SEAFWA 2016

AUTHORS: Erik I. Johnson, Audubon Louisiana|National Audubon Society; Delaina LeBlanc, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program; Richard DeMay, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program; Natalie Waters, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program; Katie L. Percy, Audubon Louisiana|National Audubon Society; Jed Pitre, Audubon Louisiana|National Audubon Society, American Bird Conservancy; Kacy Ray, American Bird Conservancy

ABSTRACT: Coastal habitats are dynamic systems in which storms and hurricanes serve as important disturbance events, scouring beachfronts and shifting sediment to reduce vegetation cover. As beaches and dunes recover through wind- and water-driven transport of sediments, vegetation recolonizes. Coastal Louisiana is facing a land loss crisis, and beach renourishment projects and vegetation plantings can roughly emulate these dynamics, but important aspects of the ecosystem, such as predator-prey dynamics and elevation changes differ from natural disturbance regimes. Understanding how natural and human-generated beachfront dynamics affect beach-nesting bird populations is important for understanding how species of conservation concern, like Wilson’s Plovers (Charadrius wilsonia) and Least Terns (Sternula antillarum), will respond to landscapes facing large-scale restoration. We examined relationships between beach-nesting bird densities, coastal vegetation growth, and beachfront geomorphology at five sites that have undergone restoration and compared them against six control sites without recent restoration. We classified NAIP high-resolution imagery from 2013 and 2015 to quantify the area and relative cover of vegetation, open sand, and mudflats and compared against nesting bird counts from May and June of those years. Most sites increased in vegetation cover between these two years, including restoration sites, which resulted in lower densities of Least Terns and increased densities of Wilson’s Plovers. We discuss these results in the context of coastal restoration activities and to predict long-term trade-offs in adding vegetative cover versus providing early successional open habitat for nesting birds.

AUTHORS: Naomi Edelson, National Wildlife Federation

ABSTRACT: National Wildlife Federation is engaging Americans to create wildlife habitat where they live, work, play, learn, and worship to restoring wildlife habitat, helping with climate adaptation, and water conservation. We have usurped so much of the natural world that we now need to build functioning ecosystems at home. People are starting to use criteria in addition to aesthetics to decide what to plant; from simply decorative value to ecological value for wildlife. NWF, in collaboration with the US Forest Service and Dr. Doug Tallamy, are launching in June 2016, a new web-based tool that will provide the best native plants to help wildlife founded on which genera are hosts to the most caterpillars. Caterpillars are among the most important protein source for nesting and migrating birds as well as other wildlife. By planting natives that rank highest as host plants for caterpillars we can help people “build better bird feeders” in urban and suburban settings. The native plant finder will be searchable by zip code. This is tremendous opportunity to help those migratory birds reaching the Gulf Coast shore's upon their return from the wintering grounds to their breeding grounds. The current condition of this stopover habitat is filled with houses, roads and non-native landscaping and means no food for these starved birds. We can make a big difference for them during this critical period by encouraging the Gulf communities to plant native plants that are especially good as host plants for caterpillars.

AUTHORS: Samantha A. Collins, Gabriel Giffin - Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge

ABSTRACT: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are a new monitoring technology capable of collecting scientific information from difficult-to-access places while minimizing disturbance. These devices are increasingly used in many research disciplines but their application to wildlife research remains relatively unexplored. We implemented a research study to monitor a large colony of Great Egrets (Ardea alba) nesting in isolated patches of Phragmites australis (Common Reed) along a managed canal within Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge by conducting surveys by boat or drone. We compared hatching success estimates from boat and UAV surveys, as well as disturbance to adults and chicks from the two survey types. Further, we investigated flight initiation distance of nesting adults to UAV presence and flight altitude effects on adults at various nesting stages. Results from this study suggest that adults are more prone to flush when incubating eggs and less prone to flush when adults are tending to chicks, particularly those tending to recently hatched chicks. We also found that adults were less disturbed by the UAV when other adults were present on the nesting territory. We recommend that UAVs be flown at an altitude of >20m above a nest to reduce disturbance to nesting colonial wading birds in an open marsh habitat.

