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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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Environmental Sciences

University of Nebraska - Lincoln

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1996

Articles 1 - 5 of 5

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Age Classification Of Laughing Gulls Based On Summer Plumage, Jerrold L. Belant, Richard A. Dolbeer Oct 1996

Age Classification Of Laughing Gulls Based On Summer Plumage, Jerrold L. Belant, Richard A. Dolbeer

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We described quantitatively 19 summer plumage characteristics and bill and foot pigmentation of 247 known-age Laughing Gulls (Larus atricilla) collected in New York during 1992-1994. There were no differences in characteristics measured for male and female Laughing Gulls. Ninety percent of 2-yr-old Laughing Gulls and 96% of ≥ 3-yr-old birds had full hoods. Fifty-seven percent of 2-yr-old Laughing Gulls possessed at least partial tail bands in contrast to 4% of 3-yr-old and 0% of ≥ 4-yr-old gulls. Thus 2-and ≥ 3-yr-old Laughing Gulls cannot be separated reliably by the presence or absence of a tail band. Pink pigmentation on the …


Distribution And Abundance Of Roof-Nesting Gulls In The Great Lakes Region Of The United States, Chris P. Dwyer, Jerrod L. Belant, Richard A. Dolbeer Sep 1996

Distribution And Abundance Of Roof-Nesting Gulls In The Great Lakes Region Of The United States, Chris P. Dwyer, Jerrod L. Belant, Richard A. Dolbeer

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In 1994, we conducted aerial, mail, and telephone surveys to determine the distribution and abundance of roof-nesting gulls in states bordering the Great Lakes. We documented more than 7,922 nesting pairs of gulls at 30 colonies in four states; species composition was 71% ring-billed (Larus delawarensis^, 24% herring (Z. argentatus^, and 5% unknown. Colony size ranged from 1 to 1,003 nesting pairs. Proportions of ring-billed gulls nesting less that 5.0 and more than 10.0 km from the Great Lakes were 31% and 39%, in contrast to 63% and less than 1% for herring gulls, respectively. Maximum distances herring and ring-billed …


Longevity Of Woodhouse's Toad In Colorado, Richard M. Engeman, E. Marie Engeman May 1996

Longevity Of Woodhouse's Toad In Colorado, Richard M. Engeman, E. Marie Engeman

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Little is known about the longevity of amphibians in nature. Records from captive specimens have demonstrated life spans of 10 to 20 yr for a number of anuran species, including 36 yr for Bufo bufo (Duellman WE, Trueb L. 1986. Biology of Amphibians. New York: McGraw-Hill. 670 p). Here, we report on a male Woodhouse's toad (Bufo woodhousii) which appeared in 1978, and has apparently remained since, in a basement window well of a brick home in an unincorporated western suburb of Denver, Colorado (T3S, R69W, 530). In the intervening years no other toads have been observed in …


Evaluation Of Propane Exploders As White-Tailed Deer Deterrents, J. L. Belant, T. W. Seamans, C.P. Dwyer Apr 1996

Evaluation Of Propane Exploders As White-Tailed Deer Deterrents, J. L. Belant, T. W. Seamans, C.P. Dwyer

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In response to increased white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) depredation of agricultural crops and encroachment on airports, we evaluated the effectiveness of systematic and motion-activated propane exploders as deer frightening devices. We conducted three experiments in a 2200 ha fenced facility in northern Ohio with high (91/km2) deer densities during 1994-1995. Systematic exploders were calibrated to detonate once at 8 to 10 min intervals, whereas motion-activated exploders detonated 8 times/deer intrusion. Systematic propane exploders were generally ineffective, deterring deer from corn for <2 days only, whereas motion-activated exploders repelled deer for O-6 weeks. Repellency of motion-activated exploders varied seasonally, possibly in response to variations in deer density, availability of alternate food, or reproductive and social behavior. We recommend motion-activated exploders over systematic exploders as deer frightening devices for crop damage mitigation and on airports; however, systematic exploders may have utility for short-term (a few days) use.


A Comparison Of Gross Pathology, Histopathology, And Mycobacterial Culture For The Diagnosis Of Tuberculosis In Elk(Cervus Elaphus), Elizabeth B. Rohonczy, Arumuga V. Balachandran, Thomas W. Dukes, Janet B. Payeur, Jack C. Rhyan, Dennis A. Saari, Terry L. Whiting, Susan H. Wilson, Jerald L. Jarnagin Mar 1996

A Comparison Of Gross Pathology, Histopathology, And Mycobacterial Culture For The Diagnosis Of Tuberculosis In Elk(Cervus Elaphus), Elizabeth B. Rohonczy, Arumuga V. Balachandran, Thomas W. Dukes, Janet B. Payeur, Jack C. Rhyan, Dennis A. Saari, Terry L. Whiting, Susan H. Wilson, Jerald L. Jarnagin

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Using the isolation of Mycobacterium bovis as the reference standard, this study evaluated the sensitivity, specificity and kappa statistic of gross pathology (abattoir postmortem inspection), histopathology, and parallel or series combinations of the two for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in 430 elk and red deer. Two histopathology interpretations were evaluated: histopathology I, where the presence of lesions compatible with tuberculosis was considered positive, and histopathology II, where lesions compatible with tuberculosis or a select group of additional possible diagnoses were considered positive. In the 73 animals from which M. bovis was isolated, gross lesions of tuberculosis were most often in …