ABSTRACT BOOK
Contents:
Wednesday Presentations…………………………………………..……………………….……… 2 - 7
Thursday Presentations …………………………………………..……………….……………… 8 - 13
Friday Presentations ………………………………...…………………………………………… 14 - 19
Saturday Presentations ………………………………………………………..………………… 20 - 25
Poster Session 1 Presentations ……………………………………………...…………………… 26 - 31
Poster Session 2 Presentations ………………………………………………………………...… 31 - 36
Abstracts (listed alphabetically by author) …………………………………………………… 37 - 359
1
habitat occurs in areas with high concentrations of agriculture
and other human development. Alteration of breeding habitat
can have significant effects on key vital processes of prairiechicken population dynamics such as nest survival. We
conducted a five-year study to evaluate the impacts of
vegetation structure, habitat fragmentation and environmental
variables on prairie-chicken nest survival. During 2007-2011,
we monitored 260 nests of 171 female Greater Prairie-Chickens
within a 1,500 km2 study area in the Smoky Hills ecoregion of
north-central Kansas. Grassland habitats at the study area were
fragmented by a dense road network (1.4 km of road per km2)
and variable land-use regimes (38% agriculture). We measured
local nest-site vegetation structure, spatial attributes of larger
nesting areas (landcover composition, edge habitat), and
distance from nests to anthropogenic features (roads,
transmission lines). We then took a hierarchical modeling
approach to evaluate competing models of nest survival as
related to habitat components at multiple temporal and spatial
scales. Anthropogenic features had no substantial effect on nest
survival. Precipitation events had a weak negative effect on nest
survival. Local nest-site visual obstruction readings (VOR), forb
density, and distance to nearest woodland edge were the most
important vegetation characteristics influencing nest survival.
Our findings indicate that management efforts aimed at
increasing nest survival should implement burning and grazing
regimes that provided adequate vertical cover (VOR~50cm)
while preventing encroachment of woody vegetation.
Presented are results from the first lifetime reproductive success
(LRS) study of Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus macropus)
in Australia. In Victoria, in south eastern Australia, the
Peregrine Falcon population is increasing naturally following
the banning of the use of DDT in 1989 Australia. So this study
covers a period of expansion in a healthy population.
Monitoring included 153 active nest sites. From these site 2,325
nestling Peregrine Falcons were been banded with visually
identifiable metal bands from 1991 to 2010. Of these nestlings
283 (12.4%) have been recovered after fledging from the nest.
Of the recoveries 107 (4.6%) were identified as breeding adults;
165 (7.1%) were found sick, injured or dead; and 11 (0.5%)
were sighted alive and not breeding. We monitored the LRS
success of these 107 breeding adults and established that 32% of
the males produced 69% of the fledglings whereas 43% of
breeding females produced 77% of the fledglings. LRS is
influenced by the degree of urbanization with breeding adults
(or either sex) living only half the median lifespan of those in
largely natural landscapes. Although highly urbanized nest
locations produce larger clutches, brood sizes remain below the
statewide average and without nest site augmentation egg hatch
rates tend to remain < 20%. Furthermore, the young from these
sites have a significantly lower likelihood of breeding. These
results are in contrast with other studies internationally on
Peregrine Falcons. Reasons for these differences are explored.
PS2.177 Husak, Michael, (Cameron University, Lawton,
United States); Landoll, Diane (University of Oklahoma,
Norman, OK, United States); Jahn, Alex (Universidad de
Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina)
TRACKING THE MIGRATION OF SCISSOR-TAILED
FLYCATCHERS (TYRANNUS FORFICATUS)
AND
WESTERN KINGBIRDS (T. VERTICALIS) USING LIGHTLEVEL GEOLOCATORS
Understanding the annual cycle of migratory birds is imperative
to understanding their life history strategies in any given season.
Yet, information from the migratory and winter periods is still
largely unknown for most North American migratory birds. We
monitored the nests of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers (Tyrannus
forficatus) and Western Kingbirds (T. verticalis) in Oklahoma in
2011, and attached light-level geolocators to 38 breeding
Western Kingbirds and to 39 breeding Scissor-tailed Flycatchers
in this population. We present data on their breeding strategies,
migration timing, migratory routes and wintering locations, and
compare our results to previously available information for these
species, and to that of other studies of bird migration using
geolocator technology. We suggest future directions for research
based upon our results, which could serve as a model for future
studies on other migratory bird species.
