Use of Implanted Radiotransmitters to Estimate Survival of Greater Sage‐Grouse Chicks

Gregg, Michael A.; Dunbar, Mike R.; Crawford, John A.

doi:10.2193/2006-353

Cited by 37 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…ASY females had higher nest initiation and nest survival, constituted a larger proportion of the population, and had higher reproductive value; thus, ASY females contributed significantly more recruitment into the population. Of note, estimates of chick survival at PM are among the highest reported for sage-grouse (Aldridge and Boyce 2007, Gregg et al 2007, Dahlgren et al 2010a, Guttery et al 2013a, and in addition to focusing more on post-fledging survival, our results suggest that greater attention be paid to the factors driving variation in chick survival (e.g., forb and arthropod abundance, timing of precipitation, habitat conditions; Connelly et al 2000, Guttery et al 2013a) as opposed to focusing on nest survival.…”

Section: Sy Hsmentioning

confidence: 48%

Evaluating vital rate contributions to greater sage‐grouse population dynamics to inform conservation

et al. 2016

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Abstract. Species conservation efforts often use short-term studies that fail to identify the vital rates that contribute most to population growth. Although the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) is a candidate for protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and is sometimes referred to as an umbrella species in the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) biome of western North America, the failure of proposed management strategies to focus on key vital rates that may contribute most to achieving population stability remains problematic for sustainable conservation. To address this dilemma, we performed both prospective and retrospective perturbation analyses of a life cycle model based on a 12-yr study that encompassed nearly all sage-grouse vital rates. To validate our population models, we compared estimates of annual finite population growth rates (λ) from our female-based life cycle models to those attained from male-based lek counts. Post-fledging (i.e., after second year, second year, and juvenile) female survival parameters contributed most to past variation in λ during our study and had the greatest potential to change λ in the future, indicating these vital rates as important determinants of sage-grouse population dynamics. In addition, annual estimates of λ from female-based life cycle models and malebased lek data were similar, providing the most rigorous evidence to date that lek counts of males can serve as a valid index of sage-grouse population change. Our comparison of fixed and mixed statistical models for evaluating temporal variation in nest survival and initiation suggest that conservation planners use caution when evaluating short-term nesting studies and using associated fixed-effect results to develop conservation objectives. In addition, our findings indicated that greater attention should be paid to those factors affecting sage-grouse post-fledging females. Our approach demonstrates the need for more long-term studies of species vital rates across the life cycle. Such studies should address the decoupling of sampling variation from underlying process (co)variation in vital rates, identification of how such variation drives population dynamics, and how decision makers can use this information to re-direct conservation efforts to address the most limiting points in the life cycle for a given population.

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Section: Sy Hsmentioning

confidence: 48%

Evaluating vital rate contributions to greater sage‐grouse population dynamics to inform conservation

et al. 2016

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“…Previous studies on wild‐hatched galliform chicks reported >70% of all mortalities occurred within the first 21 days posthatch, and greater than 80% of these were attributed to predation (Zwickel and Bendell , Riley et al , Pitman et al , Gregg et al , Manzer and Hannon ). The next most commonly reported mortality was from exposure, which was often not differentiated from malnutrition or starvation in these field studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Captive rearing sage-grouse for augmentation of surrogate wild broods: Evidence for success

et al. 2015

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Both species of North American sage‐grouse (Centrocercus spp.) have experienced declines in distribution and abundance. Translocation of adult birds from a stable population to a small or declining population has been a management tool used by wildlife managers to support population persistence in these areas. Captive rearing chicks and releasing them into wild surrogate broods is an untested alternative to augment declining populations of sage‐grouse. We developed techniques to successfully rear sage‐grouse chicks in captivity, evaluated explanatory variables that could influence hatch and captive‐rearing success, and estimated the survival of domestically hatched (DH) chicks to 28 days of age following introduction to a surrogate wild brood. We collected 304 eggs from radiomarked female greater sage‐grouse (C. urophasianus) during 2004–2007 in 3 study areas in northwestern Colorado. Estimated hatching success of collected eggs was 0.745 (SE = 0.022, 95% CI = 0.700–0.786) and was negatively influenced by the number of days an egg was stored and the percent egg weight loss that occurred during storage and incubation. We monitored 175 DH chicks in captivity for 1–10 days before introduction and adoption into surrogate wild broods. Model‐averaged captive‐rearing success was 0.792 (SE = 0.045, 95% CI = 0.686–0.865) across years, and was positively influenced by initial chick mass at hatch and daily weight gain in captivity but negatively influenced by the number of days the egg was stored and advancing hatch date. We were able to radiomark and monitor 133 DH chicks adopted into surrogate wild broods until 28 days of age. Eighty‐eight percent of DH chicks were successfully adopted within 24 hours. Our overall estimate of DH chick survival to 28 days (0.423; 95% CI = 0.257–0.587) was comparable to published wild‐hatched chick survival. Predation and exposure‐related deaths accounted for 26.3% and 25.6% of the known fates, respectively. Our captive‐rearing protocols and techniques were successful for collecting greater sage‐grouse eggs, hatching and rearing chicks in captivity, and releasing chicks into wild surrogate broods. This success further implies that captive rearing and release can be a potential management strategy to demographically and genetically reinforce or augment small populations of sage‐grouse. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.

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“…Studies that consider the influence of urbanisation on fledging success often deal with altricial birds (in which chicks are fed by parents) (Rottenborn, 2000;Tella, Hiraldo, Donazar-Sancho, & Negro, 1996;Wilcove, 1985) rather than precocial species (in which chicks are capable of feeding themselves), for which measuring chick fate is extremely difficult due to high chick mobility (Gregg, Dunbar, & Crawford, 2007;Ruhlen et al, 2003). We found no difference in fledging success between habitats despite other studies showing precocial chicks experience greater mortality with higher rates of human disturbance (Baumann, 2006;Ruhlen et al, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surviving in sprawling suburbs: Suburban environments represent high quality breeding habitat for a widespread shorebird

Cardilini

Weston

Nimmo

et al. 2013

Landscape and Urban Planning

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Use of Implanted Radiotransmitters to Estimate Survival of Greater Sage‐Grouse Chicks

Cited by 37 publications

References 20 publications

Evaluating vital rate contributions to greater sage‐grouse population dynamics to inform conservation

Evaluating vital rate contributions to greater sage‐grouse population dynamics to inform conservation

Captive rearing sage-grouse for augmentation of surrogate wild broods: Evidence for success

Surviving in sprawling suburbs: Suburban environments represent high quality breeding habitat for a widespread shorebird

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