AbstractMany wildlife species, like Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), are reliant on periodic environmental disturbance to maintain heterogeneity in vegetation patterns. The Northern Bobwhite is a species of conservation concern requiring different vegetation types for nesting and brood-rearing stages, as well as for protection from predators and extreme weather. In northeastern Colorado, there

Conservation partners are concerned that oil and gas development in the Prairie Pothole Region may reduce the abundance of breeding duck pairs using associated wetland habitat. We conducted wetland-based surveys for breeding pairs of 5 species of dabbling ducks in the Bakken oil field during 2015–2017 across a gradient of oil and gas development intensity to test the hypothesis that the abundance of

Archival geolocators have transformed the study of small, migratory organisms but analysis of data from these devices requires bias correction because tags are only recovered from individuals that survive and are re-captured at their tagging location. We show that integrating geolocator recovery data and mark–resight data enables unbiased estimates of both migratory connectivity between breeding and

Subtropical grasslands are highly susceptible to habitat conversion and number among South America’s most threatened ecosystems. The grasslands of northeastern Argentina have been identified as a priority conservation area for threatened capuchino seedeaters because they constitute the main breeding area of these migratory birds. The Iberá Seedeater (Sporophila iberaensis) is a newly described species

Seaside Sparrows (Ammospiza maritima) are tidal salt marsh endemic passerines found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America. Currently, there are 7 described subspecies, and “MacGillivray’s” Seaside Sparrow (A. m. macgillivraii) is the name given to the Atlantic coast subspecies breeding from North Carolina to northern Florida. In 2019 the US Fish and Wildlife Service received a petition

The understanding that motherhood impacts career paths is so pervasive among early-career scientists that some feel they must choose parenthood or a career. The penalties associated with motherhood can contribute to the “leaky pipeline,” which equates to the high attrition rate of women due to social, economical, or temporal factors as they proceed through their career and exacerbates persistent gender

AbstractStopovers comprise a significant proportion of the time that many birds spend migrating, and researchers have long relied on these events to define and classify broader migratory strategies. Analyses of stopovers often assume that individuals stop primarily or exclusively in order to replenish energy stores, but other non-fueling behaviors have also been described during stopover events and

AbstractEffective management of wildlife requires a full understanding of population dynamics and knowledge of potential drivers that influence population growth. The Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) is a popular upland game bird widely distributed across the northern United States and Canada that has experienced population declines within portions of its range in response to forest maturation and habitat

AbstractDetermining how site characteristics influence reproductive success can help guide conservation planning for declining wildlife populations. For colonially breeding seabirds, nest survival and predation risk can be influenced by both colony and nest site characteristics such as colony size, nest density, and nest location. We evaluated the reproductive success of a declining population of Roseate

AbstractTemperature at fine spatial scales is an important driver of nest site selection for many avian species during the breeding season and can influence nest success. Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) communities have areas with high levels of vegetation heterogeneity and high thermal variation; however, fire removes vegetation that provides protection from predators and extreme environmental conditions

AbstractAs avian reproductive success is generally prey limited, identifying important prey types or sizes and understanding mechanisms governing prey availability are important objectives for avian conservation ecology. Irruptive White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) nesting at coastal colonies in the southern Everglades numbered over 100,000 nests in the 1930s. A century of drainage and altered hydrologic

AbstractLine markers are widely used to mitigate bird collisions with power lines, but few studies have robustly tested their efficacy. Power line collisions are an escalating problem for several threatened bird species endemic to southern Africa, so it is critical to know whether or not marking works to adequately manage this problem. Over 8 yr, a large-scale experiment was set up on 72 of 117 km

AbstractAs bio-indicators, seabirds across the globe help us understand how our environment is changing, and how this is affecting our wildlife. Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) in Australia are a key species in understanding the changes to the Australian environment. However, studies generally focus on the effects of oceanic changes without always accounting for the potential interactions with the

AbstractMigration is an important component of some species full annual cycle. California’s Central Valley and the Colorado River Delta provide important riparian and wetland habitats for migrating waterbirds in the arid west of North America, but little is known about whether these locations are important at the population level to migrating landbirds. We used eBird Status and Trends abundance data

