SEAFWA 2016

AUTHORS: Ryan J. Askren, Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Division of Agriculture; Douglas C. Osborne, Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Division of Agriculture

ABSTRACT: The midcontinent population of greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) has gained considerable attention in recent years from an evident increase in population abundance and perceived shift in winter distribution from the Central to Mississippi Flyway. Understanding species distribution is key to effective management and monitoring of harvested species. Migratory and wintering distributions are dynamic and may be altered due to long-term landscape changes thus necessitating frequent reassessment of the distribution of white-fronts. The most current literature on white-front distribution may be outdate and not representative of perceived changes likely due to changes in agriculture practices and climate change. The objective of this research was to provide the most up to date assessment of temporal and spatial distribution of white-fronts during fall migration and winter. GPS-equipped solar-powered PTTs were deployed in Nunavut during 2014 and Alaska during 2014 and 2015. Dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement Modelling was used to map utilization distributions of transmitter marked white-fronts. This is a novel technique that has profound implications for understanding space use by waterfowl yet has received little attention to date. Average latitudes of band recoveries by 7-day periods during fall migration were used to corroborate the timing of movements of transmitter marked white-fronts. White-fronts had a mean arrival date (±SE) of Sept. 14 (±1.9 days) to the staging areas in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan and departure of Oct. 26 (±2.6 days). Information from this research will aid in population surveys and introduce novel techniques for examining spatial use.