Surveying populations of breeding grebes in prairie parkland Canada: Estimation problems and conservation applications

ABSTRACT Annual ground surveys of mid‐continent waterfowl may provide a monitoring framework for other wetland‐associated species. We used a repeated‐counts method to estimate detection probabilities (ρˆ) of adult horned (Podiceps auritus) and pied‐billed (Podylimbus podiceps) grebes on the Waterfow...

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Main Authors: Daniel D. Routhier, Kevin W. Dufour, Mark T. Bidwell, Robert G. Clark
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-03-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.362
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author Daniel D. Routhier
Kevin W. Dufour
Mark T. Bidwell
Robert G. Clark
author_facet Daniel D. Routhier
Kevin W. Dufour
Mark T. Bidwell
Robert G. Clark
author_sort Daniel D. Routhier
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Annual ground surveys of mid‐continent waterfowl may provide a monitoring framework for other wetland‐associated species. We used a repeated‐counts method to estimate detection probabilities (ρˆ) of adult horned (Podiceps auritus) and pied‐billed (Podylimbus podiceps) grebes on the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey (WBPHS) ground component conducted annually each May in the prairie and parkland ecoregions of Canada. Detection probabilities (ρˆ ± SE) were higher, more precise, and more consistent through time for horned grebes (0.52 ± 0.06 and 0.44 ± 0.05 in 2010 and 2011, respectively) than for pied‐billed grebes (0.25 ± 0.08 and 0.11 ± 0.05 in 2010 and 2011, respectively). Our results suggest that the ground component of the WBPHS could be used to monitor horned grebes in these ecoregions. Although an active call‐broadcast component would be valuable for obtaining unbiased abundance estimates for horned grebes, such a component would be critical for monitoring pied‐billed grebes. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
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spelling doaj-art-25d3eae0c22b43bfb162b4571fabd4c82024-12-16T12:17:04ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402014-03-01381141710.1002/wsb.362Surveying populations of breeding grebes in prairie parkland Canada: Estimation problems and conservation applicationsDaniel D. Routhier0Kevin W. Dufour1Mark T. Bidwell2Robert G. Clark3Department of BiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKS7N 5E2CanadaCanadian Wildlife ServicePrairie and Northern Wildlife Research Center115 Perimeter RoadSaskatoonSKS7N 0X4CanadaCanadian Wildlife ServicePrairie and Northern Wildlife Research Center115 Perimeter RoadSaskatoonSKS7N 0X4CanadaEnvironment CanadaPrairie and Northern Wildlife Research Center115 Perimeter RoadSaskatoonSKS7N 0X4CanadaABSTRACT Annual ground surveys of mid‐continent waterfowl may provide a monitoring framework for other wetland‐associated species. We used a repeated‐counts method to estimate detection probabilities (ρˆ) of adult horned (Podiceps auritus) and pied‐billed (Podylimbus podiceps) grebes on the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey (WBPHS) ground component conducted annually each May in the prairie and parkland ecoregions of Canada. Detection probabilities (ρˆ ± SE) were higher, more precise, and more consistent through time for horned grebes (0.52 ± 0.06 and 0.44 ± 0.05 in 2010 and 2011, respectively) than for pied‐billed grebes (0.25 ± 0.08 and 0.11 ± 0.05 in 2010 and 2011, respectively). Our results suggest that the ground component of the WBPHS could be used to monitor horned grebes in these ecoregions. Although an active call‐broadcast component would be valuable for obtaining unbiased abundance estimates for horned grebes, such a component would be critical for monitoring pied‐billed grebes. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.362detection probabilityhorned grebepied‐billed grebePodiceps auritusPodylimbus podicepspopulation monitoring
spellingShingle Daniel D. Routhier
Kevin W. Dufour
Mark T. Bidwell
Robert G. Clark
Surveying populations of breeding grebes in prairie parkland Canada: Estimation problems and conservation applications
Wildlife Society Bulletin
detection probability
horned grebe
pied‐billed grebe
Podiceps auritus
Podylimbus podiceps
population monitoring
title Surveying populations of breeding grebes in prairie parkland Canada: Estimation problems and conservation applications
title_full Surveying populations of breeding grebes in prairie parkland Canada: Estimation problems and conservation applications
title_fullStr Surveying populations of breeding grebes in prairie parkland Canada: Estimation problems and conservation applications
title_full_unstemmed Surveying populations of breeding grebes in prairie parkland Canada: Estimation problems and conservation applications
title_short Surveying populations of breeding grebes in prairie parkland Canada: Estimation problems and conservation applications
title_sort surveying populations of breeding grebes in prairie parkland canada estimation problems and conservation applications
topic detection probability
horned grebe
pied‐billed grebe
Podiceps auritus
Podylimbus podiceps
population monitoring
url https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.362
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AT kevinwdufour surveyingpopulationsofbreedinggrebesinprairieparklandcanadaestimationproblemsandconservationapplications
AT marktbidwell surveyingpopulationsofbreedinggrebesinprairieparklandcanadaestimationproblemsandconservationapplications
AT robertgclark surveyingpopulationsofbreedinggrebesinprairieparklandcanadaestimationproblemsandconservationapplications