AbstractLarge-scale conversion of uncultivated land to agriculture threatens wildlife and can diminish ecosystem services provided by nature. Understanding how wildlife provision ecosystem services may incentivize wildlife conservation in agricultural landscapes. Attracting Barn Owls (Tyto furcata) to nest on farms for pest management has been implemented worldwide but has not been evaluated in vineyard

Welcome to Ornithological Applications, the continuation of a journal that started as The Bulletin of the Cooper Ornithological Society in 1899 (Walsberg 1993; Figure 1). With the name of our journal changing, and in light of the loss of 3 billion birds over the last decades (Rosenberg et al. 2019), it is time to reflect on how our journal can best address ongoing threats to bird populations and the

Natural gas compressor stations emit loud, low-frequency noise that travels hundreds of meters into undisturbed habitat. We used experimental playback of natural gas compressor noise to determine whether and how noise influenced settlement decisions and reproductive output as well as when in the nesting cycle birds were most affected by compressor noise. We established 80 nest boxes to attract Eastern

AbstractExamination of population trends for raptors is a research priority, especially given recent concern for their conservation status. Road counts—in which raptors are counted from a motorized vehicle moving along the ground—might be an effective method to expand the monitoring of raptor populations and estimation of trends. Here, we review past methods used to perform road counts of raptors and

AbstractA flurry of recently published studies indicates that both insects and birds have experienced wide-scale population declines in the last several decades. Curiously, whether insect and bird declines are causally linked has received little empirical attention. Here, we hypothesize that insect declines are an important factor contributing to the decline of insectivorous birds. We further suggest

AbstractWorldwide, shorebird populations are declining. Our objectives were to examine abundance trends of shorebirds regularly wintering at Tomales Bay, Marin County, California, accounting for the local effects of rainfall, raptors, and the restoration of part of the bay to tidal wetlands. From November 1989 to February 2019, we conducted 177 comprehensive winter shorebird surveys of Tomales Bay;

The Loye and Alden Miller Research Award is given for lifetime achievement in ornithological research. Loye Holmes Miller and his son, Alden, left a remarkable legacy to the field of ornithology. Together they mentored 30 Ph.D. students, 28 in avian biology, and their students went on to train in turn a total of 166 scientists. Alden served as a long-standing editor of The Condor during his distinguished

Birds of Nunavut by RichardsJames M. and GastonAnthony J., Editors. University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver, BC, Canada. 820 pp., 805 color photographs, 155 maps. $125.00 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0774860246.

Night Parrot: Australia’s Most Elusive Bird by OlsenPenny. 2018. CSIRO Publishing, Canberra, ACT, Australia.368 pp., various illustrations and photographs. $49.99 (softcover). ISBN 978-1486302987.

AbstractThe status and trend estimates derived from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) are critical sources of information for bird conservation. However, the estimates are partly dependent on the statistical model used. Therefore, multiple models are useful because not all of the varied uses of these estimates (e.g., inferences about long-term change, annual fluctuations, population cycles

AbstractOf the approximately 716 bird species that breed in North America, 386 (54%) are considered Nearctic–Neotropical migrants by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In the past 50 yr, scores of these migratory species, including some once considered common, have declined dramatically. Nearctic–Neotropical migrants normally spend 6–8 months in tropical habitats, making the identification, availability

The editorial board of The Condor: Ornithological Applications invites authors to consider the journal for their conservation social science papers that focus on birds. The journal, soon to be renamed Ornithological Applications, publishes articles that advance the conservation and management of birds. Few articles to date have been in the realm of conservation social science, a field that uses the

AbstractConservation efforts are shaped by individual and collective human behaviors, cultural norms and values, economic pressures, and political and organizational structures. As such, the conservation social sciences—disciplines that draw on social science theories and approaches to improve conservation efforts—can play a vital role in advancing the science and practice of bird conservation. We

AbstractDisturbance from human activity can cause reduced productivity of coastal birds that nest on sandy beaches. A common method to protect coastal birds from human disturbance is the use of signs and fencing to close off a section of beach used for breeding. This management action requires public compliance and might require enforcement, such as in the use of volunteer stewards stationed at protected

AbstractMigration is a period of high activity and exposure during which risks and energetic demand on individuals may be greater than during nonmigratory periods. Stopover locations can help mitigate these threats by providing supplemental energy en route to the animal’s end destination. Effective conservation of migratory species therefore requires an understanding of use of space that provides resources

The American Ornithological Society (AOS) is pleased to announce Dr. Nicholas A. Mason, Dr. Sara A. Kaiser, and Dr. Jennifer Walsh as the 2020 recipients of the society’s Early Professional Awards, the James G. Cooper Early Professional Award and the Ned K. Johnson Early Investigator Award.

