Zoology Commons^™

Nutritional Content Of Rhinoceros Auklet (Cerorhinca Monocerata) Bill Loads, Dustin Taylor, Ron Heintz

STAR Program Research Presentations

Nutritional Content of Rhinoceros Auklet Bill Loads

Dustin E Taylor

Abstract

An adult Rhinoceros Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata) can only catch and carry a limited amount of prey to their nestlings after a foraging trip. The auklets therefore must maximize their efficiency by bringing back the most proportionally nutritious prey items to their nestlings. The prey carried back to the nesting sites (known as a ‘bill load’) can contain whole fish, as well as parts, most commonly fish heads. This study is aimed to determine whether returning with just heads to the nestlings was proportionally more nutritious than bringing …

Attending To Detail By Communal Spider-Eating Spiders, Robert R. Jackson, Ximena J. Nelson

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Communal predators may often need to make especially intricate foraging decisions, as a predator's success may depend on the actions of its neighbours. Here, we consider the decisions made by Portia africana, a jumping spider (Salticidae) that preys on other spiders, including Oecobius amboseli (Oecobiidae), a small prey spider that lives under small sheets of silk (nests) on the walls of buildings. P. africana juveniles settle near oecobiid nests and then ambush oecobiids as they leave or enter the nest. Two or more P. africana juveniles sometimes settle at the same nest and, when an oecobiid is captured, the P. …

Climate's Role In Polar Bear Past [Letters], Kurt E. Galbreath, Joseph A. Cook, Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Striking temporal concordance between the new date for divergence of polar bears and persistent freezing of the Arctic Ocean suggests that this may be one of relatively few instances in which a specific paleoclimatological episode can be convincingly linked to a specific evolutionary event, and it provides vivid demonstration of climatic forcing as a determinant of diversification in biological systems.

Aquatic Heteroptera Of The Lake Manguao Catchment, Palawan And New Rank Of Rhagovelia Kawakamii Hoberlandti Hungerford & Matsuda 1961, Hendrik Freitag, Herbert Zettel

Biology Faculty Publications

Results of an inventory of the fauna of aquatic and semiaquatic true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera) of small streams in a lake catchment of northern Palawan are presented. Twenty-one species were recorded. Taxonomic and ecological notes, distribution and collection sites are given for each identified taxon. Rhagovelia hoberlandti Hungerford & Matsuda 1961 is newly ranked as a subspecies of R. kawakamii (Matsumura 1913): Rhagovelia kawakamii hoberlandti Hungerford & Matsuda 1961, stat.n. Cercotmetus asiaticus Amyot & Serville 1843 is recorded for the first time from the Philippines. Endemic and few undescribed taxa are discussed. Additional environmental data of the sampled waters are …

Nebraska Bird Review (June 2012) 80(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March 2012 to May 2012 ... 46

Snowy Owl Invasion of 2011–12 ... 72

Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting at Broken Bow, May 18–20, 2012 ... 77

[Correction … 77]

Subscription and Organization Information ... 83

Spring Field Days And Annual Meeting At Broken Bow

Nebraska Bird Review

The 113th Annual Meeting and Spring Field Days were held in Broken Bow May 18–20, 2011. Meetings and meals took place at the Mid-Plains Community College and were hosted by Tim Hajda. Despite the unseasonably warm spring weather that had preceded the meeting, the 50+ members and friends in attendance found 164 species. Expected species from the Sandhills and surrounding habitats that were seen included Sharp-tailed Grouse, Greater Prairie Chicken, American Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, White-faced Ibis, Long-billed Curlew, Ovenbird, and Northern Waterthrush. Less common species observed included Glossy Ibis, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Black-necked Stilt, Whimbrel, Alder Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, …

Spring Field Report, March 2012 To May 2012, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This spring was a definite mixed bag ornithologically, in large part due to the mixed bag of weather conditions. Spring Beauty flowers bloomed 10–14 days early at Fontenelle Forest (RBa). Observers were decidedly mixed in their assessments of the season; veteran observers commenting on the passerine migration noted “poorest spring for passerines that I can recall” (LE) and “the sheer numbers of birds seemed ridiculously high for this early date of May 3rd” (JR). It should be noted that the 3 May date saw record counts of a few passerine species at Fontenelle Forest: 65 American Redstarts, 60 Blackpoll Warblers, …

Correction [June 2012]

Nebraska Bird Review

Correction: In the Winter Field Report, December 2011 to February 2012, two Golden Eagles were reported from the Ponca S.P. Christmas Bird Count (March 2012 NBR, page 9). This is incorrect; no Golden Eagles were seen on the Ponca Christmas Bird Count.

