A Large Concentration of Roosting Golden Eagles in Southeastern Idaho

Craig, Tim; Craig, Erica H.

doi:10.1093/auk/101.3.610

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Inspection of species-specific seasonal trends indicated distinct winteractivity spikes for golden eagles, common ravens, roughlegged hawks, and bald eagles (in order of abundance), but high winter abundances of golden eagles and common ravens drove the overall combined-species pattern. Golden eagle use of power poles also appeared to surge during winter in southeastern Idaho, USA (Craig and Craig 1984). In contrast to our findings, another study in southeastern Idaho revealed that common raven abundance on a power line peaked from July to September; however, that study focused on communal roosts (i.e., collections of birds) rather than on general perch use (Engel et al 1992).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 96%

“…We failed to detect any influence of time of day on on-line activity patterns. Previous studies found that nocturnal use of power-line structures for roosting was significantly greater than diurnal perch use (Craig andCraig 1984, Smith 1985). Unfortunately, we were unable to conduct nocturnal surveys because of the distance of the survey lines from the survey roads.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Effectiveness of Raptor Perch Deterrents on an Electrical Transmission Line in Southwestern Wyoming

Slater¹,

Smith

2010

J Wildl Manag

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In sagebrush—steppe and other open habitats, power lines can provide perches for raptors and other birds in areas where few natural perches previously existed, with potential negative impacts for nearby prey species, such as greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Between September 2006 and August 2007, we used driving surveys, behavioral‐observation surveys, and prey‐remains surveys to assess the ability of perch‐deterrent devices to minimize raptor and common raven (Corvus corax) activity on a recently constructed transmission line in southwestern Wyoming. All survey methods demonstrated that activity was significantly lower on the deterrent line compared with a nearby control line; however, deterrent devices did not entirely prevent perching. Considering use of cross‐arms or pole‐tops alone, we sighted 42 raptors and ravens on the deterrent line and 551 on the control line during 192 driving surveys of each line. Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) and ravens were the species most commonly observed successfully overcoming deterrent devices. Smaller rough‐legged hawks (Buteo lagopus) regularly avoided deterrents by perching on conductors (i.e., wires). We documented much off‐line activity near both survey lines and suggest that fewer birds near the deterrent line likely reflected reduced availability of nearby alternate perches. There was a pronounced winter peak in on‐line perch use, with the effect more evident on the control line. Behavior surveys corroborated our driving‐survey results but were otherwise unproductive. During 549 prey‐remains surveys of each line, we found 9 single and 60 grouped prey items near deterrent‐line poles, compared with 277 single and 467 grouped items near control‐line poles. We observed few sage‐grouse in the study area but did witness a likely power line—related, raptor‐caused sage‐grouse mortality. Overall, our results suggest that perch‐deterrent devices can reduce raptor and raven activity on power‐line structures, but to determine their utility on entire power‐line segments, we suggest managers consider 1) what level of reduction in perch activity is worth the cost, and 2) the availability of alternate perches in the surrounding landscape.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 96%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Effectiveness of Raptor Perch Deterrents on an Electrical Transmission Line in Southwestern Wyoming

Slater¹,

Smith

2010

J Wildl Manag

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“…Slater and Smith (2010) documented a surge in golden eagle activity along transmission lines in winter. Similarly, our results suggested that in winter, subadults selected for areas closer to transmission lines, which may have been related to winter communal roosting opportunities with thermoregulatory benefits (Craig and Craig 1984) or animals cueing off one another to locate carrion when resources were scarce.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 59%