Susan Haig

(left) Mark E. Hauber and (right) Mikus Abolins-Abols

AbstractThe degree to which individuals migrate among particular breeding, migration, and wintering sites can have important implications for prioritizing conservation efforts. Four subspecies of Dunlin (Calidris alpina) migrate along the East Asian−Australasian Flyway. Each subspecies has a distinct and well-defined breeding range, but their migration and winter ranges are poorly defined or unknown

AbstractOur understanding of songbird habitat needs during the breeding season stems largely from studies of nest success. However, growing evidence shows that nesting habitat and post-fledging habitat often differ. Management guidelines for declining species need to be reevaluated and updated to account for habitat shifts that may occur across the full breeding cycle. The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora

The Real James Bond: A True Story of Identity Theft, Avian Intrigue & Ian Fleming by WrightJim. 2020. Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA, USA. 144 pp., 109 photographs. $24.99 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-7643-4186-1.

AbstractEvaluating population-level responses to conservation action following large-scale disturbance can improve the efficacy of future habitat conservation measures. In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy storm surges cleared vegetation and opened inlets through the barrier islands, Fire Island and Westhampton Island, New York, creating Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) habitat. Storm effects prompted

AbstractIntense trapping of the critically endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) for the international pet trade has devastated its populations across Indonesia such that populations of >100 individuals remain at only a handful of sites. We combined distance sampling with density surface modeling (DSM) to predict local densities and estimate total population size for one of these areas

AbstractEastern Purple Martins (Progne subis subis) have an unusually close relationship with humans, as they nest exclusively in man-made nest boxes. Current conservation policy directly promotes further interaction with this species by advocating regular replacement of nest materials during the nestling phase to reduce ectoparasite load and increase nestling fitness. We conducted the first test of

Studies of the effects of transmitters on wildlife often focus on survival. However, sublethal behavioral changes resulting from radio-marking have the potential to affect inferences from telemetry data and may vary based on individual and environmental characteristics. We used a long-term, multi-species tracking study of sea ducks to assess behavioral patterns at multiple temporal scales following

AbstractMontane birds are vulnerable to climate change. However, the mechanisms by which weather drives demographic processes in montane birds have seldom been investigated. We conducted a long-term study (2009–2019) on the Green-backed Tit (Parus monticolus), an insectivorous passerine, in the montane cloud forest of subtropical Taiwan. We explored the effects of weather variability on the productivity

AbstractMillions of wetland basins, embedded in croplands and grasslands, are biodiversity hotspots in North America’s Prairie Pothole Region, but prairie wetlands continue to be degraded and drained, primarily for agricultural activities. Aerial insectivorous swallows are known to forage over water, but it is unclear whether swallows exhibit greater selection for wetlands relative to other habitats

AbstractConservation efforts on private lands are important for biodiversity conservation. On private lands in South Carolina, in the southeastern United States, forestry management practices (prescribed burning, thinning, herbicide application) are used to improve upland pine habitat for wildlife and timber harvest and are incentivized through U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Bill cost-share programs

Horned Screamers, Club-winged Manakins, and Bicolored Antbirds evoke specific memories to those who have seen these species and a great deal of wonderment to those who have not. These species, and thousands more, reside in the Neotropical realm with its deserts and rainforests, mangroves and scrublands, and steep elevational gradients, ranging from sea level to the high peaks of the Andes. The Neotropics

AbstractVultures are one of the most threatened bird groups globally. Although many of the threats faced by vultures have been identified, the impact of human activities on the social life of vultures has received little attention. In this paper, we emphasize the need to integrate vulture sociality into conservation practice. First, we summarize current knowledge on vulture social behavior, and the

