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Results for “Pennsylvania Birds”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2017

Applying citizen-science data and mark-recapture models to estimate numbers of migrant golden eagles in an important bird area in eastern North America

Estimates of population abundance are important to wildlife management and conservation. However, it can be difficult to characterize the numbers of broadly distributed, low-density, and elusive bird species. Although Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are rare, difficult to detect, and broadly distributed, they are concentrated during their autumn migration at monitoring sites in eastern North America. We used hawk-count data collected by citizen scientists in a virtual mark–recapture modeling analysis to estimate the numbers of Golden Eagles that migrate in autumn along Kittatinny Ridge, an Important Bird Area in Pennsylvania, USA. In order to evaluate the sensitivity of our abundance estimates to variation in eagle capture histories, we applied candidate models to 8 different sets of capture histories, constructed with or without age-class information and using known mean flight speeds 6 1, 2, 4, or 6 SE for eagles to travel between hawk-count sites. Although some abundance estimates were produced by models that poorly fitted the data ( ĉ > 3.0), 2 sets of population estimates were produced by acceptably performing models (cˆ less than or equal to 3.0). Application of these models to count data from November, 2002–2011, suggested a mean population abundance of 1,354 6 117 SE (range: 873–1,938). We found that Golden Eagles left the ridgeline at different rates and in different places along the route, and that typically ,50% of individuals were detected at the hawk-count sites. Our study demonstrates a useful technique for estimating population abundance that may be applicable to other migrant species that are repeatedly detected at multiple monitoring sites along a topographic diversion or leading line.

Pennslyvania↗
USGS1974

Residues of organochlorine pesticides, mercury, and PCB's in mourning doves from eastern United States--1970-71

Mourning dove (Zenaidura macroura) breast muscle samples from birds collected in 1970-71 from Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida were found to contain residues of DDT, DDE, DDD, polychlorinated biphenyls, dieldrin, mirex, mercury, and heptachlor epoxide in amounts not considered hazardous to consumers, human or nonhuman. There were 145 birds involved, 7 to 10 from each State. Residues of DDT plus DDE plus DDD averaged 5.83 ppm lipid weight (0.068 ppm wet weight); those of PCB's, 9.75 ppm lipid weight (0.121 ppm wet weight); compounds were found in all birds. Heptachlor epoxide and dieldrin were found in little more than trace amounts: heptachlor in all birds, dieldrin in 73. Mirex was found only in birds from South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, averaging 4.32 ppm lipid weight (0.046 ppm wet weight) in eight birds. Less than 0.05 ppm (wet weight) mercury was found in all birds except 10, in which it ranged from 0.07 to 0.67 ppm. The 10 were from Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama.

Pesticides Monitoring Journal↗
USGS2020

Shared functional traits explain synchronous changes in long‐term count trends of migratory raptors

Aim Assessing long‐term shifts in faunal assemblages is important to understand the consequences of ongoing global environmental change. One approach to assess drivers of assemblage changes is to identify the traits associated with synchronous shifts in count trends among species. Our research identified traits influencing trends in 73 years of count data on migrating raptors recorded in the north‐eastern USA. Location Pennsylvania, USA. Time period 1946–2018. Major taxa studied Birds of prey/raptors. Methods Migrating raptors were counted during autumn, following a standardized protocol. We used a hierarchical breakpoint model to identify when count trends shifted and to assess the role of traits in driving these trends before and after the breakpoint. Specifically, we quantified the probability of the direction (PD) of an effect of body mass, habitat or dietary specialization, migratory behaviour and susceptibility to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) on count trends. Results We documented an assemblage‐wide mean shift in count trends of migrating raptors in 1974. In general, species that exhibited negative count trends before the breakpoint exhibited positive count trends afterwards. We found that traits associated with resource use (diet and habitat specialization) had high probabilities of affecting count trends, pre‐ and post‐breakpoint (> 90%). Moreover, the direction of their effects differed during both periods. Unexpectedly, other traits we evaluated, including DDT susceptibility, had relatively weaker associations with count trends. Main conclusions Trait‐based frameworks have promise for testing generalized assumptions about drivers of population trajectories. Historically, DDT was considered a key driver of changes in raptor population trends. However, our analysis suggests that other factors were also relevant. Moreover, the positive association between count trends and generalist behaviour depended on the temporal context. This result has implications for other settings where demographic trends can be linked to traits and help to identify drivers of biodiversity change.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS2011

Trace metals related to historical iron smelting at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Berks and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania

Iron ore containing elevated concentrations of trace metals was smelted at Hopewell Furnace during its 113 years of operation (1771-1883). The ore used at Hopewell Furnace was obtained from iron mines within 5 miles of the furnace. The iron-ore deposits were formed about 200 million years ago and contain abundant magnetite, the primary iron mineral, and accessory minerals enriched in arsenic, cobalt, copper, lead, and other metals. Hopewell Furnace, built by Mark Bird during 1770-71, was one of the last of the charcoal-burning, cold-blast iron furnaces operated in Pennsylvania. The most productive years for Hopewell Furnace were from 1830 to 1837. Castings were the most profitable product, especially the popular Hopewell Stove. More than 80,000 stoves were cast at Hopewell, which produced as many as 23 types and sizes of cooking and heating stoves. Beginning in the 1840s, the iron industry shifted to large-scale, steam-driven coke and anthracite furnaces. Independent rural enterprises like Hopewell could no longer compete when the iron and steel industries consolidated in urban manufacturing centers. The furnace ceased operation in 1883 (Kurjack, 1954). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Park Service, completed a study at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (NHS) in Berks and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania, to determine the fate of toxic trace metals, such as arsenic, cobalt, and lead, released into the environment during historical iron-smelting operations. The results of the study, conducted during 2008-10, are presented in this fact sheet.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS2014

