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At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
USGS2014

Assessment of metal and trace element contamination in water, sediment, plants, macroinvertebrates, and fish in Tavasci Marsh, Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona

Tavasci Marsh is a large freshwater marsh within the Tuzigoot National Monument in central Arizona. It is the largest freshwater marsh in Arizona that is unconnected to the Colorado River and is designated as an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. The marsh has been altered significantly by previous land use and the monument’s managers are evaluating the restoration of the marsh. In light of historical mining activities located near the marsh from the first half of the 20th century, evaluations of water, sediment, plant, and aquatic biota in the marsh were conducted. The evaluations were focused on nine metals and trace elements commonly associated with mining and other anthropogenic activities (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) together with isotopic analyses to understand the presence, sources and timing of water and sediment contaminants to the marsh and the occurrence in aquatic plants, dragonfly larvae, and fish. Results of water analyses indicate that there were two distinct sources of water contributing to the marsh during the study: one from older high elevation recharge entering the marsh at Shea Spring (as well as a number of unnamed seeps and springs on the northeastern edge of the marsh) and the other from younger low elevation recharge or from Pecks Lake. Water concentrations for arsenic exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency primary drinking water standard of 10 μg/L at all sampling sites. Surface waters at Tavasci Marsh may contain conditions favorable for methylmercury production. All surficial and core sediment samples exceeded or were within sample concentration variability of at least one threshold sediment quality guideline for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Several sediment sites were also above or were within sample concentration variability of severe or probable effect sediment quality guidelines for As, Cd, and Cu. Three sediment cores collected in the marsh have greater metal and trace element concentrations at depth for Bi, Cd, Cu, Hg, In, Pb, Sb, Sn, Te, and Zn. Radioisotope dating indicates that the elevated metal and trace element concentrations are associated with sediments deposited before 1963. Arsenic concentration was greater in cattail roots compared with surrounding sediment at Tavasci Marsh. Concentrations of As, Ni, and Se from yellow bullhead catfish (Ameiurus natalis) in Tavasci Marsh exceeded the 75th percentile of several other regional studies. Mercury concentration in dragonfly larvae and fish from Tavasci Marsh were similar to or greater than in Tavasci Marsh sediment. Future work includes a biologic risk assessment utilizing the data collected in this study to provide the monument management with additional information for their restoration plan.

Arizona↗
USGS2019

Growing pains of crowdsourced stream stage monitoring using mobile phones: The development of CrowdHydrology

Citizen science-based approaches to monitor the natural environment tend to be bimodal in maturity. Older and established programs such as the Audubon’s Christmas bird count and Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) have thousands of participants across decades of observations, while less mature citizen science projects have shorter lifespans often focused on local or regional observations with tens or hundreds of participants. For the latter, it can be difficult to transition into a more mature and sustainable citizen science-based research program. This paper focuses on this transition by evaluating CrowdHydrology (ca. 2010), a citizen science project that has transitioned from a regional to national network. It evaluates the data accuracy, citizen participation, and station popularity. The CrowdHydrology network asks citizens to send in text messages of water levels in streams and lakes, which has resulted in 16,294 observations submitted by over 8,000 unique participants at 120 unique locations. Using water level data and participation records from CrowdHydrology, we analyze the expansion and citizen participation from a regional to national citizen science network. We identify barriers to participation and evaluate why some citizen science observation stations are popular while others are not. We explore our chosen contributory program model for CrowdHydrology and the influence this model has had on long-term participation. Results demonstrate a highly variable rate of contributions of citizen scientists. This paper proposes hypotheses on why many of our observations are from one-time participants and why some monitoring stations are more popular than others. Finally, we address the future expansion of the CrowdHydrology network by evaluating successful monitoring locations and growing interest of watershed groups to expand the network of gauges.

