGS2018

Chlamydia psittaci in feral Rosy-faced Lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis) and other backyard birds in Maricopa County, Arizona

In 2013, a mortality event of nonnative, feral Rosy-faced Lovebirds ( Agapornis roseicollis ) in residential backyards in Maricopa County, Arizona, US was attributed to infection with Chlamydia psittaci . In June 2014, additional mortality occurred in the same region. Accordingly, in August 2014 we sampled live lovebirds and sympatric bird species visiting backyard bird feeders to determine the prevalence of DNA and the seroprevalence of antibodies to C. psittaci using real-time PCR-based testing and elementary body agglutination, respectively. Chlamydia psittaci DNA was present in conjunctival-choanal or cloacal swabs in 93% (43/46) of lovebirds and 10% (14/142) of sympatric birds. Antibodies to C. psittaci were detected in 76% (31/41) of lovebirds and 7% (7/102) of sympatric birds. Among the sympatric birds, Rock Doves ( Columba livia ) had the highest prevalence of C. psittaci DNA (75%; 6/8) and seroprevalence (25%; 2/8). Psittacine circovirus 1 DNA was also identified, using real-time PCR-based testing, from the same swab samples in 69% (11/16) of species sampled, with a prevalence of 80% (37/46) in lovebirds and 27% (38/142) in sympatric species. The presence of either Rosy-faced Lovebirds or Rock Doves at residential bird feeders may be cause for concern for epizootic and zoonotic transmission of C. psittaci in this region.

Arizona↗
USGS2025

Observational, virological, and serological data provide insights into an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza among wild birds on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska in 2022

In 2021–22, clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses were introduced by wild birds into North America, leading to geographically widespread disease. In response to HPAI outbreaks throughout late 2021 and early 2022, we recorded observations of sick and dead birds, estimated abundance of carcasses, collected swab and sera samples to detect viruses, and monitored bird nesting on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region of Alaska to document potential effects of disease. Thirty-six reports of sick and dead birds were registered across the region. Nineteen carcasses were opportunistically collected for diagnostic testing, of which 12 were confirmed to be infected with clade 2.3.4.4b HPAI viruses. Carcass abundance estimates from line-distance sampling provided evidence that the most common species of dead birds from the western Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region were Cackling Goose ( Branta hutchinsii minima ), Glaucous Gull ( Larus hyperboreus ), and Black Brant ( Branta bernicla nigricans ). Only one paired cloacal and oropharyngeal swab sample from a Northern Pintail ( Anas acuta ) tested positive for clade 2.3.4.4b HPAI virus, out of 464 live-captured duck and goose samples. Of 195 sera samples from waterfowl screened for antibodies reactive to influenza A viruses, antibodies were found in 41–98% of samples collected from Emperor Goose ( Anser canagicus ), Cackling Goose, Black Brant, and Spectacled Eider ( Somateria fischeri ). In addition, 15–98% of the same sera samples were reactive to a clade 2.3.4.4b H5 antigen. Fewer Black Brant and Emperor Goose nests were found on long-term study plots during 2022 than in previous years. Collectively, we found that HPAI viruses affected at least seven species of wild birds inhabiting the region during 2022. The full scope of impacts of HPAI at this location during 2022 is unknown, but our data indicate that acute effects to avian population health on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region were likely modest.

Alaska↗
USGS2005

Assessment of bird populations in a high quality savanna/woodland: a banding approach

Between 1999 and 2004, Save the Dunes Conservation Fund's Miller Woods Bird Banding Program monitored migrating and breeding bird populations within a high quality black oak, dry-mesic sand savanna/woodland with ridge and swale topography. The objectives of this program were to collect consistent and reliable demographic and abundance data on the bird populations, to investigate long-term population trends, and to contribute to improved land management decisions at regional and national scales. The technique employed involved capturing birds in mist nets that were deployed for set periods of time at 17 net sites in two banding areas in Miller Woods. During the course of this six year study, the fall migration capture rate declined significantly, suggesting that reduced productivity may have occurred in bird populations. There was a positive response during the spring migration to earlier spring wildfires, indicated by high capture rates in 2000 and 2002 that corresponded with fires affecting most of the bird banding net locations. For several common species found at the Miller Woods site, the ratio of juveniles to adults was compared to ratios at other banding stations in the north central U.S. Breeding site fidelity was documented for 20 species, all common breeders. Variation in capture rates among net locations demonstrated the role of the shrub layer within the savanna habitat mosaic during migration stopover.