Occupancy patterns of regionally declining grassland sparrow populations in a forested Pennsylvania landscape

Organisms can be affected by processes in the surrounding landscape outside the boundary of habitat areas and by local vegetation characteristics. There is substantial interest in understanding how these processes affect populations of grassland birds, which have experienced substantial population declines. Much of our knowledge regarding patterns of occupancy and density stem from prairie systems, whereas relatively little is known regarding how occurrence and abundance of grassland birds vary in reclaimed surface mine grasslands. Using distance sampling and single-season occupancy models, we investigated how the occupancy probability of Grasshopper (Ammodramus savannarum) and Henslow's Sparrows (A. henslowii) on 61 surface mine grasslands (1591 ha) in Pennsylvania changed from 2002 through 2011 in response to landscape, grassland, and local vegetation characteristics . A subset (n = 23; 784 ha) of those grasslands were surveyed in 2002, and we estimated changes in sparrow density and vegetation across 10 years. Grasshopper and Henslow's Sparrow populations declined 72% and 49%, respectively from 2002 to 2011, whereas overall woody vegetation density increased 2.6 fold. Henslow's Sparrows avoided grasslands with perimeter–area ratios ≥0.141 km/ha and woody shrub densities ≥0.04 shrubs/m 2 . Both species occupied grasslands ≤13 ha, but occupancy probability declined with increasing grassland perimeter–area ratio and woody shrub density. Grassland size, proximity to nearest neighboring grassland ( = 0.2 km), and surrounding landscape composition at 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 km were not parsimonious predictors of occupancy probability for either species. Our results suggest that reclaimed surface mine grasslands, without management intervention, are ephemeral habitats for Grasshopper and Henslow's Sparrows. Given the forecasted decline in surface coal production for Pennsylvania, it is likely that both species will continue to decline in our study region for the foreseeable future.

Conservation Biology↗
USGS1976

Some characteristics of fall migration of female woodcock

Nine female woodcock ( Philohela minor ) were radio-tagged in central Pennsylvania before fall migration to monitor premigratory and migratory movements. Within 15 days of departure, 5 of the birds moved 0.8 to 8.0 km from their normally used area, but the remaining 4 did not move. In 1973 five marked woodcock began migration between 30 November and 8 December. In 1974, four birds departed between 18 and 29 November. Departures coincided with high pressure centers approaching from the north and west or low pressure centers retreating to the north and east, or both. Eight of the 9 woodcock departed 2.5 or more hours after sunset and at least 7 left before midnight. Two hatching-year birds were tracked for up to 201 km SSW of the study area during 2 nights. Their air speeds (mean + SD) were 36 + 2 and 45 + 3 km/h.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS2007

Grassland and shrubland birds of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site: Current status and management recommendations

Gettysburg National Military Park (NMP) and Eisenhower National Historic Site (NHS) were surveyed for grassland birds during the 2005 breeding season. These parks currently maintain a total of approximately 1,220 ha (3,015 ac) of grassland habitats within a mosaic of cultivated fields and woodlands. The grasslands are hayfields managed through agricultural leases and fields maintained by the National Park Service (NPS). Most grasslands are composed of introduced cool-season grasses, but Gettysburg NMP maintains a few fields dominated by switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and is creating additional warm-season grasslands. Hayfields managed through agricultural leases support few grassland birds. The most numerous grassland bird communities are found between Seminary and Cemetery ridges in fields managed by the NPS. The parks discourage hay harvesting before July in all fields in an effort to improve the reproductive success of grassland birds. Shrub-dominated habitats were scarce in both parks. A few areas that were harvested recently for timber supported early successional communities in Gettysburg NMP. Other shrublands were limited to narrow corridors (<10 m [32 ft]) bordering fields and drainages. No shrublands were present on Eisenhower NHS, but an abandoned pasture along Willoughby Run was reverting into a mesic shrubland. Four species of obligate grassland birds were recorded during the 2005 surveys. A population of approximately 130 bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) was primarily restricted to grasslands between Seminary and Cemetery ridges maintained by the NPS and a hayfield on Eisenhower NHS. This population is large for southeastern Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. Eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) were most numerous in the same fields occupied by bobolinks but smaller numbers were scattered in other grasslands. Grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) were locally distributed in Conservation Reserve Program fields and other grasslands with more open vegetation. Savannah sparrows (Passervulus sandwichensis) were limited to one disturbed area undergoing conversion to warm-season grasses. When compared with other cultural parks in this region, the Gettysburg-Eisenhower complex supports a relatively abundant grassland bird community. This community is restricted to a portion of existing grassland habitats, but the potential exists to support a more diverse and abundant grassland avifauna. The following recommendations provide the most immediate benefits for breeding grassland birds in these parks under the current habitat conditions and management strategies. These recommendations are based on the assumption that the current policy of delayed mowing continues in both parks: improve grassland composition on leased hayfields; increase extent of early successional stages of grasslands; reduce fragmentation of grassland habitats; and improve grassland diversity by creating additional communities of native warm-season grasses. Because shrublands are currently scarce in both parks, the only recommendation is directed towards creating and maintaining shrub-dominated successional habitats: Explore opportunities for creating shrubby successional habitats in both parks.