Frontiers in Earth Science↗
USGS1981

Birds of the St. Croix River valley: Minnesota and Wisconsin

The St. Croix River Valley encompasses nearly 11,550 km2 in east-central Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. A wide range of habitats are available for birds including upland oak, lowland deciduous, maple-basswood, lowland and upland coniferous forests, natural basin wetlands, and grasslands. Situated in the north-central region of the United States, the valley is a biological 'crossroads' for many species. Because of the mixed affinities of plant communities, the valley includes the northern and southern range limits for a number of species. Also, because the valley lies near the forest-prairie transition zone, many typical western breeding species (e.g. pintail, western meadowlark, yellow-headed blackbird) breed in proximity to typical eastern species such as tufted titmouse, eastern meadowlark, and cardinal. From 1966 to 1980, I conducted extensive surveys of avian distribution and abundance in the St. Croix River Valley. I have supplemented the results of these surveys with published and unpublished observations contributed by many ornithologists. These additional data include compilations from Christmas Bird Counts sponsored by the National Audubon Society and from the Breeding Bird Survey coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Three hundred fourteen species have been recorded in the study area; data are presented on the migration period, nesting season distribution, winter distribution, relative abundance, and habitat use of each species. Recognizing the uniqueness of the area, and its importance not only to wildlife but also to man, the U.S. Congress designated the St. Croix a National Scenic Riverway. This action provided a considerable degree of protection to lands along and directly adjacent to the river. Unfortunately, no similar legal measure exists to protect lands away from the river. With the exception of the northern quarter of the St. Croix River Valley, agricultural interests have made significant inroads into the habitat base. The continuing expansion of the nearby Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan region has degraded or destroyed many woodlots, upland fields, and wetlands. In numerous instances, degradation of natural habitats has influenced the abundance and distribution of bird species. Because of these changes, both the Federal government and State Departments of Natural Resources have listed several species in various categories based on their current status. In the St. Croix River Valley, seven species are endangered, eight are threatened, and 29 are watch or priority status in either or both states. Data presented in this report are of value to land managers, land use specialists, and ornithologists, in assessing current and projected habitat alterations on the avifauna of this valley. The St. Croix River bisects a large region of western Wisconsin and east central Minnesota that exhibits a wide range of habitat types. This region supports not only birds, but many mammals, fishes, reptiles and amphibians, and several thousand species of vascular and nonvascular plants. The river itself is relatively clean through most of its course, and its natural flow is interrupted by only two small dams. Because the river lies within a 1-day drive of nearly 10 million people (Waters 1977), use of the area for recreational purposes is extremely heavy. Recreational pursuits include sunbathing, boating, and wild river kayaking in the summer, and ice fishing and cross-country skiing in the winter. The large number of unique and highly fragile habitats that exist there may never be compatible with the uses and abuses of the land that go with expanding human populations. Through the efforts of a number of citizens concerned with the quality of their environment and the foresightedness of several local, State, and Federal legislators, a portion of the upper St. Croix River Valley (hereafter termed 'the Valley') was established as a National Wild and Scenic River. Through establishment of t

North American Fauna↗
USGS2001

Range expansion of pileated woodpecker in North Dakota

Natural history writings from explorers such as M. Lewis, W. Clark, J. J. Audubon, S. F. Baird, and E. Coues failed to mention the pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus ) in North Dakota throughout the 1800's. The first published reference to the species was in the early 1900's in the valley of the Red River of the North, part of the Agassiz Lake Plain of eastern North Dakota. Sightings increased in the Agassiz Lake Plain in the mid-1900's but remained rare west of the Agassiz Lake Plain until the late 1900's. Ornithologists suggest that the species has recently established small, permanent populations in the Turtle Mountains, Devils Lake area, and along the Sheyenne River, especially in the Sheyenne National Grassland. I present information that supports the idea that the pileated woodpecker is establishing populations in the aforementioned areas and is moving even farther west. I also document the presence of the pileated woodpecker along the James River and the first record for Stutsman County.

Prairie Naturalist↗
USGS1982

A.B.A. Checklist: Birds of Continental United States and Canada

The 'Summary' in this edition of the A BA Checklist has been greatly expanded to include all properly documented records for each accidental species. These records are published, except for a very few recent ones which are in press or in preparation. Emphasis is on records supported by specimens or photographs, but sight records are also included. To make these accounts more useful to researchers, a reference has been given for each record. All records, except those identified as '(photo)' or '(specimen)', or by some other type of objective evidence, are sight records. Because of the interest shown in this section of the Checklist, coverage has not been confined to accidental species (defined as those which have occurred fewer than ten times in the ABA Checklist area during the twentieth century). Accounts are also given for selected rare visitors and native species. Two of the primary references are abbreviated in the accounts: Audubon Field Notes-AFN, and American Birds-AB.