Chicago Wilderness Journal↗
USGS2001

Habitat fragmentation effects on birds in grasslands: A critique of our knowledge

Habitat fragmentation exacerbates problems due to habitat loss for grassland and wetland birds. Remaining patches of grassland and wetland may be too small, too isolated, and too influenced by edge effects to maintain viable populations of some breeding birds. Knowledge of the effects of fragmentation on bird populations is critically important for decisions about reserve design, grassland and wetland management, and implementation of cropland set-aside programs that benefit wildlife. In this article I review research that has been conducted on habitat fragmentation, and note common problems in the methodology used. The results of many studies are compromised by use of methods that are now recognized as inappropriate. As expected, some large-bodied birds with large territorial requirements, such as the northern harrier are area-sensitive. In addition, multiple studies have shown that some small species of grassland birds favor patches of habitat far in excess of their territory size. Among these species are the Savannah, grasshopper, and Henslow's sparrows and the bobolink. Single studies or studies that employed less-reliable methods have suggested other species may be area-sensitive as well. The literature on area-sensitivity among wetland birds includes virtually no studies based on solid methodologies. Distinguishing supportable conclusions from those that may be artefactual is important when practical decisions are made.

Great Plains Research↗
USGS1989

Chlamydial infections in free-living birds

Most studies of chlamydial infections in free-living wild birds have been limited to surveys for the presence of Chlamydia psittaci or antibody to C psittaci and have largely been done in association with the identification of chlamydiosis in human beings, commercial fowl, or pet birds. The emphasis of these studies has been to determine the prevalence of infection and the potential role of wild birds in the spread of chlamydiae to domestic birds and human beings. Little is known about the epizootiology of chlamydiosis in free-living birds or its affect on their population dynamics. The following article is a summary of reported studies of chlamydiosis in free-living wild birds in relation to host range, ecologic aspects of transmission and maintenance, and the prevalence of disease.

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Associa↗
USGS2005

Planning for bird conservation: a tale of two models

Planning for bird conservation has become increasingly reliant on remote sensing, geographical information systems, and, especially, models used to predict the occurrence of bird species as well as their density and demographics. We address the role of such tools by contrasting two models used in bird conservation. One, the Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos) productivity model, is very detailed, mechanistic, and based on an enormous body of research. The Mallard model has been extensively used with success to guide management efforts for Mallards and certain other species of ducks. The other model, the concept of Bird Conservation Areas, is more simple, less mechanistic, and less well-grounded in research. This concept proposes that large patches of suitable habitat in a proper landscape will be adequate to maintain populations of birds. The Bird Conservation Area concept recently has been evaluated in the northern tallgrass prairie, where its fundamental assumptions have been found not to hold consistently. We argue that a more comprehensive understanding of the biology of individual species, and how they respond to habitat features, will be essential before we can use remotely sensed information and geographic information system products with confidence.

General Technical Report↗
USGS1982

Effects of soils and grazing on breeding birds of uncultivated upland grasslands of the Northern Great Plains

The principal use of uncultivated upland grasslands in the northern Great Plains is for livestock production. However, on lands set aside for wildlife or for scientific or recreational use, grazing by livestock may be used as a management measure to enhance populations of game species or to create conditions that increase the diversity of plant or animal species. To determine the effects of grazing on the avifauna of various types of Great Plains grasslands, we conducted bird censuses and plant surveys during 1974-78 on 615 plots of lightly, moderately, or heavily grazed native rangeland.Numbers of horned lark (Eremophila alpestris), western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys), and chestnut-collared longspur (Calcarius ornatus) accounted for 65-75% of the total bird population, regardless of grazing intensity. For the entire area sampled (600,000 km2), horned lark, western meadowlark, and chestnut-collared longspur were the dominant birds. Major differences in composition of the dominant species and species richness occurred among the major soils. Increased mean annual soil temperature seemingly had a greater negative influence on avian species richness than did decreased soil moisture or organic matter content. Differences in total bird density were not significant among soils and among grazing intensities within most soils. For the area as a whole, light or moderate grazing resulted in increased species richness. Of the 29 species studied, 2 responded significantly to grazing for the area as a whole and 6 others to grazing on the soil in which peak densities occurred. Response of several other species to grazing effects evidently varied among strata.A list of plants with mean cover values of more than 1% in any of the 18 combinations of soils and grazing intensities contained less than 25 species, attesting to the relative simplicity of the grassland vegetation in the northern Great Plains. Agropyron spp. and Bouteloua gracilis were the dominant plants that provided greater than average cover on the best habitat for the most bird species. Optimum habitat for each bird species is given in terms of grazing, soils, and dominant plant species. Increased soil temperature probably had a negative effect on plant species richness, especially among soils with a high organic matter content that supported perennial grasses and other mesophytes.