Technical Report↗
USGS2016

Environmental factors influence lesser scaup migration chronology and population monitoring

Identifying environmental metrics specific to lesser scaup ( Aythya affinis ; scaup) spring migration chronology may help inform development of conservation, management and population monitoring. Our objective was to determine how environmental conditions influence spring migration of lesser scaup to assess the effectiveness of the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey in accurately estimating scaup populations. We first compared peak timing of mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos ) and scaup migration from weekly ground surveys in North Dakota, USA because the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey is designed to capture annual mallard migration. As predicted, we detected that peak timing of scaup and mallard migrations differed in 25 of 36 years investigated (1980–2010). We marked scaup with satellite transmitters ( n = 78; 7,403 locations) at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario, Canada; Pool 19 of the Mississippi River, Iowa and Illinois, USA; and Presque Isle Bay, Lake Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. We tested the assumption that our marked scaup were representative of the continental population using the traditional survey area by comparing timing of migration of marked birds and scaup counted in the North Dakota Game and Fish Department survey. We detected a strong positive correlation between marked scaup and the survey data, which indicated that marked scaup were representative of the population. We subsequently used our validated sample of marked scaup to investigate the effects of annual variation in temperature, precipitation, and ice cover on spring migration chronology in the traditional and eastern survey areas of the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey, 2005–2010. We evaluated competing environmental models to explain variation in timing and rate of scaup migration at large-scale and local levels. Spring migration of scaup occurred earlier and faster during springs with warmer temperatures and greater precipitation, variables known to influence energy budgets and wetland availability. Our results suggest that surveys designed to index abundance of breeding mallards is imprecise for estimating scaup abundance, and inaccurate at estimating breeding population size by survey stratum.

Journal of Wildlife Management↗
USGS2018

Incorporating detection probability to estimate pheasant density

ndices of abundance, such as point counts, commonly are used to monitor trends in bird populations. In some circumstances, however, an index of abundance provides insufficient information for making management decisions and accurate density estimates are necessary. Wild ring-necked pheasants ( Phasianus colchicus ) were translocated to 10 study areas in Pennsylvania from 2007 to 2014 with the goal of establishing female densities of 3.86 pheasants/km 2 . We developed a population density estimator that used 3-minute crowing counts adjusted for probability of detection to estimate male pheasant density and flushing surveys to estimate the female:male ratio. To account for detection probability, we estimated the probability a pheasant was available to be detected by monitoring crowing frequency of male pheasants fitted with radio-transmitters and the probability an observer was able to detect a crowing pheasant at distances from 0 to 0.93 km. We found the probability a pheasant crowed during 3 minutes decreased linearly over our survey period from 0.66 in mid-April to 0.46 by the end of May. At the farthest distance we were able to accurately detect a crowing pheasant. We estimated the probability of detecting a pheasant at 0.80 km to be 0.019 ± 0.005 (SE), which means that we could not assume any fixed distance beyond which crowing birds could not be detected. Therefore, we replaced the probability of detection in the standard distance sampling estimator with the effective area of detection. The estimation of the effective area of detection is robust to choice of radius of the point and did not require observers to estimate the distance to crowing pheasants. We estimated the female:male ratio to be 1.02:1, despite the ratio of released pheasants being 4.46:1. Only 1 study area achieved the female density goal ( = 4.16); the maximum density at all other study areas was <2 females/km 2 . The estimator we developed incorporated multiple detection probabilities to provide density estimates and simplified the crowing count protocol by eliminating the need for observers to estimate their distance from a detected bird, which makes the estimator useful for estimation of population abundance when explicit population density objectives must be evaluated.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS1989

Falcons

Four species of Falco occur in the northeastern United States. The gyrfalcon is a rare winter visitor. The peregrine falcon federally listed as endangered, is a migrant and through reestablishment is breeding and wintering locally throughout the northeast. The merlin is a migrant and uncommon winter bird. The American kestrel breeds, winters, and migrates in the northeast. A 22-year analysis of the American kestrel Breeding Bird Survey data showed populations to be stable in less developed areas and declining in more developed areas. By states, declines occurred in the more developed areas of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, and data indicate a decrease in American kestrels from 1957 to 1966, a decrease in merlins between 1967 and 1974 and a decrease in peregrine falcons between 1940 and 1975. Migration counts indicate decreasing American kestrel numbers from 1973 to 1986, but an increasing trend from 1934 to 1986.

Book chapter↗