Book↗
USGS1995

Colonial waterbirds

Colonial waterbirds, that is, seabirds (gulls, terns, cormorants, pelicans) and wading birds (herons, egrets, ibises), have attracted the attention of scientists, conservationists, and the public since the turn of the century when plume hunters nearly drove many species to extinction. The first national wildlife refuge at Pelican Island, Florida, was founded to conserve a large nesting colony of the brown pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis ). The National Audubon Society also established a game warden system to monitor and protect important waterbird colonies. These efforts helped establish federal laws to protect migratory birds and their nesting habitats in North America. Although the populations of many species rebounded in the early part of the 20th century, major losses and alteration of coastal wetlands still threaten the long-term sustainability of many colonial waterbirds. A national, coordinated monitoring program is needed to monitor population status and trends in colonial waterbirds (Erwin et al. 1993). The Canadian Wildlife Service has recently established a national seabird monitoring program (D. Nettleship, CWS, personal communication). In addition, better coordination and cooperation for monitoring waterbirds are needed on both their breeding grounds in North America and their wintering grounds in Latin America where wetland loss is also a critical problem (Erwin et al. 1993). This article summarizes the status and trends of selected waterbird species in North America, but excludes Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific coast, which are described elsewhere.

Book chapter↗
USGS2000

Managing wetlands for waterbirds: How managers can make a difference in improving habitat to support a North American Bird Conservation Plan

Wetlands are the most productive ecosystems in the world, yet they have suffered more loss and degradation than any other ecosystem. Not surprisingly, 50% (29 of 58) of all the bird species in the U. S. (excluding Hawaii and territories) that are listed either as federally threatened or endangered, or are on the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1995 List of Migratory Nongame Birds of Management Concern, occupy wetland or aquatic habitats even though many remaining wetlands across the North American landscape already are managed primarily for waterbirds. Some of these wetlands are administered by federal and state entities (e.g., national wildlife refuges, national and state parks, state wetland management areas) or are maintained on private lands through federally supported restoration and enhancement programs (e.g., Conservation Reserve Program, Wetland Reserve Program, Waterfowl Production Areas, and Partners for Wildlife). Private organizations, such as the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, and private hunting clubs, also own wetland areas that are managed specifically to benefit wildlife. If management philosophies are altered to consider the entire complex of wetlands, many wetlands can provide benefits to a broad array of waterbirds, as opposed to just one or a few species. However, challenges for natural resource managers are in forming partnerships with owners-managers of wetlands where the objectives are not primarily wildlife oriented. These owners or managers need to be included in wetland training workshops in an attempt to educate them about wetland values and secondary wildlife benefits that may be derived in flooded agricultural lands, aquaculture ponds, altered coastal marshes (mosquito control), and salt evaporation ponds. In some cases, compensation for crop damages by wildlife may be a necessary part of any cooperative agreements. In the development of a North American Bird Conservation Plan we propose a four-step approach and recommend that emphasis be placed on working with Joint Ventures of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan to ensure that a diverse array of waterbird species will benefit. Efforts also should be devoted to developing similar partnerships in areas where important wetland resources exist but no Joint Ventures are planned.

Book chapter↗
USGS2005

Population trends of North American sea ducks as revealed by the Christmas Bird Count

Relative to other waterfowl, sea ducks are not well understood, yet evidence from a variety of analyses suggests that as many as 10 of the 15 species of North American sea ducks may be declining in population. However, because of the difficulty of conducting surveys of breeding populations and the lack of range-wide winter surveys, few data are available to assess the population trends of sea ducks with confidence. We analyze Audubon Christmas Bird Count data using hierarchical modeling methods that control for varying effort among circles and over time. These procedures allow us to assess early-winter relative density patterns among states and Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) while also assessing trends in these regions and across the species North American range. Over the interval 1966 - 2003, continent-wide declines were observed in 1 of 11 species (the White-winged Scoter; -3.7%/yr). We compare CBC results to estimates of population change derived from the midwinter waterfowl survey conducted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The CBC does not effectively sample offshore populations of sea ducks; however, the CBC data can be used to assist in development of species-specific surveys, and CBC data can be used in combination with additional offshore sampling programs to better sample sea duck species.