Snowy Owl Invasion Of 2011–12, Joel G. Jorgensen, Lauren R. Dinan, Thomas J. Walker Jr.

Nebraska Bird Review

The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is an Arctic breeder that regularly migrates to and winters in southern Canada and the northern United States (Parmalee 1992). The number of Snowy Owls moving south and the extent and timing of southward movements in any one year are believed to be dependent on interactions between populations of Snowy Owls and lemmings, the owls’ principal food resource (Parmalee 1992). Infrequently, relatively large numbers of Snowy Owls are observed in areas or regions where few are typically observed, and individuals are observed well south of the normal winter range. These occurrences are often …

Subscription And Organization Information [June 2012]

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal, and is sent to members not in arrears of dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101 (or at the email address listed below).

Memberships in the NOU …

Energy-Saving Hypothermia Reduces Flight Ability In Mourning Doves, Jennie M. Carr, Steven L. Lima

Symposium 2012

Overwintering birds are frequently exposed to thermal challenges that can quickly decrease energy reserves, thus leading to an increase in the risk of starvation. During these periods of energetic hardship, many avian species use nocturnal hypothermia to conserve energy that would otherwise be lost remaining warm throughout the night (McKechnie & Lovegrove 2002). However, a cool body temperature (Tb) may limit a bird’s ability to monitor the environment and may slow their response to a potential threat. Thus, birds likely trade-off between the benefits of energy-saving hypothermia and the potential costs of reduced behavioral responsiveness to predators (Welton et al. …

Various Gaits Of African Elephant Calves, Elizabeth Anne Jennings

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

It is commonly believed that elephants exhibit only one gait, a lateral sequence walk. However, recently there have been several interesting studies on the footfall patterns of adult African elephants (Loxodonta africana). Scientists have recognized that elephants actually exhibit two patterns of locomotion: a lateral sequence walk and an amble. The amble is a slight modification of the lateral sequence gait. The present study extends this work by examining the relationship between gait and speed in African elephant calves at the Indianapolis Zoo. I collected frame-by-frame observational video data from a newborn calf born at the Indianapolis Zoo across a …

Host Specificity Of Ecuadorian Bat Flies (Diptera: Streblidae), Eric Stamper

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Diptera: Streblidae are ectoparasites of bat populations found in many locations throughout the world. These ectoparasites are generally known as bat flies. They attach themselves to the wing membranes and bodies of bats to bite and feed on their blood. Using a large sample consisting of over 2,000 bats and 6,000 bat flies, I have conducted a study of the degree of host specificity of these ectoparasites. Host specificity is a measurement of the degree to which a particular parasite is restricted to its host or hosts. Here I find evidence to support more recent findings that bat flies are …

Personality Assessment In African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), Kristina Marie Horback

Dissertations

The following study assessed personality in twelve African elephants using both observational behavior coding and standardized trait rating methods, thus demonstrating consistent individual differences across time and contexts. During the summer of 2010 and 2011, over 640 hours of behavioral data were collected onsite at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, CA. Four coding-based personality traits were determined after analysis: PLAYFUL, CURIOUS, TOLERANT, and, AGGRESSIVE. This data was then compared to survey ratings completed by the animal keeper staff during both summers. Four rating-based personality traits resulted from this analysis: PLAYFUL, CURIOUS, TIMID, and, AGGRESSIVE. All eight composite …

Stable Isotope Analysis (Delta Nitrogen-15 And Delta Carbon-13) And Bioenergetic Modeling Of Spatial-Temporal Foraging Patterns And Consumption Dynamics In Brown And Rainbow Trout Populations Within Catch-And-Release Areas Of Arkansas Tailwaters, Jon M. Flinders

