Ornithology Commons^™

Connecting The Dots: Avian Eggshell Pigmentation, Female Condition And Paternal Provisioning Effort, Kara E. Hodges, Nathan T. Mortimer, Alysia D. Vrailas-Mortimer, Scott K. Sakaluk, Charles F. Thompson

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Differences in avian eggshell pigmentation could be an honest signal of female quality that males use to inform their nestling provisioning effort. We investigated whether among-individual variation in protoporphyrin-based eggshell pigmentation in house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) reflects female fitness-associated traits and whether males use that information. Females laying lighter clutches were older and larger than females laying darker clutches. Nestlings hatching from lighter clutches had greater size-corrected mass on post-hatch day 11, a measure that strongly predicts survival and recruitment to the breeding population. To test whether male provisioning effort responds to clutch pigmentation, we used a reciprocal …

Energy Content Of Seeds Of Common Sunflowers (Helianthus Annuus) In The Diet Of Scaled Quail (Callipepla Squamata) In Southeastern New Mexico, John L. Hunt, Matthew E. Grilliot, Troy L. Best, Dixie Lozano-Lopez, Emily R. Neilson, Isaac C. Castillo

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We analyzed the energy content of seeds of common sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) obtained from the crops of scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) collected from plains-mesa sand-scrub habitat in Eddy and Lea counties, New Mexico. Seeds were removed from crops and dried for 48 hours at 60°C to remove moisture and to standardize masses. Seeds were then analyzed for gross caloric value (i.e., energy content) in an oxygen bomb calorimeter. Energy content of seeds of common sunflowers from New Mexico was greater than that of many seeds previously reported from the diet of scaled quail and other granivorous …

Apparent Survival Of Snowy Plovers Varies Across Years And Between Sexes In Coastal Northern California, Justin A. Windsor

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Adult survival is one of the most influential vital rates affecting population growth of iteroparous organisms. Survival often varies annually due to environmental stochasticity. However, drastic variations in annual adult survival rates can have overwhelmingly negative impacts on population viability and growth. In many wild avian populations, adult survival varies between sexes and may owe to unequal risks associated with reproductive roles or predation; this is particularly true among shorebirds. I used mark-resight data from a 19-year study of Western Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) in coastal northern California to investigate sex-specific apparent survival of the adult population …

Golden Eagle Resource Selection And Environmental Drivers Of Reproduction In The Northern Range Of Yellowstone National Park, David Brown Haines

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In the United States (US), National Parks are considered the “crown jewels” of protected lands. However, the importance of National Parks to wildlife populations and the species that inhabit them is not often quantified, thus, requiring a better understanding of National Parks as a conservation tool. Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are a North American species of conservation concern and territories in the northern range of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) are relatively dense. However, average reproductive rates over the past ten years (2011-2020) have been low (productivity = 0.34, nest success = 28%). The contrast of high density and …

Remote Sensing Applications For Abating Aircraft–Bird Strike Risks In Southeast Brazil, Natalia S. Novoselova, Alexey A. Novoselov, Arthur Macarrão, Guilherme Gallo-Ortiz, Wesley Rodrigues Silva

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The rising number of aircraft collisions with birds requires the development of appropriate mitigation measures to control their populations in the vicinity of airports. The black vulture (Coragyps atratus; vultures) is considered one of the most dangerous species for aviation in Brazil. To better understand the spatial distribution patterns of flying vultures and the risks they may pose to aviation, we studied natural and anthropogenic superficial factors and then numerically estimated and mapped the risk of collision with birds over the Airport Safety Area (ASA) for the Amarais Airport and Presidente Prudente Airport in the southeast part of …

The Evolution Of Dragons, Laura J. Mayfield

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Dragons have been depicted in human art as early as 4500 BCE. For centuries, these fantasy creatures have inspired countless folk and fantasy tales, as well as appearing in the art of different cultures around the world. Now there are thousands of different depictions of these huge, flying, fire-breathing lizards, but are any of them possible? In this study, I reference peer-reviewed scientific articles, phylogenetic analysis, and paleoart studies to create biologically-sound dragons. Basing the dragon lineage on a real branch of webbed-winged scansoriopterygids—an extinct family of climbing and gliding maniraptoran dinosaurs—I explored the possible wing-structure, fire-breathing abilities, and effects …

Evolutionary Origin And Genetic Diversity Of Ring‐Necked Pheasants In The Upper Midwest United States, Hernán Vázquez-Miranda, Magdalena Jean Olson, Robert M. Zink