AbstractPopulations of many vertebrates are declining and geographic ranges contracting, largely as a consequence of anthropogenic threats. Many reports of such decline, however, lack the breadth and detail to narrow down its causes. Here we describe population decline in the Common Loon (Gavia immer), a charismatic aquatic bird, based on systematic resighting and measurement of a marked population

AbstractImplementation and evaluation of conservation efforts requires an understanding of the habitat selection and reproductive success of endangered populations. As populations recover, established territory holders may force new arrivals into lower quality habitat, which can reduce reproductive success, especially in disturbed landscapes where suitable habitat is scarce. The endangered Western

AbstractThe Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is a widespread, uncommon migrant that has experienced heavy population declines over the last century. This species can spend over a quarter of their annual cycle on migration, so it is important to determine their habitat requirements during stopover events to inform effective conservation planning. We assessed their habitat selection at an important

AbstractThe global breeding population of Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae) is distributed from the Canary Islands in the west, across the Mediterranean Sea, to Cyprus in the east. The remoteness of nesting colonies, which are predominantly located on sea cliffs and islets, renders breeding success estimation a challenging task, requiring a composite approach to assess each of the breeding stages

AbstractSensory pollutants such as anthropogenic noise and night lighting now expose much of the world to evolutionarily novel sound and night lighting conditions. An emerging body of literature has reported a variety of deleterious effects caused by these stimuli, spanning behavioral, physiological, population, and community-level responses. However, the combined influence of noise and light has received

AbstractPiscivorous birds are the primary source of catfish (Ictalurus spp.) depredation at aquaculture facilities in northwestern Mississippi. Of particular concern is the Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), which can cost aquaculture producers millions of dollars annually through the depredation of cultured fish. Historical research conducted in the early 2000s estimated cormorant use

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is declining throughout the eastern United States due to hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand), an invasive insect from Asia. In the southern Appalachians, hemlock is concentrated in moist ravines and its decline threatens riparian ecosystems. Previous research on this invasion has focused on adelgid control and how hemlock decline affects community composition

In advance of large-scale development of offshore wind energy facilities throughout the U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), information on the migratory ecology and routes of federally threatened Atlantic Coast Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus melodus) is needed to conduct risk assessments pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. We tagged adult Piping Plovers (n = 150) with digitally coded

Conservation status and management priorities are often informed by population trends. Trend estimates can be derived from population surveys or models, but both methods are associated with sources of uncertainty. Many Arctic-breeding shorebirds are thought to be declining based on migration and/or overwintering population surveys, but data are lacking to estimate the trends of some shorebird species

Urban areas can be attractive to certain species because of increased food abundance and nesting availability, which in turn may increase productivity or breeding rates. However, there are also potential costs associated with urban living such as higher nest failure, poorer body condition, or increased prevalence of disease. These costs may result in species trading off the number of young produced

Estimating the population abundance of landbirds is a challenging task complicated by the amount, type, and quality of available data. Avian conservationists have relied on population estimates from Partners in Flight (PIF), which primarily uses roadside data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). However, the BBS was not designed to estimate population sizes. Therefore, we set out to

The Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) is a tidal marsh bird facing rapid population decline throughout its range, largely caused by degradation and loss of breeding habitat. Thus, there is a need to preserve tidal marshes in the northeastern United States, but to do so requires an understanding of the habitat features that support robust populations. Previous studies have shown Saltmarsh Sparrow

In the original publication of this article, one of the funders in the Acknowledgments section was incompletely named. The ‘U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’ funder name has been expanded to: The United States Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Airports and Airport Technology, Research and Development Branch. The article has been updated to reflect this change

As the global human population increases, and many bird populations in the Neotropics and the rest of the world continue to decline, the study of the intersection of humans, birds, and conservation has become more relevant than ever. The field of conservation social science is an interdisciplinary field that applies the social sciences and humanities to examine research questions that have implications

Passive acoustic monitoring using autonomous recording units (ARUs) is a fast-growing area of wildlife research especially for rare, cryptic species that vocalize. Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) populations have been monitored since the mid-1980s using mark–recapture methods. To evaluate an alternative survey method, we used ARUs to detect calls of Northern Spotted Owls and Barred