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I examined spatial and temporal consumption dynamics using an energy intake model and a bioenergetics model of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and brown trout, Salmo trutta, within three catch-and-release (C-R) areas in Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters to determine whether trout populations were limited by food supply. I also examined the seasonal and ontogenetic shifts in the foraging patterns of brown and rainbow trout within these areas using gut content analysis (GCA) and stable isotope analysis (SIA) of C and N. I examined 605 brown trout and 768 rainbow trout for GCA and SIA at Bull Shoals, Norfork, …

Raptors Present But Unobserved: Detectability At A Western Migration Watch-Site And Its Effect On Trend Analysis, Eric G. Nolte

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Annual counts of migrating raptors (Accipitriformes, Falconiformes) are used as indices of population size. Variation in the proportion of the raptor population counted may decrease precision of trend estimates, thereby reducing power of inference. The proportion counted is the product of sample coverage and probability of detection. It is possible to improve the power of trend analysis by the adoption of techniques, such as double-observer or distance sampling, which estimate the probability of detection. I used a dependent double-observer method to estimate detectability at the annual fall raptor migration count at Lucky Peak, Idaho, in 2009 and 2010. …

The Foxes Of Salisbury Beach, Deborah A. Venuti

Visual & Performing Arts Faculty Publications

The author describes her encounter with foxes at Salisbury Beach, MA and Massachusetts legislative policy related to Salisbury Beach's preservation.

The Origin Of Malarial Parasites In Orangutans, M. Andreína Pacheco, Michael J.C. Reid, Michael A. Schillaci, Carl A. Lowenberger, Biruté M. F. Galdikas, Lisa Jones-Engel, Ananias A. Escalante

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Background: Recent findings of Plasmodium in African apes have changed our perspectives on the evolution of malarial parasites in hominids. However, phylogenetic analyses of primate malarias are still missing information from Southeast Asian apes. In this study, we report molecular data for a malaria parasite lineage found in orangutans.

Methodology/Principal Findings: We screened twenty-four blood samples from Pongo pygmaeus (Kalimantan, Indonesia) for Plasmodium parasites by PCR. For all the malaria positive orangutan samples, parasite mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) and two antigens: merozoite surface protein 1 42 kDa (MSP-1₄₂) and circumsporozoite protein gene (CSP) were amplified, cloned, and …

Ear Length As A Diagnostic Character For Identifying Species Of Kangaroo Rats, Daniel W. Ziebron

Biological Sciences

The following study examines the use of ear length as a diagnostic field character for differentiating between species of Kangaroo rats in San Luis Obispo County. Data was taken from a study of Kangaroo rats in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge, as well as various collections under the supervision of Francis X. Villablanca, Ph. D. and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. An ANOVA was used to compare subspecies within Dipodomys heermanni and t-tests were used to compare ear lengths between Dipodomys heermanni and Dipodomys venustus. The analysis shows a statistically significant difference and supports the hypothesis …

Potential For Barn Owl As Rodent Biological Control In Central California Vineyards, Hannah Tillmann

Biological Sciences

The pocket gopher (Thomomys bottae) and voles (Microtus spp.) cause significant economic damage to vineyards. In response, many growers have taken steps to attract Barn Owls (Tyto alba) to their properties to help keep these rodent populations in check. This research project investigated Barn Owl consumption of pocket gophers and voles in Central California vineyards in order to assess the efficiency of this integrated pest management strategy. I collected a total of 715 owl pellets from five vineyard locations in Templeton and Paso Robles, California over an eight-month period during nesting and post-fledging seasons. I …

Nebraska Bird Review (March 2012) 80(1), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

NOU Annual Treasurer’s Report for 2011 ... 2

Winter Field Report, December 2011–February 2012 ... 3

2011–2012 Christmas Bird Counts in Nebraska ... 17

Report of a Nesting Sora (Porzana carolina) … 40

Subscription and Organization Information ... 43

2011–2012 Christmas Bird Counts

Nebraska Bird Review

Fifteen counts, one more than last year, were held during the period, and a total of 139 species, 10 fewer than last year, were found. This was a count season of record totals for the state for a number of species. Factors contributing to this include the number of counts, the number of participants and the weather. More counts (15) were run than in any previous year, and several counts (Lake McConaughy in particular) had a much greater than average number of participants. The weather prior to the count period was mild, and most of the circles had unusually warm …

Report Of A Nesting Sora (Porzana Carolina), William M. Lemburg, Wayne J. Mollhoff