“…Golden eagles used transmission lines more during winter than other seasons (Craig and Craig 1984, Slater and Smith 2010). Slater and Smith (2010) documented a surge in golden eagle activity along transmission lines in winter.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal variation in resource selection by subadult golden eagles in the Great Basin Desert

et al. 2021

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Golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos are a long‐lived and wide‐ranging species believed to be stable or in slight decline across North America. Golden eagles have an extended subadult stage (4–5 years) that is critical to maintaining recruitment into the breeding population and population viability. Compared to adult golden eagles, the ecology of subadult golden eagles (hereafter, subadults) has received little attention. We investigated patterns of resource selection for subadults in the Great Basin Desert of the western United States during summer and winter, 2013–2019. We monitored 46 subadults with GPS transmitters and related locations (n = 99 037) with predictors hypothesized to influence seasonal patterns of space use with mixed‐effects logistic regression. Subadults selected for ridges and upper slopes in summer and winter, but higher elevations in summer. Subadults showed weak selection for lower ridge density in summer, which was likely facilitated by selection for areas with greater thermal wind current potential. In contrast, subadults showed strong selection for higher ridge density in winter. Subadults selected areas further from roads in summer and closer to roads and electrical transmission lines in winter, which may be related to winter scavenging of road‐killed ungulates. Resource selection functions suggested subadults selected for shrublands and woodlands in both seasons, but odds ratios revealed that during winter subadults avoided shrublands and increased selection of woodlands relative to summer. Subadults selected for areas with infrequent fires in both seasons; areas with frequent fires were avoided in summer but selected for in winter. Seasonal changes in resource selection suggested that subadults used woodlands more than expected, potentially reflecting spatial partitioning by subadults to lower‐quality habitats to minimize competition with breeding adults during winter when energetic demands for thermoregulation were presumably higher and prey more limited.

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“…For each long‐distance mover, we removed nighttime locations, defined as the time period between 30 min after sunset and 30 min before sunrise, when the birds were presumed to be roosting (Craig & Craig, 1984). We also subsampled the telemetry data to intervals no more frequent than 1 h.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interpreting long‐distance movements of non‐migratory golden eagles: Prospecting and nomadism?

et al. 2022

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Movements by animals can serve different functions and occur over a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Routine movement types, such as residency (localized movements) and migration, have been well studied. However, nonroutine movement types, such as dispersal, prospecting, and nomadism, are less well understood. Documenting these rarely detected events requires tracking large numbers of individuals across all age classes. We studied >500 golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) tracked by telemetry over a 10‐year period in western North America, of which 160 engaged in nonroutine, long‐distance (>300 km) movements. We identified spatial and temporal correlates of those movements at both small and large scales, and we quantified movement timing and direction. We further tested which age and sex classes of eagles were more likely to engage in these movements. Our analysis of 88,093 daily tracks suggested that distances traveled by eagles were responsive to the updraft potential of the spatial and temporal landscape they encountered. Tracks covered longer distances at locations and times of higher updraft potential, and older birds traveled farther than younger birds. By contrast, after decomposing daily tracks into 563 nonroutine, long‐distance movements measured at a multiday scale, only the duration of travel was responsive to environmental conditions encountered by eagles. Multiday trips that were longer were those initiated in open and warm landscapes and those that ended in mountainous regions. Finally, long‐distance movements were more frequently made in seasons other than winter, in north–south directions, and by young birds. We documented clear correlates of nonroutine, long‐distance movements by golden eagles at small, local scales but found little evidence of such correlates at larger, regional scales. Most long‐distance movements we documented fit patterns associated with traditional definitions of prospecting and nomadism but not migration. Our study is the first to describe these movement types by golden eagles, and as such provides a foundation for subsequent study into the movement ecology of other species.

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A Large Concentration of Roosting Golden Eagles in Southeastern Idaho

Cited by 5 publications

References 1 publication

Effectiveness of Raptor Perch Deterrents on an Electrical Transmission Line in Southwestern Wyoming

Effectiveness of Raptor Perch Deterrents on an Electrical Transmission Line in Southwestern Wyoming

Seasonal variation in resource selection by subadult golden eagles in the Great Basin Desert

Interpreting long‐distance movements of non‐migratory golden eagles: Prospecting and nomadism?

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