Book chapter↗
USGS2005

Population trends of North American sea ducks based on Christmas Bird Count and Breeding Bird Survey data

Due to the difficulty of conducting range-wide surveys of either breeding or wintering populations, few data are available to assess the population trends of sea ducks with confidence. We analyze sea duck data from the Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) using hierarchical modeling methods that control for varying effort among circles and over time. These procedures allow us to assess early-winter relative density patterns among states and Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) while also assessing trends in these regions and across the species North American range. Over the interval 1966-2003, continent-wide declines were observed in 1 of 11 species. Where sufficient data exist, we compare CBC results to estimates of population change derived from the USGS Breeding Bird Survey. The CBC does not effectively sample offshore populations of sea ducks; however, the CBC data can be used to assist in development of species-specific surveys, and CBC data can be used in combination with additional offshore sampling programs to better sample sea duck species.

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↗
USGS1974

The winter bird survey of central Maryland, U.S.A

A method for monitoring changes in winter bird populations was tested in central Maryland in the winters of 1970, 1971 and 1972. A systematic sample of 41 transects was established to sample an area of 6150 sq. km. Each transect, located at the center of a standard 7 1/2-minute topographic map, was 8 km in length and approximately square in shape. Coverage began at local sunrise on any one day from 15 January to 15 February, and was completed in exactly 4 hours. Birds seen or heard within one-fourth mile (0.40) km were recorded separately for each hour, and those identified at a greater distance were entered in a separate column. The mean number of species per route was 29. Ten species showed a statistically significant change from 1970 to 1971 and 8 from 1971 to 1972. The Winter Bird Survey results were compared with the results from the Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count in the same area. Close correlation was found between the two surveys, but in general the Winter Bird Survey totals are higher except for species that frequent feeding trays and those that are conspicuous along roadsides. The Winter Bird Survey method shows much promise as a means of world-wide monitoring of bird populations; it is urged that field tests be conducted on other continents.

Acta Ornithologica↗
USGS1980

On getting involved

The American Ornithologists' Union and its members had an early history of involvement in public affairs and conservation activities. A very active Committee on Bird Protection was among the first of the service committees to be established. In the 1880s it gathered data on the plumage trade and worked for legislation to protect birds, preparing a model law for the protection of nongame birds that was adopted quickly by two states and later by others. As a direct result of action at the 1884 A.O.U. meeting, the forerunner of the present U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was established as a government office. The present National Audubon Society was another outgrowth of the A.O.U.'s early conservation and educational activities. In the 1920s the A.O.U. raised funds to establish a bird sanctuary at Olney, Illinois, in honor of Robert Ridgway.

The Auk↗
USGS1986

The Breeding Bird Survey: Its first fifteen years, 1965-1979

The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is an ongoing cooperative program sponsored jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Its main purpose is to estimate population trends of the many species of birds that nest in North America north of Mexico and that migrate across international boundaries. This survey provides information, both locally by ecological or political regions and on a continental scale, on (1) short-term population changes that can be correlated with specific weather incidents, (2) recovery periods following catastrophic declines, (3) normal year-to-year variations, (4) long-term population trends, and (5) invasions of exotics. The BBS also permits detailed computer mapping of relative abundance of each species, either year by year to show changes in distribution and relative abundance, or the average over a period of years. It provides base-line data with which more intensive local studies can be compared. For biogeographic studies it provides uniform sampling of bird populations by major physiographic regions across the continent. In conjunction with the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, it permits comparison of summer and winter distribution of species that winter in the United States. Most species of North American birds migrate across international boundaries, especially those shared with Canada, Mexico, and the Soviet Union. As part of our responsibility under treaties with these nations, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has developed the BBS to monitor avian population changes so that any adverse trends can be detected early. This provides the opportunity to determine the reasons for any increase or decrease, to define geographic areas in which changes are greatest, to study correlations between avian population changes and land-use changes, and to make recommendations for controlling undesirable bird population trends. For example, the BBS can be used to detect and estimate the extent of losses resulting from widespread use of pesticides, and to reveal whether major population changes of a given species (e.g., Dickcissel) in certain States are related to a continental decline or are merely a result of population shifts within the breeding range. Effects of urban and suburban expansion are often reflected in the loss of forest interior birds. Population trends for 230 species as well as several avian genera and families are discussed and graphed in this report. For most of these species, regional and well as continental trends are shown. The three major regions discussed are the Eastern, Central, and Western, bounded by the Mississippi River and the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains. Additional graphs for certain States or physiographic regions are included for selected species of special interest. The following paragraphs summarize general trends in the major bird families. The native herons in general are maintaining their populations, whereas the exotic Cattle Egret continues its geographic spread and its steady increase. Waterfowl as a group are stable or increasing. Although most widespread species of hawks are on the increase, the rarer species show evidence of decline. Among the gallinaceous birds, the greatest change was a sharp drop in Northern Bobwhite as a result of the exceptionally cold winters of 1976-77 and 1977-78 in the Ohio Valley and the Middle Atlantic States. Killdeer populations, except for a minor decline during these two winters, showed strong increases except in the West. American Woodcock were poorly sampled by the BBS because they were relatively inactive during daylight. Common Snipe and the other common shorebirds that nest in the United States and southern Canada exhibited stable or increasing populations, especially in the Eastern and Central regions. Herring Gull counts varied dramatically and irregularly from year to year. Laughing Gulls increased along the Atlantic coast and Franklin's Gulls declined in the interior of the continen