AUTHORS: Dean Marquardt, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Luke Scroggs, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University; Brian L. Pierce, Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University; Kevin Mote, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Kevin L. Skow, Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University; Bret A. Collier , School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center

ABSTRACT: Technological changes have allowed us to further increase the quality and quantity of spatial information gathered for movement ecology and range estimation. We assessed the accuracy and applicability of a PinPoint GPS transmitter for use on small avian species using Northern Bobwhite Quail as our test species. We conducted a series of static tests to evaluate relative impacts of canopy cover across a suite of data collection schedules, and then deployed evaluation units on 6 quail trapped in north-central Texas in 2014. Radial error static test data indicated an overall mean spatial error from known to estimated location was 39.7 m with a standard deviation of 191.7 (range 0-4389.2). The median, or the point at which 50% of the locations are less than and 50% of the locations are greater was 2.68 m with an 85th probability quantile of 6.57 m. Less than 0.08% of locations had radial error >100 m. Units used for field tests on quail collected between 47 and 55 locations (expected 50) and were able to identify both group structure, travel corridors, and loafing habitats for the < 4 days deployed. Our results suggest that use of GPS units on small avian species may provide scientist with increased ability to evaluate questions regarding habitat selection and use, especially in an experimental context.

AUTHORS: James P. Cronin, USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center; Blair E. Tirpak, USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center; Leah L. Dale, USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center; Virginia Brink, USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center; John M. Tirpak, USFWS Gulf Restoration Program

ABSTRACT: Conservation targets along the Gulf of Mexico’s coast are threatened by multiple, complex processes operating across large spatial scales. Thus, the success of gulf restoration efforts hinges on partners developing a common vision for conservation. However, that common vision has remained elusive. Therefore, the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and partners collaborated to define (1) focal conservation areas, (2) population objectives for species that are representative of these areas, and (3) habitat objectives necessary to achieve those population objectives. We defined fifteen biological planning units (BPU) on or adjacent to the Gulf Coast, 89 conservation target species representative of sustainable BPU habitats, and gathered population objectives for each species from the literature. For a subset of conservation target species, we developed spatially explicit Bayesian network models of the relationships between habitat characteristics and population objectives. When coupled with the established population objectives, the model outputs provided insight into how much habitat is available, how much more is needed, and where conservation or restoration efforts most efficiently achieve established objectives. We will present the BPUs, conservation target species, and the modeling results to demonstrate the benefits of this approach for informing restoration and monitoring efforts.

AUTHORS: J. B. Katzenmeyer, USDA, Wildlife Services; *K. Shelton, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks; J. C. Jones and B. N. Hodges, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University; D. Richardson, and B. Rosamand, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

ABSTRACT: Bat numbers have declined in the United States where outbreaks of White-nose Syndrome (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) have occurred. Bats have been reported utilizing highway underpasses as winter hibernacula throughout the United States. We recorded bat species and numbers of roosting bats in culverts (N=214) in 27 counties of Mississippi during winters of 2010 – 2015. In 2015, we collected microclimate, geospatial, and dimensional data on a subset of the 214 study culverts (N=39) to investigate relationships between bat numbers and explanatory habitat variables. We detected roosting bats in 52% of 214 surveyed culverts with 5 species being detected over the 5 year period. Numbers of bats per culvert per survey event ranged from 0 to 927 during this period. Numbers of roosting bats in culverts exhibited moderate, inverse relationships to outside, ambient air temperatures and internal ambient air temperatures at culvert mid-points (r < -0.14, P < 0.02). Winter temperatures inside culverts were conducive to establishment of WNS fungus. A moderate, positive relationship was detected between numbers of roosting bats and culvert length (r = 0.56, P < 0.01). A moderate inverse relationship was detected between numbers of roosting bats in culverts and distance (km) to public forest lands (r = -0.44, P < 0.03). This study can help biologists with prioritization of protection and monitoring of culverts, impact assessment of culvert replacement to roosting bats, and understanding the potential for WNS incidence in these roost sites.

