Evaluation of field and analytical methods for estimating the population size of burrow-nesting seabirds from playback surveys

Soanes, Louise; Thomas, Robert J.; Bolton, Mark

doi:10.1080/00063657.2012.695334

Cited by 9 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…One of the main problems with playback surveys of Storm Petrels is that response rates are highly variable (James , Soanes et al . ). However, their heterogeneous distribution within colonies means that accurate, precise population estimates depend on large sample sizes (Schumann et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…This method has the advantage of making full use of data on the number of burrows from which responses are repeatedly obtained during the trial (Soanes et al . ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Locations of responding birds were mapped onto photographs and du Feu's markrecapture method used to estimate the number of AOS (du Feu et al 1983). This method has the advantage of making full use of data on the number of burrows from which responses are repeatedly obtained during the trial (Soanes et al 2012).…”

Section: Aos Estimates From Nocturnal Visits and Playbackmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, practitioners have expressed growing concern over the accuracy, precision and efficiency of playback methods (Soanes et al . ). Response rates are typically low (especially during daytime, when most surveys are undertaken), may be sex‐specific, and vary between colonies and years, requiring survey‐specific calibrations and the application of large correction factors to response densities (James , Ratcliffe et al .…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…First developed during the 1980s and 1990s (James & Robertson 1985, Ratcliffe et al 1998, playback was systematically applied to British and Irish colonies during the Seabird 2000 census, giving the first national population estimates for European Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus, Leach's Storm Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa and Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus (Mitchell et al 2004). However, practitioners have expressed growing concern over the accuracy, precision and efficiency of playback methods (Soanes et al 2012). Response rates are typically low (especially during daytime, when most surveys are undertaken), may be sex-specific, and vary between colonies and years, requiring survey-specific calibrations and the application of large correction factors to response densities (James 1985, Ratcliffe et al 1998, Mitchell et al 2004).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Testing the use of infra‐red video cameras to census a nocturnal burrow‐nesting seabird, the European Storm PetrelHydrobates pelagicus

Perkins

Bingham

Bolton

2017

Ibis

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Accurate population estimates are important for monitoring the conservation status of species, but nocturnal burrow‐nesting seabirds are notoriously difficult to count. Storm petrel species (Hydrobatidae) are particularly challenging, as burrow entrances are indistinct and response rates to playback low and variable, leading to imprecise population estimates and poor ability to detect trends. Playback is also labour‐intensive, requiring several days of calibration trials to determine site‐ and year‐specific response rates. To test the viability of using infra‐red digital video technology to census storm petrels, we conducted a trial on European Storm Petrels Hydrobates pelagicus at their largest UK colony, Mousa (Shetland). Hourly activity rates recorded from infra‐red filming accurately predicted the number of Apparently Occupied Sites (AOS), but this relationship was stronger in natural habitats (boulder‐beach, rocks and scree) than in walls, where between‐night variation was high due to poor and variable image quality, as well as the flight behaviour of Storm Petrels around vertical structures. Few filming attempts failed completely, but image quality was poor on dark nights with rain or fog, and deteriorated during the season as night‐length increased. Playback accurately predicted AOS density in natural habitats, but overestimated total AOS in walls by 38%. Simulations suggest that for the same fieldwork sampling effort, infra‐red filming will generate slightly more precise AOS estimates compared with playback. Better illumination using infra‐red floodlights would increase detection rates on dark nights, probably resulting in greater precision, but the large amount of expensive equipment and reviewing time required currently make infra‐red filming costly and inefficient relative to playback. However, we recommend its use at sites that cannot otherwise be surveyed safely, or where disturbance is a concern.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…This method has the advantage of making full use of data on the number of burrows from which responses are repeatedly obtained during the trial (Soanes et al . ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Aos Estimates From Nocturnal Visits and Playbackmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 97%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Testing the use of infra‐red video cameras to census a nocturnal burrow‐nesting seabird, the European Storm PetrelHydrobates pelagicus

Perkins

Bingham

Bolton

2017

Ibis

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Trialling camera traps to determine occupancy and breeding in burrowing seabirds

Bird

Fuller

Pascoe

et al. 2021

Remote Sens Ecol Conserv

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Burrowing seabirds are important in ecological and conservation terms. Many populations are in flux due to both negative and positive anthropogenic impacts, but their ecology makes measuring changes difficult. Reliably recording key metrics, the proportion of burrows with breeding pairs and the success of breeding attempts requires burrow-level information on occupancy. We investigated the use of camera traps positioned at burrow entrances for determining the number of breeding pairs in a sample to inform population estimates, and for recording breeding success. The performance of two cameras makes we tested differed markedly, with Spypoint Force 10 trail cameras prone to malfunction while Reconyx HC600 Hyperfire cameras performed well. Nevertheless, both makes yielded season-long activity patterns for individual burrows, eliminating uncertainty around successful fledging attempts. Dimensionality reduction of activity metrics derived from camera time series suggests breeding and non-breeding burrows may be identifiable using linear discriminant analyses but sample sizes from our trial were low and group means were only significantly different during certain breeding stages (permutational multivariate analysis of variance: early chick-rearing f = 3.64, P = 0.06; late chick-rearing f = 8.28, P = 0.009). Compared with traditional techniques for determining burrow occupancy (e.g. manual burrow inspection and playback of conspecific calls at burrow entrances), camera traps can reduce uncertainty in estimated breeding success and potentially breeding status of burrows. Significant upfront investment is required in terms of equipment and human resources but for long-term studies, camera traps may deliver advantages, particularly when unanticipated novel observations and the potential for calibrating traditional methods with cameras are factored in.

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Using distance sampling and occupancy rate to estimate abundance of breeding pairs of Wilson’s Storm Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) in Antarctica

2017

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Evaluation of field and analytical methods for estimating the population size of burrow-nesting seabirds from playback surveys

Cited by 9 publications

References 12 publications

Testing the use of infra‐red video cameras to census a nocturnal burrow‐nesting seabird, the European Storm PetrelHydrobates pelagicus

Testing the use of infra‐red video cameras to census a nocturnal burrow‐nesting seabird, the European Storm PetrelHydrobates pelagicus

Trialling camera traps to determine occupancy and breeding in burrowing seabirds

Using distance sampling and occupancy rate to estimate abundance of breeding pairs of Wilson’s Storm Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) in Antarctica

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