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Articles 1 - 11 of 11
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Proximate And Landscape Factors Influence Grassland Bird Distributions, Mary Ann Cunningham, Douglas H. Johnson
Proximate And Landscape Factors Influence Grassland Bird Distributions, Mary Ann Cunningham, Douglas H. Johnson
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Ecologists increasingly recognize that birds can respond to features well beyond their normal areas of activity, but little is known about the relative importance of landscapes and proximate factors or about the scales of landscapes that influence bird distributions. We examined the influences of tree cover at both proximate and landscape scales on grassland birds, a group of birds of high conservation concern, in the Sheyenne National Grassland in North Dakota, USA. The Grassland contains a diverse array of grassland and woodland habitats. We surveyed breeding birds on 2015 100 m long transect segments during 2002 and 2003. We modeled …
Analyis Of Predator Movement In Prairie Landscapes With Contrasting Grassland Composition, Michael L. Phillips, William R. Clark, Sarah M. Nusser, Marsha A. Sovada, Raymond J. Greenwood
Analyis Of Predator Movement In Prairie Landscapes With Contrasting Grassland Composition, Michael L. Phillips, William R. Clark, Sarah M. Nusser, Marsha A. Sovada, Raymond J. Greenwood
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Mammalian predation influences waterfowl breeding success in the U.S. northern Great Plains, yet little is known about the influence of the landscape on the ability of predators to find waterfowl nests. We used radiotelemetry to record nightly movements of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in two 41.4-km2 study areas in North Dakota. Study areas contained either 15–20% grassland (low grassland composition) or 45–55% grassland (high grassland composition). Grasslands included planted cover, pastureland, and hayland. We predicted that the type and composition of cover types in the landscape would influence both predator …
Effects Of Distance From Cattle Water Developments On Grassland Birds, Andrea L. Fontaine, Patricia L. Kennedy, Douglas H. Johnson
Effects Of Distance From Cattle Water Developments On Grassland Birds, Andrea L. Fontaine, Patricia L. Kennedy, Douglas H. Johnson
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Many North American grassland bird populations appear to be declining, which may be due to changes in grazing regimes on their breeding areas. Establishment of water developments and confining cattle (Bos taurus L.) to small pastures often minimizes spatial heterogeneity of cattle forage consumption, which may lead to uniformity in vegetative structure. This increased uniformity may provide suitable habitat for some bird species but not others. We assessed how cattle use, vegetative structure, and bird population densities varied with increasing distance from water developments (0-800 m) on the Little Missouri National Grassland (LMNG) in North Dakota. Lark buntings ( …
American Avocet Nesting On Constructed Islands In North Dakota, Ann L. Dahl, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Kathy L. Baer, Terry L. Shaffer, Michael A. Johnson, Ronald E. Reynolds
American Avocet Nesting On Constructed Islands In North Dakota, Ann L. Dahl, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Kathy L. Baer, Terry L. Shaffer, Michael A. Johnson, Ronald E. Reynolds
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
We related American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) nesting on 30 earthen constructed islands in wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota to characteristics of the islands and the surrounding landscape. We found 174 American avocet nests on 10 of the 30 islands; eight islands had four or more nests each. Most (85.9%) clutches contained four eggs. The majority of nests were found in upland graminoids (57.9%) or on unvegetated ground (31.6%). We found little evidence of nest predation or abandonment and concluded that most (84.5%) clutches hatched. Islands with beaches had a higher nest density (mean number …
Historical And Recent Records And First Nest Records Of Henslow's Sparrow In North Dakota, Jill A. Shaffer, Lawrence D. Igl, Frédérick Vanhove
Historical And Recent Records And First Nest Records Of Henslow's Sparrow In North Dakota, Jill A. Shaffer, Lawrence D. Igl, Frédérick Vanhove
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
The northwestern limit of the Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) breeding distribution occurs in southern Minnesota and central Wisconsin. In North Dakota, observations of Henslow's sparrows are reported infrequently, and there are no published nest records in the state. Herein, we summarize and review previous reports of Henslow's sparrows in North Dakota and document the first two nest records of Henslow's sparrow in the state.