AUTHORS: Nathan A. Yeldell, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; Michael J. Chamberlain, University of Georgia; Bradley S. Cohen, University of Georgia; Andrew R. Little, University of Georgia

ABSTRACT: Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) inhabit southeastern pine-dominated ecosystems managed with prescribed fire. It is unclear how fire disturbance affects resource selection and reproductive behavior of female turkeys throughout the reproductive period. Our objectives were to 1) examine reproductive parameters of female wild turkeys, 2) evaluate vegetative characteristics at nest sites, 2) assess the influence of prescribed fire on habitat selection, and 4) examine space use relative to recent fire disturbance at Kisatchie National Forest, 2014 and 2015. Nesting rate was 87%, nest success was 15%, and brood survival was 30%. Nest sites were positively associated with ground level vegetation, proximity to roads, and distance from forest ecotones. Random sampling of available areas within home ranges suggested turkeys favored nest sites in stands burned 2 years prior and avoided nesting in stands burned ≥3 years prior. Habitat selection varied throughout the reproductive period. Females selected hardwoods in late winter, recently burned mature pines prior to initial nest incubation, and mixed forests and open habitats prior to second nest incubation. Female with broods avoided hardwoods. Predictive models of probability of turkeys using recently burned stands suggested use of burns peaked at 106 days post-fire before declining. Within recently burned stands, turkeys were more likely to use space near the perimeter of burns, but the effect of distance to perimeter decreased with time-since-fire.

AUTHORS: Bret A. Collier, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center; Joshua Guthrie, Texas A&M University; Jason B. Hardin, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Kevin L. Skow, Texas A&M University

ABSTRACT: Wildlife managers rely on accurate information regarding wild turkey habitat selection and use to appropriately structure management activities. We used integrated VHF-GPS transmitters to evaluate fine scale movements and habitat selection of male Rio Grande wild turkeys (Meleagris gallapavo intermedia) in south Texas. As our study coincided with the regions 2nd worst recorded drought, we evaluated the influence of supplemental resources (supplemental feeding and managed surface water) on turkey distribution and movements. We deployed 8 GPS units on adult male Rio Grande wild turkeys captured in south Texas during spring 2009. We classified land cover into three vegetative categories: bare ground/herbaceous (26%), thorn scrub (69%), and woody riparian (5%). Based on 5 recovered individuals, we found that adult male Rio Grande wild turkeys used bare ground/herbaceous (49%) and woody riparian (41%) habitat types in much greater proportion to their availability on the landscape. Turkeys traveled in relatively linear paths (fractal dimension ≤ 1.1) and moved significantly longer distances in the morning (2.9 km) than in the afternoon (1.2 km). Our results also suggest that turkey locations were significantly closer to supplemental resources than random locations generated within our study area. Our results indicate that bare ground/herbaceous and woody riparian habitat types are essential for wild turkey populations in the south Texas plains region and supplemental resources will be actively selected for during severe drought years.

AUTHORS: Bret. A. Collier, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center; Patrick Wightman, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University; Michael J. Chamberlain, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia; Jay Cantrell, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; Charles Ruth, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic pressure can have significant impacts on how wildlife move and use habitats. How wildlife response to hunting intensity can impact both population level demography as well as hunter satisfaction. During 2014-2016, we deployed 41 GPS collars on male wild turkeys on the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Webb Center Wildlife Management Area to evaluate the effect of hunting intensity on male wild turkey movement ecology. Average male weekly core areas were approximately 16 ha, and were consistent over a 3 month period. Daily movements were highly variable at the individual level and no clears trends were noted. Based on our results, male wild turkeys slightly their movements in response to hunting intensity, and we found no changes in daily movements relative to the timing of the reproductive season or the hunting season. We found only limited evidence for variation in weekly range sizes, again inferring that neither hunting intensity nor reproductive season timing influenced male wild turkey movements. Our results suggest that male wild turkey movement ecology is only slightly impacted by hunting activities.