Quantifying rosy-finch migration with stable hydrogen isotope feather markers highlights the need for inter-state collaboration to reach conservation goals
The Black Rosy-Finch Leucosticte atrata is a species of conservation concern because their alpine breeding habitat is threatened by climate change and their population size is relatively small. Rosy-finches are notoriously difficult to study and information gaps include migratory connectivity acro...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Avian Conservation and Ecology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.ace-eco.org/vol20/iss1/art6 |
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| author | Caitlin J. Campbell Janice H. Gardner Clark S Rushing Cooper M. Farr Russell Norvell Kim Savides |
| author_facet | Caitlin J. Campbell Janice H. Gardner Clark S Rushing Cooper M. Farr Russell Norvell Kim Savides |
| author_sort | Caitlin J. Campbell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Black Rosy-Finch Leucosticte atrata is a species of conservation concern because their alpine breeding habitat is threatened by climate change and their population size is relatively small. Rosy-finches are notoriously difficult to study and information gaps include migratory connectivity across their range. In Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming, Black Rosy-Finches can be found throughout the year and it is unknown if these populations are short-distance altitudinal migrants or are traveling to and from other regions. Understanding a species’ full annual cycle can improve conservation and management between states and management entities. To understand migration patterns, we measured stable hydrogen isotopes from feathers of Black Rosy-Finches that were using three mountain sites in Utah during the non-breeding season. Samples from Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches Leucosticte tephrocotis were also included to support validation of methods. From each sample, we produced odds of origin surfaces that allowed us to summarize the distance and direction traveled between the location where feathers were formed and their collection site during the non-breeding season. Stable hydrogen isotope values of feather samples from 38 Black Rosy-Finches ranged -113.71‰ to -37.03‰ and probable breeding-season origins of these birds included central Idaho, southwestern Montana, western Wyoming, and the Uinta Mountains of Utah. Black Rosy-Finches traveled on average (median) 428 km between breeding and non-breeding locations. These results suggest that northern Utah’s wintering Black Rosy-Finches migrate regionally between breeding and non-breeding sites rather than making local-scale altitudinal migrations from nearby breeding sites within Utah. Managers and conservationists across state boundaries need to ensure they are providing habitat resources to sustain Black Rosy-Finches across the annual cycle. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-32692c84305945c5ac2969a7f656f3cd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1712-6568 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avian Conservation and Ecology |
| spelling | doaj-art-32692c84305945c5ac2969a7f656f3cd2025-08-20T03:28:00ZengResilience AllianceAvian Conservation and Ecology1712-65682025-06-01201610.5751/ACE-02798-2001062798Quantifying rosy-finch migration with stable hydrogen isotope feather markers highlights the need for inter-state collaboration to reach conservation goalsCaitlin J. Campbell0Janice H. Gardner1Clark S Rushing2Cooper M. Farr3Russell Norvell4Kim Savides5Bat Conservation InternationalSageland CollaborativeUniversity of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesTracy AviaryUtah Division of Wildlife ResourcesCornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell UniversityThe Black Rosy-Finch Leucosticte atrata is a species of conservation concern because their alpine breeding habitat is threatened by climate change and their population size is relatively small. Rosy-finches are notoriously difficult to study and information gaps include migratory connectivity across their range. In Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming, Black Rosy-Finches can be found throughout the year and it is unknown if these populations are short-distance altitudinal migrants or are traveling to and from other regions. Understanding a species’ full annual cycle can improve conservation and management between states and management entities. To understand migration patterns, we measured stable hydrogen isotopes from feathers of Black Rosy-Finches that were using three mountain sites in Utah during the non-breeding season. Samples from Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches Leucosticte tephrocotis were also included to support validation of methods. From each sample, we produced odds of origin surfaces that allowed us to summarize the distance and direction traveled between the location where feathers were formed and their collection site during the non-breeding season. Stable hydrogen isotope values of feather samples from 38 Black Rosy-Finches ranged -113.71‰ to -37.03‰ and probable breeding-season origins of these birds included central Idaho, southwestern Montana, western Wyoming, and the Uinta Mountains of Utah. Black Rosy-Finches traveled on average (median) 428 km between breeding and non-breeding locations. These results suggest that northern Utah’s wintering Black Rosy-Finches migrate regionally between breeding and non-breeding sites rather than making local-scale altitudinal migrations from nearby breeding sites within Utah. Managers and conservationists across state boundaries need to ensure they are providing habitat resources to sustain Black Rosy-Finches across the annual cycle.https://www.ace-eco.org/vol20/iss1/art6 leucosticte atrata isoscapesmigrationstable hydrogen isotopes |
| spellingShingle | Caitlin J. Campbell Janice H. Gardner Clark S Rushing Cooper M. Farr Russell Norvell Kim Savides Quantifying rosy-finch migration with stable hydrogen isotope feather markers highlights the need for inter-state collaboration to reach conservation goals Avian Conservation and Ecology leucosticte atrata isoscapes migration stable hydrogen isotopes |
| title | Quantifying rosy-finch migration with stable hydrogen isotope feather markers highlights the need for inter-state collaboration to reach conservation goals |
| title_full | Quantifying rosy-finch migration with stable hydrogen isotope feather markers highlights the need for inter-state collaboration to reach conservation goals |
| title_fullStr | Quantifying rosy-finch migration with stable hydrogen isotope feather markers highlights the need for inter-state collaboration to reach conservation goals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantifying rosy-finch migration with stable hydrogen isotope feather markers highlights the need for inter-state collaboration to reach conservation goals |
| title_short | Quantifying rosy-finch migration with stable hydrogen isotope feather markers highlights the need for inter-state collaboration to reach conservation goals |
| title_sort | quantifying rosy finch migration with stable hydrogen isotope feather markers highlights the need for inter state collaboration to reach conservation goals |
| topic | leucosticte atrata isoscapes migration stable hydrogen isotopes |
| url | https://www.ace-eco.org/vol20/iss1/art6 |
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