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

We compared mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences of ring‐necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) from Midwestern United States (SD and NE, USA) to a molecular phylogeographic hypothesis of pheasants in the native Eurasian range to understand which subspecies are represented by wild and captive released birds. We found that these birds represent 2 Eurasian lineages, which we refer to generally as northern Eurasian (Colchicus group) and eastern China (Torquatus group). These mitochondrial DNA lineages occur in different frequencies in the wild, with the latter being 3 times more common. This suggests that 1) the eastern China lineage is either …

Extreme Offspring Ornamentation In American Coots Is Favored By Selection Within Families, Not Benefits To Conspecific Brood Parasites, Bruce E. Lyon, Daizaburo Shizuka

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Offspring ornamentation typically occurs in taxa with parental care, suggesting that selection arising from social interactions between parents and offspring may underlie signal evolution. American coot babies are among the most ornamented offspring found in nature, sporting vividly orange-red natal plumage, a bright red beak, and other red parts around the face and pate. Previous plumage manipulation experiments showed that ornamented plumage is favored by strong parental choice for chicks with more extreme ornamentation but left unresolved the question as to why parents show the preference. Here we explore natural patterns of variation in coot chick plumage color, both within …

Nest Success In A Grassland Bird Community: Microsite Selection & A Case For Nest Height Manipulation, Matt Kneitel

Masters Theses

Grassland birds are a sensitive community and populations around the country have been declining. They are susceptible to low nest success due to loss of habitat and the small, fragmented patches that remain are often subjected to elevated levels of nest predation. The American goldfinch (Spinus tristis), which uses grasslands for feeding and nesting, is understudied given its abundance, due in part to its late-season nesting habits, and selection of taller woody vegetation as nesting substrate, which is atypical for many grassland nesting birds. American goldfinches were incorporated in this study which included nest height manipulation of goldfinch …

Knemidokoptes Mites And Their Effects On The Gripping Position Of Steller’S Jay Feet, Wade M. Burris

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Steller’s jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) with swollen legs and feet resembling the signs of scaly leg have been commonly seen around Arcata, California, USA. These signs are thought to be caused by knemidokoptic mites, a group of parasites specialized at exploiting a range of avian hosts. I compared the gripping position in the feet of jays with variable signs of this condition as an index of their ability to perch, confirmed the presence of mites and identified them to the nearest species using genetic analysis, and compared the relatedness of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene between mites …

Wildlife Hazards At Airports: A Practical Review, Robert Sliwinski, Flavio A. C. Mendonca

Publications

Globally, aircraft accidents and incidents due to wildlife strikes are an increasingly serious safety concern;

Airport operators have a professional and legal responsibility to provide an environment conducive to safe aircraft operations;

Airport operators and managers have been sued for property damage and / or for human injuries and death in the aftermath of aircraft accidents due to wildlife strikes.

Dietary Antioxidants Attenuate The Endocrine Stress Response During Long-Duration Flight Of A Migratory Bird, Stefania Casagrande, Kristen J. Demoranville, Lisa Trost, Barbara J. Pierce, Amadeusz Bryła, Maciej Dzialo, Edyta T. Sadowska, Ulf Bauchinger, Scott R. Mcwilliams

Biology Faculty Publications

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are metabolic hormones that promote catabolic processes, which release stored energy and support high metabolic demands such as during prolonged flights of migrating birds. Dietary antioxidants (e.g. anthocyanins) support metabolism by quenching excess reactive oxygen species produced during aerobic metabolism and also by activating specific metabolic pathways. For example, similar to GCs’ function, anthocyanins promote the release of stored energy, although the extent of complementarity between GCs and dietary antioxidants is not well known. If anthocyanins complement GCs functions, birds consuming anthocyanin-rich food can be expected to limit the secretion of GCs when coping with a metabolically challenging …

Effects Of Non-Commercial Thinning On Great Horned Owls On Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Christopher P. Brady

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

To sustain forest health, increase species diversity and reduce wildfire events in the ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests of at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge (TNWR) managers have implemented a variety of approaches including prescribed burning and non-commercial thinning. The impacts of thinning on owl species diversity and habitat occupancy have not been studied in these ponderosa pine forests. My study had the following objectives 1) compare forest stand metrics between treatment plots, 2) compare owl species richness between treatment plots, 3) examine if occupancy and detection patterns of Great Horned Owls varied with forest condition and season, respectively, and 4) …