Resource Publication↗
USGS2012

Foreword: Contributions of Arctic PRISM to monitoring western hemispheric shorebirds

Long-term monitoring of populations is of paramount importance to understanding responses of organisms to global environmental change and to evaluating whether conservation practices are yielding intended results through time (Wiens 2009). The population status of many shorebird species, the focus of this volume, remain poorly known. Long-distance migrant shorebirds have proven particularly difficult to monitor, in part because of their highly inaccessible regions. As migrant shorebirds travel the length of the hemisphere, the congregate and disperse in ways that vary among species, locations, and years, presenting serious challenges to designing and implementing monitoring programs. Rigorous field and quantitative methods that estimate population size and monitor trends are vitally needed to direct and evaluate effective conservation measures. Many management efforts depend on unbiased population size estimates; for examples, the shorebird conservation plans for both Canada and the United States seek to restore populations to levels calculated for the 1970s based on the best information available from existing surveys. Further, federal wildlife agencies within the United States and Canada have mandates to understand the state of their nations' resources under various conventions for the protection of migratory birds. Accurate estimates of population size are vital statistics for a variety of conservation activities, such as prioritizing species for conservation action and setting management targets. Areas of essential habitat, such as those designated under the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, the Important Bird Areas program of BirdLife Internationals and the National Audubon Society, or Canada's National Wildlife Areas program, are all evaluated on the basis of proportions of species' populations which they contain. The size, and trends in size, of a species' population are considered key information for assessing its vulnerability and subsequent listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the Canadian Species at Risk Act. To meet the need for information on population size and trends, shorebird biologists from Canada and the United States proposed a shared blueprint for shorebird monitoring across the Western Hemisphere in the late 1990s; this effort was undertaken in concert with the development of the Canadian and the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plans. Soon thereafter, partners in the monitoring effort adopted the name "Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring" (PRISM). Among the primary objectives of PRISM were to estimate the population sizes and trends of breeding North American shorebirds and describe their distributions. PRISM members evaluated ongoing and potential monitoring approached to address 74 taxa (including subspecies) and proposed a combination of arctic and boreal breeding surveys, temperate breeding and non-breeding surveys, and neotropical surveys.

Studies in Avian Biology↗
USGS1995

Winter population trends of selected songbirds

Many studies have found significant changes, primarily declines, in populations of breeding birds throughout the United States. Most studies have focused on birds that migrate to the Neotropics for winter. Speculations about causes of observed declines have primarily implicated habitat fragmentation and loss (e.g. deforestation) in Central and South America. The National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Counts (CBC), begun in the winter of 1900-01, provide the data needed to discern consistent population trends in birds wintering throughout the United States. For this study we used the CBC data to examine population trends of songbirds with ranges that apparently are limited by lower temperatures in the North. We chose these species to track populations of birds that could be in peril in the future. These birds potentially will be more quickly affected by changing climate than other birds, and we need baseline information on them to document possible consequences of global climatic change. The species that are indeed declining need to be monitored because the possible synergistic effects of declining populations and changing climate could result in local and even regional extinctions.

