Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

Department

Wildlife and Fisheries Resources

Committee Chair

Robert Whitmore.

Abstract

Radio telemetry was used to document spatial variation in use by wintering shorebirds at a series of sites believed to form the Lanark Reef Shorebird Complex in Franklin County. Fifty and 95% convex polygon home range estimate for Willets (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) averaged 0.52 km 2 and 14.85 km2, respectively. Fifty and 95% convex polygon home range estimate for the Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) averaged <0.01 km2 and 0.10 km 2, respectively. Fifty and 95% convex polygon for the Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) and Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus ) was 0.32 km2, and 6.72 km2, and 0.36 km2 and 24.41 km2, respectively. Black-bellied Plovers appeared to have the smallest distance between locations followed by Willets, Long-billed Curlews and Marbled Godwits.;Replicate shorebird surveys were conducted on the reef and count data were regressed against four environmental variables (wind speed, tide height, cloud cover, and temperature). Regression results (R2 adj) accounted for 45% and 66% of the variance in total shorebird counts on the Reef for 1996 and 1997, respectively. Shorebird total counts were positively correlated with tide height for 1996 and 1997 (P < 0.01).

Share

COinS