Evaluation of autonomous recording units for detecting 3 species of secretive marsh birds
ABSTRACT Population status and habitat use of yellow rails (Coturnicops noveboracensis), Nelson's sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni), and Le Conte's sparrows (A. leconteii) are poorly known, so standardized surveys of these species are needed to inform conservation planning and management. A pr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2015-09-01
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| Series: | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.569 |
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| author | Anna M. Sidie‐Slettedahl Kent C. Jensen Rex R. Johnson Todd W. Arnold Jane E. Austin Joshua D. Stafford |
| author_facet | Anna M. Sidie‐Slettedahl Kent C. Jensen Rex R. Johnson Todd W. Arnold Jane E. Austin Joshua D. Stafford |
| author_sort | Anna M. Sidie‐Slettedahl |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Population status and habitat use of yellow rails (Coturnicops noveboracensis), Nelson's sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni), and Le Conte's sparrows (A. leconteii) are poorly known, so standardized surveys of these species are needed to inform conservation planning and management. A protocol for monitoring secretive marsh birds exists; however, these species regularly call at night and may be missed during early morning surveys. We tested the effectiveness of autonomous recording units (hereafter, recording units) to survey these species by analyzing recorded vocalizations using bioacoustics software. We deployed 22 recording units at 54 sites in northern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota, USA, and conducted traditional broadcast surveys during May–June, 2010 and 2011. We compared detection probabilities between recording units and standard monitoring protocols using robust‐design occupancy models. On average, recording units detected 0.59 (SE = 0.11) fewer Le Conte's sparrows, 0.76 (SE = 0.15) fewer Nelson's sparrows, and 1.01 (SE = 0.14) fewer yellow rails per survey than were detected using the standard protocol. Detection probabilities using the standard protocol averaged 0.95 (yellow rail; 95% CI = 0.86–0.98), 0.93 (Le Conte's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.78–0.98), and 0.89 (Nelson's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.56–0.98), but averaged 0.71 (yellow rail; 95% CI = 0.56–0.83), 0.61 (Le Conte's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.42–0.78), and 0.51 (Nelson's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.19–0.82) using recording units. Reduced detection by recording units was likely due to the ability of human listeners to identify birds calling at greater distances. Recording units may be effective for surveying nocturnal secretive marsh birds if investigators correct for differential detectability. Reduced detectability may be outweighed by the increased spatial and temporal coverage feasible with recording units. © 2015 The Wildlife Society. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ec8da3502f5b4f5ea0904afdd3afae75 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2328-5540 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2015-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-ec8da3502f5b4f5ea0904afdd3afae752025-08-20T02:49:52ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402015-09-0139362663410.1002/wsb.569Evaluation of autonomous recording units for detecting 3 species of secretive marsh birdsAnna M. Sidie‐Slettedahl0Kent C. Jensen1Rex R. Johnson2Todd W. Arnold3Jane E. Austin4Joshua D. Stafford5Department of Natural Resource ManagementSouth Dakota State UniversityBrookings, SD 57007USADepartment of Natural Resource ManagementSouth Dakota State UniversityBrookings, SD 57007USAHabitat and Population Evaluation TeamUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service18965 County Highway 82Fergus Falls, MN 56537USADepartment of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSt. Paul, MN 55108USAUnited States Geological SurveyNorthern Prairie Wildlife Research Center8711 37th Street SEJamestown, ND 58401USAUnited States Geological Survey, South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitDepartment of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State UniversityBrookings, SD 57007USAABSTRACT Population status and habitat use of yellow rails (Coturnicops noveboracensis), Nelson's sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni), and Le Conte's sparrows (A. leconteii) are poorly known, so standardized surveys of these species are needed to inform conservation planning and management. A protocol for monitoring secretive marsh birds exists; however, these species regularly call at night and may be missed during early morning surveys. We tested the effectiveness of autonomous recording units (hereafter, recording units) to survey these species by analyzing recorded vocalizations using bioacoustics software. We deployed 22 recording units at 54 sites in northern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota, USA, and conducted traditional broadcast surveys during May–June, 2010 and 2011. We compared detection probabilities between recording units and standard monitoring protocols using robust‐design occupancy models. On average, recording units detected 0.59 (SE = 0.11) fewer Le Conte's sparrows, 0.76 (SE = 0.15) fewer Nelson's sparrows, and 1.01 (SE = 0.14) fewer yellow rails per survey than were detected using the standard protocol. Detection probabilities using the standard protocol averaged 0.95 (yellow rail; 95% CI = 0.86–0.98), 0.93 (Le Conte's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.78–0.98), and 0.89 (Nelson's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.56–0.98), but averaged 0.71 (yellow rail; 95% CI = 0.56–0.83), 0.61 (Le Conte's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.42–0.78), and 0.51 (Nelson's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.19–0.82) using recording units. Reduced detection by recording units was likely due to the ability of human listeners to identify birds calling at greater distances. Recording units may be effective for surveying nocturnal secretive marsh birds if investigators correct for differential detectability. Reduced detectability may be outweighed by the increased spatial and temporal coverage feasible with recording units. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.569autonomous recording unitdetection probabilityLe Conte's sparrowNelson's sparrowoccupancy modelingsaturated wetlands |
| spellingShingle | Anna M. Sidie‐Slettedahl Kent C. Jensen Rex R. Johnson Todd W. Arnold Jane E. Austin Joshua D. Stafford Evaluation of autonomous recording units for detecting 3 species of secretive marsh birds Wildlife Society Bulletin autonomous recording unit detection probability Le Conte's sparrow Nelson's sparrow occupancy modeling saturated wetlands |
| title | Evaluation of autonomous recording units for detecting 3 species of secretive marsh birds |
| title_full | Evaluation of autonomous recording units for detecting 3 species of secretive marsh birds |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of autonomous recording units for detecting 3 species of secretive marsh birds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of autonomous recording units for detecting 3 species of secretive marsh birds |
| title_short | Evaluation of autonomous recording units for detecting 3 species of secretive marsh birds |
| title_sort | evaluation of autonomous recording units for detecting 3 species of secretive marsh birds |
| topic | autonomous recording unit detection probability Le Conte's sparrow Nelson's sparrow occupancy modeling saturated wetlands |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.569 |
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