Nebraska Bird Review

During the summer of 2008, long-time NOU member and former NOU Treasurer William (Bill) Lemburg of Cairo, Howard Co., Nebraska, discovered the nest of a Sora (Porzana carolina). On 29 July 2008, while using a small flat-bottomed boat to gather duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) on a small pond near his bird pens to feed the exotic waterfowl he raises, he noted a pair of Sora walking about, foraging atop the dense growth of duckweed. The pair ignored his presence even though, as he later discovered, he was within 10 feet of their nest. The following evening, 30 …

Color Photo Section [March 2012, Pp. 19–27]

Nebraska Bird Review

Killdeer eggs and hatchlings, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-necked Stilt nest (p. 19); Cape May Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler (p. 20); Long-billed Curlew, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Wood Duck, American White Pelicans (p. 21); Mew Gull, juvenile Northern Goshawk, Broad-winged Hawk (p. 22); Rufous Hummingbird, Yellow-breasted Chat, Cedar Waxwings, Sanderlings (p. 23); Baltimore Orioles, Red Crossbill, young Rose-breasted Grosbeak (p. 24); Henslow’s Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Le Conte’s Sparrow (p. 25); Snowy Owl, Long-eared Owl, Great-horned Owl, Easter Screech-Owl, Burrowing Owl, and Short-eared Owl (p.26).

Winter Field Report, December 2011 To February 2012, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

The most obvious feature of this winter’s avian movements was the number of Snowy Owls, unprecedented in living memory, that invaded the state. A tally maintained by Joel Jorgensen and Lauren Dinan of Nebraska Game and Parks indicated that over 200 snowies were found in the state, and most were documented. Not as popular with the public, but perhaps of greater scientific interest were the mid-winter reports of species normally rare at this time of year. Most notable in this respect were waterfowl, grebes, cranes, and sparrows. A read-through of these species suggests the very mild winter experienced over most …

Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Treasurer’S Report, December 31, 2011

Nebraska Bird Review

One-page spreadsheet constituting the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union treasurer's report at year end (December 31) of 2011. The grand total is $57,901.29.

Subscription And Organization Information [March 2012]

Nebraska Bird Review

The Nebraska Bird Review is published quarterly by the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union, Inc., as its official journal, and is sent to members not in arrears of dues. Annual subscription rates (on a calendar-year basis only): $15 in the United States, $18 in Canada and $30 in all other countries, payable in advance. Single copies are $4 each, postpaid, in the United States, $5 in Canada, and $8 elsewhere. Send orders for back issues to Anita Breckbill, NOU Librarian, c/o Music Library, WMB 30, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0101 (or at the email address listed below).

Memberships in the NOU …

The Mayfly Newsletter, Peter M. Grant

The Mayfly Newsletter

The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.

High Altitude Diving In River Otters: Coping With Combined Hypoxic Stresses, Jamie R. Crait, Henry D. Prange, Noah A. Marshall, Henry J. Harlow, Clark Cotton, Merav Ben-David

Biology Faculty Publications

River otters (Lontra canadensis) are highly active, semi-aquatic mammals indigenous to a range of elevations and represent an appropriate model for assessing the physiological responses to diving at altitude. In this study, we performed blood gas analyses and compared blood chemistry of river otters from a high-elevation (2357 m) population at Yellowstone Lake with a sea-level population along the Pacific coast. Comparisons of oxygen dissociation curves (ODC) revealed no significant difference in hemoglobin-oxygen (Hb-O₂) binding affinity between the two populations - potentially because of demands for tissue oxygenation. Instead, high-elevation otters had greater Hb concentrations (18.7 …

Observations Of Oviposition Behavior Among North American Tiger Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) Species And Notes On Mass Rearing, Mathew L. Brust, C. Barry Knisley, Stephen M. Spomer, Kentaro Miwa

University of Nebraska State Museum: Entomology Papers

Although the larvae of a large number of North American tiger beetle species have been described, little information exists on the oviposition behavior of female tiger beetles at the species level. In this study, we found that the oviposition behavior varied widely among species, with some species utilizing more than one method. We found that, contrary to many references, several tiger beetle species did not oviposit from above the soil surface by inserting the ovipositor into the soil. Instead, several species oviposited by tunneling over 20 mm below the soil surface. In addition, we outline recently used successful protocols for …