Nest Parasitism On Constructed Islands In Northwestern North Dakota, Amy L. Zimmerman, Marsha A. Sovada, Tim K. Kessler, Robert K. Murphy
Nest Parasitism On Constructed Islands In Northwestern North Dakota, Amy L. Zimmerman, Marsha A. Sovada, Tim K. Kessler, Robert K. Murphy
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Parasitism of duck nests can reduce host productivity. We examined effects of nest parasitism on success of host nests found on constructed islands in the Fuller-Big Meadows marsh in northwestern North Dakota from 1994 to 2000. We found 1642 duck nests of 10 species on 25 0.3-ha islands. Nine hundred- seventy (59%) of the 1642 nests were parasitized, of which 87% were parasitized by redheads (Aythya americana). The observed parasitism rate was greater than 50% in four of seven years and was highest in 1997 (81 %, n = 252). Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) nests tended to …
Effects Of Leafy Spurge Infestation On Grassland Birds, Daniel M. Scheiman, Eric K. Bollinger, Douglas H. Johnson
Effects Of Leafy Spurge Infestation On Grassland Birds, Daniel M. Scheiman, Eric K. Bollinger, Douglas H. Johnson
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Grassland bird populations are declining. Invasive plant species may be contributing to these declines by altering habitat quality. However, the effects of invasive plants on grassland birds are largely unknown. Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is an exotic, invasive weed in the northern Great Plains. We examined the effects of leafy spurge infestation on densities of breeding birds, nest-site selection, and nest success in grasslands on the Sheyenne National Grassland (SNG), North Dakota, USA, 1999-2000. We categorized spurge-infested grasslands into 3 groups (low, medium, high), based on the area covered by spurge patches. We surveyed 75 100-m-radius circular points …
Assemblages Of Breeding Birds As Indicators Of Grassland Condition, Sharon Freshman Browder, Douglas H. Johnson, I. J. Ball
Assemblages Of Breeding Birds As Indicators Of Grassland Condition, Sharon Freshman Browder, Douglas H. Johnson, I. J. Ball
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
We developed a measure of biological integrity for grasslands (GI) based on the most influential habitat types in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota. GI is based on proportions of habitat types and the relationships of these habitat types to breeding birds. Habitat types were identified by digital aerial photography, verified on the ground, and quantified using GIS. We then developed an index to GI based on the presence or abundance of breeding bird species. Species abundance data were obtained from 3 min roadside point counts at 889 points in 44, 4050 ha study plots over a 2-year period. …
Surveys Of Calling Amphibians In North Dakota, Douglas H. Johnson, Ronald D. Batie
Surveys Of Calling Amphibians In North Dakota, Douglas H. Johnson, Ronald D. Batie
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Amphibians have received increased attention in recent years from the scientific community and general public alike. Many populations throughout the world have declined or have been extirpated, often without an apparent cause. Concern about the status of amphibians has translated into a growing interest in systematic and statistically sound monitoring programs. Several extensive efforts to monitor populations of calling amphibians are in place, and more are under development. Necessary for the design of appropriate surveys is an understanding of the behavior, especially vocalization, of the various species, and how it varies by geographic location and environmental conditions. In 1995 we …
Using Known Populations Of Pronghorn To Evaluate Sampling Plans And Estimators, Kathy M. Kraft, Douglas H. Johnson, Jack M. Samuelson, Stephen H. Allen
Using Known Populations Of Pronghorn To Evaluate Sampling Plans And Estimators, Kathy M. Kraft, Douglas H. Johnson, Jack M. Samuelson, Stephen H. Allen
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Although sampling plans and estimators of abundance have good theoretical properties, their performance in real situations is rarely assessed because true population sizes are unknown. We evaluated widely used sampling plans and estimators of population size on 3 known clustered distributions of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). Our criteria were accuracy of the estimate, coverage of 95% confidence intervals, and cost. Sampling plans were combinations of sampling intensities (16, 33, and 50%), sample selection (simple random sampling without replacement, systematic sampling, and probability proportional to size sampling with replacement), and stratification. We paired sampling plans with suitable estimators (simple, ratio, …
A Noteworthy Record And The Breeding Distribution Of The Blue Grosbeak In North Dakota, Lawrence D. Igl
A Noteworthy Record And The Breeding Distribution Of The Blue Grosbeak In North Dakota, Lawrence D. Igl
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
The northern limit of the blue grosbeak's (Guiraca caerulea) breeding distribution occurs in southern North Dakota. Records of the blue grosbeak in North Dakota are uncommon. Here, I report my observation of a blue grosbeak at a site where the species was recorded 25 years earlier. A summary of the species' distribution and records in North Dakota are provided.