Book chapter↗
USGS2012

Contributions of Arctic PRISM to monitoring western hemispheric shorebirds

Long-term monitoring of populations is of paramount importance to understanding responses oforganisms to global environmental change and to evaluating whether conservation practices are yielding intended results through time (Wiens 2009). The population status of many shorebird species, the focus of this volume, remain poorly known. Long-distance migrant shorebirds have proven particularly difficult to monitor, in part because of their highly migratory nature and ranges that extend into highly inaccessible regions. As migrant shorebirds travel the length of the hemisphere, they congregate and disperse in ways that vary among species, locations, and years, presenting serious challenges to designing and implementing monitoring programs. Rigorous field and quantitative methods that estimate population size and monitor trends are vitally needed to direct and evaluate effective conservation measures. Many management efforts depend on unbiased population size estimates; for example, the shorebird conservation plans for both Canada and the United States seek to restore populations to levels calculated for the 1970s based on the best information available from existing surveys. Further, federal wildlife agencies within the United States and Canada have mandates to understand the state of their nations' resources under various conventions for the protection of migratory birds. Accurate estimates of population size are vital statistics for a variety of conservation activities, such as prioritizing species for conservation action and setting management targets. Areas of essential habitat, such as those designated under the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, the Important Bird Areas program of BirdLife International and the National Audubon Society, or Canada's National Wildlife Areas program, are all evaluated on the basis ofproportions of species' populations which they contain. The size, and trends in size, ofa species' population are considered key information for assessing its vulnerability and subsequent listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the Canadian Species at Risk Act. To meet the need for information on population size and trends, shorebird biologists from Canada and the United States proposed a shared blueprint for shorebird monitoring across the Western Hemisphere in the late 1990s; this effort was undertaken in concert with the development of the Canadian and U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plans (Donaldson et al. 2000, Brown et aL 2001). Soon thereafter, partners in the monitoring effort adopted the name "Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring" (PRISM). Among the primary objectives of PRISM were to estimate the population sizes and trends of breeding North American shorebirds and describe their distributions (Bart et al. 2002). PRISM members evaluated ongoing and potential monitoring approaches to address 74 taxa (including subspecies) and proposed a combination of arctic andboreal breeding surveys, temperate breeding and non-breeding surveys, and neotropical surveys.

Book chapter↗
USGS2016

Hemidactylus parvimaculatus (Sri Lankan spotted house gecko)

USA: LOUISIANA: St. Tammany Parish: private property ca. 4 km S of Abita Springs, E of State Hwy 59, and N of Interstate 12 (30.44000°N, 90.02000°W; WGS 84). 18 August 2013. Brad M. Glorioso. Verified by David Heckard. Florida Museum of Natural History (UF 176422, photo voucher). New parish record. This species was first reported in the Americas in the vicinity of Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana (Heckard et al. 2013. IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians 20:192–196). This is the third report of this species in Louisiana (Heckard et al. 2013, op. cit.; Borgardt 2015. Herpetol. Rev. 46:217), and is now documented from Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Tammany parishes in southeast Louisiana. The individual was located at night, ca. 10 m from a dwelling on the forest floor amid a downed picket fence, which was resting atop a thick layer of pine needles. There are H. turcicus at the property, but this individual was recognized as unusual, and many photos were taken before releasing the animal. It was not until much later that it was determined to be H. parvimaculatus. The origin of this individual is unknown, as the owners of this 1.62-ha property are elderly and do not keep any pets. Subsequent casual searches have not turned up any new individuals. I thank David Heckard for his help with identification and discussion of this species in Louisiana.

Herpetological Review↗
USGS2019

Hemidactylus parvimaculatus (Sri Lankan spotted house gecko)

USA: LOUISIANA: PLAQUEMINES PARISH: 0.15 km S of the intersection of LA-23 and Jump road, Venice (29.266630°N, 89.35570°W; WGS 84). 2 May 2019. V. C. Montross and W. McGighan. Verified by Aaron M. Bauer. Florida Museum of Natural History (UF 189238; photo voucher). New parish record. On 2 May 2019, three Hemidactylus parvimaculatus were observed after lifting an abandoned door left on the side of Jump Basin Road. An adult specimen was photographed. This record extends the known distribution of this species in Louisiana south of all previously recorded parishes and is 105 km SW of the species’ first recorded location in the state at Audubon Zoo, Orleans Parish (Heckard et al. 2013. IRCF Reptil. Amphib. 20:192–196). Four additional parishes in southeastern Louisiana have since been added to its known distribution including Jefferson (Borgardt 2015. Herpetol. Rev. 46:217), St. Tammany (Glorioso 2016. Herpetol. Rev. 47:81), St. John (Borgardt 2016. Herpetol. Rev. 47:258), and Tangipahoa (Erdman 2017. Herpetol. Rev. 48:125), as well as Chambers and Orange counties in east Texas (Davis and LaDuc 2019. Herpetol. Rev. 50:102).

Louisiana↗