Temperature and density influence survival in a rapidly declining migratory shorebird

Cook, Aonghais S.C.P.; Burton, Niall H. K.; Dodd, Stephen; Foster, Simon; Pell, Robert J.; Ward, Robin M.; Wright, Lucy J.; Robinson, Robert A.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109198

Cited by 12 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…While multiple studies have shown negative impacts of low temperatures on survival of short-distance migratory shorebirds 36 – 38 , our study is among the first to show an effect of precipitation on adult survival in a long-distance migratory shorebird. Previously, a link between adult survival of common sandpipers ( Actitis hypoleuca ) and the North Atlantic Oscillation was detected 39 , indicating that warm and wet conditions in the wintering areas result in higher survival but that precipitation has no effect on survival.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

Survival fluctuation is linked to precipitation variation during staging in a migratory shorebird

Brlík

Pakanen

Jaakkonen

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Understanding how weather conditions affect animal populations is essential to foresee population changes in times of global climate shifts. However, assessing year-round weather impacts on demographic parameters is hampered in migratory animals due to often unknown occurrence in space and time. We addressed this by coupling tracking and weather data to explain extensive variation in apparent survival across 19 years in a northern European population of little ringed plovers (Charadrius dubius). Over 90% (n = 21) of tracked individuals followed migration routes along the Indo-European flyway to south India. Building on capture–recapture histories of nearly 1400 individuals, we found that between-year variation in precipitation during post-breeding staging in northern South Asia explained 47% of variation in apparent adult survival. Overall, the intensity of the monsoon in South Asia explained 31–33% of variability in apparent survival. In contrast, weather conditions in breeding, final non-breeding and pre-breeding quarters appeared less important in this species. The integration of multi-source data seems essential for identifying key regions and periods limiting population growth, for forecasting future changes and targeting conservation efforts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

Survival fluctuation is linked to precipitation variation during staging in a migratory shorebird

Brlík

Pakanen

Jaakkonen

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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“…For example, annual survival of Eurasian Curlews increased after a hunting ban from ca. 0.72 to 0.85 at two wintering sites in southern England (Cook et al, 2021 ). We conclude that reducing exposure to anthropogenic mortality will be important for conservation of large‐bodied shorebirds because low natural mortality rates imply that any additional losses are likely to lead to additive mortality (Sandercock et al, 2011 ; Watts et al, 2015 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding populations of Marbled Godwits and Willets have high annual survival and strong site fidelity to managed wetlands

Sandercock

Gratto‐Trevor

2023

Ecology and Evolution

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The Prairie Pothole Region of central Canada supports a diverse community of breeding waterbirds, but many species have declining populations and the demographic mechanisms driving the declines remain unknown. We conducted a 7-year field study during 1995-2001 to investigate the demographic performance of Marbled Godwits (Limosa fedoa) and Willets (Tringa semipalmata) breeding in managed wetlands near Brooks, Alberta. Mark-recapture analyses based on Cormack-Jolly-Seber models revealed that the annual rates of apparent survival for Marbled Godwits ( ̂ = 0.953 ± 0.012SE) and Willets ( ̂ = 0.861 ± 0.015SE) are among the highest rates of survivorship reported for any breeding or nonbreeding population of large-bodied shorebirds. Our estimates of life expectancy for males were comparable to longevity records in godwits (17.3 years ±5.8SE vs. 25-29+ years) and willets (7.7 ± 1.5SE vs.10+ years). The two species both showed strong breeding site fidelity but differed in rates of mate fidelity. Pairs that reunited and males that switched mates usually nested <300 m from their previous nests, whereas females that switched mates usually moved longer distances >1.1-1.5 km. Returning pairs usually reunited in godwits (85%) but not in willets (28%), possibly because of species differences in adult survival or patterns of migration. Baseline estimates of annual survival for banded-only birds will be useful for evaluating the potential effects of new tracking tags or the environmental changes that have occurred during the past 20 years. Conservation strategies for large-bodied shorebirds should be focused on reduction of exposure to anthropogenic mortality because low rates of natural mortality suggest that losses to collisions at breeding sites or harvest at nonbreeding areas are likely to cause additive mortality.

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“…Recent studies have highlighted that the species population decline is likely to be driven by low levels of breeding productivity and subsequent recruitment, with habitat loss, predation, and human disturbance as factors within this (Brown et al, 2015 ; Cook et al, 2021 ; Franks et al, 2017 ; Taylor et al, 2020 ). Adults can survive up to 30 years (Robinson, 2005 ) and though studies have shown that there was an improvement in survival following the implementation of a hunting ban in the UK in 1982, this has provided only marginal improvement on the population's trajectory, with the latest estimate placing adult survival in the UK at 89.9% (Cook et al, 2021 ; Taylor & Dodd, 2013 ). For both Curlew and other declining wader species, management interventions (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Curves for Curlew: Identifying Curlew breeding status from GPS tracking data

Bowgen

Dodd

Lindley

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Identifying the breeding status of cryptic bird species has proved problematic without intense or inherently expensive monitoring. Most, if not all, intensive bird monitoring comes with disturbance risks and many projects now rely on tagging of individuals to provide remote information on movements. Given the importance of breeding status when targeting conservation interventions novel methods are needed. This study aimed to identify breeding status in Eurasian Curlew ( Numenius arquata ) from GPS tag movement patterns using the “ recurse” package in R. This package identifies foci of activity (using K ‐means clustering) based on revisitations. Using a training data set from an individual of known breeding status, we visually assessed the frequency of revisits to particular locations to identify prebreeding, incubation, chick guarding, and post‐breeding stages to an accuracy of a within at most half a day and thus breeding outcomes. Limited validation was provided by additional field observations. Based on our results, we estimate a low daily nest survival rate of 0.935 during incubation, that only a small proportion of individuals successfully raised young, and that there was a high proportion (26%) of non‐breeders in the population. The Eurasian Curlew is a species of high conservation concern across Europe, and our results concur with recent studies highlighting that population declines are likely to be driven by low levels of productivity. The acquisition of improved knowledge on the behaviors of individuals at each stage of breeding enables more targeted conservation efforts and reduces the need for additional monitoring visits that may cause increased disturbance and risk of nest failure. We hope that the approach outlined may be developed to provide practitioners who have detailed knowledge of the behavior of their study species with a practical means of assessing the breeding status and outcomes of their study populations.

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Temperature and density influence survival in a rapidly declining migratory shorebird

Cited by 12 publications

References 62 publications

Survival fluctuation is linked to precipitation variation during staging in a migratory shorebird

Survival fluctuation is linked to precipitation variation during staging in a migratory shorebird

Breeding populations of Marbled Godwits and Willets have high annual survival and strong site fidelity to managed wetlands

Curves for Curlew: Identifying Curlew breeding status from GPS tracking data

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