Population Biology Commons^™

Rose-Ringed Parakeets, Page E. Klug, William P. Bukoski, Aaron B. Shiels, Bryan M. Kluever, Shane R. Siers

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri; hereafter RRPA; Figure 1) are an invasive species in the United States, present in Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and Virginia, and with established populations in California, Florida, and Hawaii. They are also the most successful species of invasive parakeet, worldwide. RRPA can cause significant damage to agriculture, including grains, oilseeds, fruits, and ornamental plants. Large flocks of RRPA roost near human infrastructure resulting in concerns about human health and safety (e.g., collisions with aircraft, disease transmission, feces accumulation, and noise complaints). The population growth and spread of RRPA is of conservation concern given the potential impact on …

Distribution, Abundance, And Migration Timing Of Greater And Lesser Sandhill Cranes Wintering In The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Region Of California, Gary L. Ivey, Bruce D. Dugger, Caroline P. Herziger, Michael L. Casazza, Joseph P. Fleskes

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta region of California (hereafter, Delta region) is an important wintering region for the Central Valley Population of greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) and lesser sandhill cranes (G. c. canadensis), but basic information about the ecology of these birds is lacking to design a biologically sound conservation strategy. During the winters of 2007-08 and 2008-09, we conducted roost counts, roadside surveys, aerial surveys, and tracked radio-marked birds to define the geographic area used by sandhill cranes in the Delta region, document migration chronology, and estimate subspecies-specific abundance. Radio-marked sandhill cranes arrived in our study area …

Historic And Recent Winter Sandhill Crane Distribution In California, Gary L. Ivey, Caroline P. Herziger, David A. Hardt, Gregory H. Golet

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Understanding the geographic distribution and long-term dynamics of winter foraging areas and night roost sites of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) is important to their conservation and management. We studied sandhill crane distribution in California’s Central Valley from December 2012 through February 2013. We mapped observed flock and night roost locations. Flock locations occurred between Tehama County in the north and Kern County in the south. Flocks were concentrated in the northern Sacramento Valley, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the northern San Joaquin Valley south of Tracy to Mendota (including the lower Stanislaus and Tuolumne River floodplains and the Grasslands …

Winter Distribution Of Greater Sandhill Cranes Marked At Breeding Areas In California, Oregon, And Washington, Gary L. Ivey, Joseph D. Engler, Martin J. St. Louis, Mark A. Stern, Sean Cross

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Large numbers of greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) have been banded and color-marked at several important breeding sites in the western U.S. since the late 1960s. Crane color-marking began in the late 1960s at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in eastern Oregon. Crane marking programs were initiated at Sycan Marsh, Summer Lake Wildlife Area (both in south-central Oregon), as well as at Modoc NWR in the mid-1980s. In the mid-1990s, a marking program was initiated at Conboy Lake NWR in south-central Washington. This paper reviews winter records and distribution of marked birds from these sites within the …

Sandhill Crane Wintering Ecology In The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, Gary L. Ivey, Caroline P. Herziger

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We studied wintering sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) ecology in 2002–2003 in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California, focusing on Staten Island, a corporate farm which was acquired by The Nature Conservancy and managed to promote sustainable agriculture that is beneficial to wildlife. Our purpose was to define habitat conservation needs for cranes, including the state-threatened greater subspecies (G. c. tabida). Research was conducted through intensive surveys by vehicle of crane foraging and roosting behavior. We estimated that about 1,500 greaters used Staten Island, which is a significant portion of the Central Valley Population of greater sandhill …

Yosemite Butterflies (Text), 2nd Edition, Kenneth E. Davenport

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

The author, Kenneth E, Davenport, has collected or observed butterflies extensively in the Yosemite region (at least 90 collecting or observation days) since August 1963. Information for this study began with Davenport obtaining a copy of Garth and Tilden’s 1963 Yosemite Butterflies in 1970. The annual Season Summaries for California published in the News of the Lepidopterists’ Society between 1975 and 2006 have been checked for records. The common English and scientific names used in this publication mostly follow the names used by the International Lepidoptera Survey (TILS) except in a few cases.

The following individuals contributed information: George T. …

In The Heat Of The Law, It's Not Just Steam: Geothermal Resources And The Impact On Thermophile Biodiversity, Donald J. Kochan, Tiffany Grant

Donald J. Kochan

Significant research has been conducted into the utilization of geothermal resources as a ‘green’ energy source. However, minimal research has been conducted into geothermal resource utilization and depletion impacts on thermophile biodiversity. Thermophiles are organisms which have adapted over millions of year to extreme temperature and chemical compositions and exist in hot springs and other geothermal resources. Their ability to withstand high temperatures makes them invaluable to scientific and medical research. Current federal and California case law classify geothermal resources as a mineral, not a water resource. Acquisition of rights to develop a geothermal resource owned or reserved by the …

Greater Sandhill Crane: Research And Management In California Since 1978, Ronald W. Schlorff

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The greater sandhill crane (Grus canadensis tabida) was added to the California list of threatened species in 1983, and the subspecies has been the subject of research and management actions instituted by the California Department of Fish and Game (hereafter Department). Since 1978, the Department has conducted research and recovery actions including periodic breeding ground and wintering area studies, population monitoring, participated in developing Pacific Flyway crane management plans, acquisition and management of key habitats on breeding and wintering grounds, and developed a draft greater sandhill crane recovery strategy. These tasks were accomplished with the assistance of crane …

Annual Movements Of Pacific Coast Sandhill Cranes, Gary L. Ivey, Caroline P. Herziger, Thomas J. Hoffmann

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The subspecies composition of migratory sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) which stage and winter along the Lower Columbia River in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington is uncertain, but may include all 3 using the Pacific Flyway: lesser (G. c. canadensis), Canadian (G. c. rowani), and greater (G. c. tabida). However, the status of rowani has been debated. During 2001-02, we captured and marked 8 cranes using a noose line trapping technique, and attached Platform Transmitter Terminals (PTTs) to 6 to ascertain locations of their breeding areas, migration corridors and winter sites. Morphometric data …

Survival And Habitat Use Of Greater Sandhill Crane Colts On Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, California, Kevin J. Desroberts

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Radiotelemetry was used to monitor 13 (1990) and 14 (1992) greater sandhill crane (Grus canadensis tabida) colts on Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, California, to determine causes of mortality, brood habitat utilization, and effects of habitat management on colt survival. Colt survival rates were 0.36 (1990) and 0.54 (1992). Coyotes (Canis latrans) killed 3 colts and mink (Mustela vison) killed 4; I colt died because of a bacterial infection (Staphylococcus aureous). Broods used 6 different habitat types and 79% used more than I type. Irrigated meadows (74%), cultivated uplands (53 %), and marsh …