F16.11 Hunt, Pamela, (NH Audubon, Concord, United States);
Parent, Kyle (Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH, United
States)
HABITAT USE BY THE EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL
(CAPRIMULGUS VOCIFERUS) IN MANAGED FOREST
LANDSCAPES
Habitat loss has been proposed as an important factor behind
rangewide population declines in the Eastern Whip-poor-will
(Caprimulgus vociferus). This species has long been recognized
as typical of early successional or edge habitats, including pine
barrens, open woodlands, and areas where forest is adjacent to
fields or other cleared areas. We mapped whip-poor-will home
ranges at two sites in New Hampshire using a modified spotmapping technique and supplemented by radio telemetry. In a
forest characterized by a long history of varied management,
edge and early successional habitats were represented
disproportionately highly in whip-poor-will home ranges
relative to the site as a whole. Home ranges tended to be
centered on features such as powerline rights-of-way,
regenerating wildlife openings, and field edges. Response to
ongoing management varied, with birds colonizing a recently
harvested area one year after harvest, but not moving into an
area treated less intensively. In pine barrens habitat managed
through prescribed burning, whip-poor-wills were more
generally distributed, although activity was consistently low in
areas lacking in significant understory. Taken together, these
data, plus observations from other occupied sites, support the
hypothesis that loss of suitable habitat may be a factor in whippoor-will declines. Management that results in forest with low
density understory, extensive forest canopy gaps, and/or
openings adjacent to such forests has the potential to enhance
whip-poor-will populations.
PS2.105 Hussey, Karen, (Klamath Bird Observatory, Ashland,
United States); Ralph, C.J. (USDA Forest Service, Pacific
Southwest Research Station, Arcata, CA, United States);
Alexander, John; Stephens, Jaime (Klamath Bird Observatory,
Ashland, OR, United States)
USING A LONG-TERM DATASET TO UNDERSTAND
REGIONAL BLACK TERN (CHLIDONIAS NIGER)
POPULATION STATUS AND IMPROVE MONITORING
METHODOLOGIES
It is believed that Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) populations
have declined over the past four decades. Therefore this species
has been listed as endangered, threatened, or of conservation
concern in multiple U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
However, regional population information is lacking in many
parts of its range, including the Klamath Basin of southern
F2.2 Hurley, Victor, (Deakin University, Mildura, Australia);
Cooke, Raylene (Deakin University, Burwood, VI, Australia)
LIFETIME REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN PEREGRINE
FALCONS ACROSS AN URBAN GRADIENT IN
AUSTRALIA
177
Oregon. In addition, common monitoring methods throughout
North America, such as the Breeding Bird Survey, do not
provide sufficient population measures. The need for effective
Black Tern monitoring has been identified as a priority by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Intermountain West Joint
Venture, and others. In response, we conducted 13 years of
breeding season surveys in the Klamath Basin. We summarize
these data and consider annual patterns of distribution and
abundance along with hydrologic data to improve our
understanding of monitoring methods, sampling design, and
regional population status and trends.
Crossbills in Newfoundland to help resolve these questions.
Based on knowledge of Red Crossbill vocal differentiation in
continental North America and Europe, and we predicted that
vocalizations in Newfoundland would differ from mainland
populations and would be uniform throughout the island if
percna and only percna is present. If percna was not present in
samples, we predicted that vocalizations would resemble those
described for mainland forms. Finally, if both percna and other
forms were present we expected a mixture of vocalizations,
some distinctive and previously undescribed: these could be
from percna. This study is the first quantitative analysis of Red
Crossbill vocalizations from Newfoundland. We analyzed over
1200 calls from ~ 85 individuals, from >1000 minutes of
recordings. Calls often exhibited rapid frequency modulation,
fell within the 1.2-5.5 kHz frequency band, and were 35-71 ms
in duration. Differences between individuals, accounted for most
of the variation, but some calls were uniform across both
individuals and sites. Newfoundland and mainland calls were
acoustically differentiable. At least 4 Red Crossbills had pairspecific calls similar to those Red Crossbill forms from
mainland areas, suggesting that multiple forms of Red Crossbill
occur in Newfoundland. Some vocalizations were distinctly
different from mainland samples, so percna may (a) be present
and (b) be acoustically distinct. We encountered many juvenile
and adult Red Crossbills during the study suggesting a recent
population increase. However, questions remain about the
demographic status and Provincial distribution of Newfoundland
Red Crossbills. These topics plus analysis of vocalizations from
other areas (e.g. Maritime Provinces, off shore islands) are
needed to extend our findings and determine the status of the
Newfoundland Red Crossbill.