Wildlife Research Report↗
USGS1981

Bird activity levels related to weather

The Breeding Bird Survey data bank serves as a primary source for studying effects of sky cover, wind speed, and temperature on bird census results. Other standardized methods, such as spot-mapping (Breeding Bird Census), point counts, banding, and the Winter Bird Survey, provide additional, but limited, means of assessing effects of weather. Numbers of songbirds detected are generally inversely correlated with wind speed, but hawks often are seen in larger numbers on windy days. Rain greatly reduces the numbers of birds detected. Cloud cover has relatively little influence on early morning bird counts during the peak of the breeding season. Fog selectively favors auditory detections of some species. Counts of many species are correlated with temperature, but effects are minor unless temperatures are extreme. Under marginal weather conditions, total species observed may be nearly normal, whereas number of individuals observed is reduced, as is the opportunity to record simultaneous registrations

Book chapter↗
USGS1995

Breeding bird survey: Population trends 1966-92

The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) was begun in 1966 to collect standardized data on bird populations along more than 3,400 survey routes across the continental United States and southern Canada. The BBS has been used to document distributions and establish continental, regional, and local population trends for more than 250 species. We summarize here survey-wide patterns in the 1966-92 population trend estimates for 245 species of birds observed on a minimum of 40 routes with a mean relative abundance of 1.0 bird per route. Survey-wide trend estimates are also summarized for six groupings of birds, providing insight into broad geographical patterns of population trends of North American birds.

Book chapter↗
USGS1995

Population trends from the North American Breeding Bird Survey

INTRODUCTION: Most Neotropical migrant birds are difficult to count accurately and are moderately common over large breeding distributions. Consequently, little historical information exists on their large-scale population changes, and most of this information is anecdotal. Surveys begun in this century such as Breeding Bird Censuses and Christmas Bird Counts have the potential to provide this information, but only the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) achieves the extensive continental coverage necessary to document population changes for most Neotropical migrant birds. Conservationists and ecologists have begun to use BBS data to estimate population trends, but there is still widespread confusion over exactly what these data show regarding population changes. In this chapter, we review the current state of knowledge regarding population changes in Neotropical migrant birds and the methods used to analyze these changes. The primary emphasis is on the BBS (Robbins et al. 1986) because this survey provides the best available data for estimating trends of Neotropical migrants on a continental scale. To address questions about methods of analyzing survey data, we review and compare some alternative methods of analyzing BBS data. We also discuss the effectiveness of the BBS in sampling Neotropical migrant species, and review possibilities for use of alternative data sets to verify trends from the BBS.

Book chapter↗
USGS2000

DC birdscape: a program for monitoring neotropical migrant birds in Washington, DC

Urban and suburban habitats often contain a variety of Neotropical migratory birds, but are poorly sampled by programs such as the North American Breeding Bird Survey. DC Birdscape was developed to inventory and monitor birds in Washington, D.C. Birds were surveyed using a systematic sample of point counts during 1993-1995. Results indicate that species richness of Neotropical migratory birds varied among land-use categories, and that maximum species richness occurred in parkland habitats. Although DC Birdscape has provided relevant information on bird distribution and species richness, it is unclear whether the information is of sufficient management interest to support its continuation as a long-term monitoring program.

Book chapter↗
USGS1980

[Book review] Endangered Birds: Management techniques for preserving threatened species

This volume contains the proceedings of a symposium held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, during 17-20 August 1977. In the words of the book's editor, Stanley Temple, the symposium "offered a unique opportunity for leading scientists from around the world to meet and share their experiences with endangered birds." That this objective was achieved is indicated by a list of contributors standing as a "Who's Who" in endangered species research and management. This symposium was jointly sponsored by the International Council for Bird Preservation, World Wildlife Fund, National Audubon Society, New York Zoological Society, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fifty-one papers by 53 contributors are listed under 10 topics: endangered bird problems and the concept of managing threatened species; increasing reproductive effort and success by reducing nest-site limitations; alleviating problems of competition, predation, parasitism, and disease; supplemental feeding and manipulation of feeding ecology; manipulating aspects of nesting biology; captive breeding of endangered birds; genetic aspects of managing dwindling populations; reintroducing endangered birds to the wild; integrated approaches to management of endangered birds; and summary. A 14-page index provides convenient reference to subjects in the text.

The Auk↗