S11.5 Huyvaert, Kate, (Colorado State University, Fort Collins,
United States); Thinh, Vu (Forestry University of Vietnam,
Hanoi,
Vietnam);
Hopken,
Matthew
(USDA/APHIS/WS/National Wildlife Research Center, Fort
Collins, United States); Bui, Trinh (Forestry University of
Vietnam, Hanoi, United States); Doherty, Paul (Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, United States); Piaggio, Antoinette
(USDA/APHIS/WS/National Wildlife Research Center, Fort
Collins, United States)
ECOLOGICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING PREVALENCE
OF AVIAN BLOOD PARASITES IN WILD BIRDS IN
NORTHERN VIETNAM
Avian blood parasites, or haemosporidia, constitute an important
group of parasites linked to critical conservation concerns in
wild birds. In particular, parasite prevalence is expected to be
influenced by ecological factors. For example, prevalence is
expected to be higher for birds inhabiting human-dominated
landscapes because of increased exposure to vectors and other
effects of habitat degradation; these landscapes are expected to
increase as urbanization expands globally. Given these concerns
and a paucity of information on haemosporidia in Vietnam, we
investigated ecological factors affecting prevalence of avian
blood parasites in free-ranging wild land birds. Samples were
collected in Cuc Phuong and Tam Dao National Parks, and
surrounding human-dominated areas, in northern Vietnam, in
2007 and 2008. Samples were initially screened by PCR for the
presence of blood parasite DNA and overall prevalence in
sample birds was ~46%. Infections were detected in the
majority of bird species sampled, flocking species were more
likely to be infected than solitary species, and older birds were
more likley to be parasitized. While prevalence did not differ by
habitat type using this initial screen, finer scale DNA sequencebased analyses revealed that birds from human-dominated
landscapes were far more likely to be infected with
Haemoproteus than Plasmodium and that the opposite pattern
held for forest interior birds. Our findings contribute to the idea
of a cosmopolitan host distribution for Haemoproteus and
Plasmodium avian blood parasites in Vietnam and highlight the
importance of considering ecological factors in studies of
parasitism in wild birds.
W16.8 Igl, Lawrence, (USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife
Research Center, Jamestown, United States); Johnson, Douglas
(USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Saint Paul,
MN, United States)
TOTAL-AREA COUNTS VERSUS POINT COUNTS FOR
SURVEYING BREEDING BIRDS IN GRASSLANDS
Point counts have been popular among avian ecologists to assess
breeding bird species composition and abundance. We tested
whether total-area counts were an effective alternative to point
counts in estimating species occurrence and abundance of
grassland birds. We conducted total-area counts and point
counts simultaneously on seeded grasslands enrolled in the
Conservation Reserve Program in 1995 (313 fields) and 2000
(282 fields). Overall, 107 species were observed in the two
years, including 90 species with point counts and 98 species
with total-area counts. Less effort (min/ha) was required using
total-area counts than point counts. Thirteen of 26 common
species showed greater odds of detection during total-area
counts than during point counts in both years. Four additional
species showed greater odds of detection on total-area counts
than on point counts in 2000 but not in 1995. Only the Common
Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) showed greater odds of detection
on point counts. Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) density
estimates were higher using total-area counts, and Bobolink
(Dolichonyx oryzivorus) and Common Grackle densities were
higher using point counts. Four additional species showed
higher densities on point counts in 2000 but not in 1995. Totalarea counts appear to be an effective alternative to point counts
for avifaunal surveys in grasslands.
PS2.19 Hynes, Doug, (Memorial University of Newfoundland,
St. John's, Canada); Miller, Ted (Memorial University of
Newfoundland, St. John's, NF, Canada)
VOCALIZATIONS OF RED CROSSBILLS (LOXIA
CURVIROSTRA) IN NEWFOUNDLAND
It has long been assumed that Newfoundland is home to a single
well marked form of Red Crossbill, the endemic Loxia
curvirostra percna. On this basis, L. c. percna is currently listed
as endangered in Provincial legislation due to habitat loss and
population decline. However, evidence is lacking about (a)
persistence of percna and (b) the possible presence of other Red
Crossbill forms on the island. We studied vocalizations of Red
S6.4 Inouye, David, (University of Maryland, College Park,
United States); McKinney, Amy (Rocky Mtn. Biological Lab
and University of MD, Crested Butte, CO, United States);
CaraDonna, Paul; Bertelson, C. David (University of Arizona,
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