Coturnicops noveboracensis Overwintering in Coastal Pine Savannas of the Northern Gulf of Mexico Kelly Morris 1 Mark Woodrey 2 3 Scott G Hereford 4 Eric Soehren 5 ID: 446114
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Slide1
Ecology of Yellow Rail (
Coturnicops noveboracensis) Overwintering in Coastal Pine Savannas of the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Kelly Morris
1
,
Mark
Woodrey
2, 3
, Scott G. Hereford
4
, Eric Soehren
5
,
Jacob
Walker
6
and
Scott Rush
1
1
Dept. of Wildlife Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS
2
Mississippi State University - Coastal Research and Extension Center
3
Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Point, MS
4
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, Gautier, MS
5
Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Lands Division, Midway, AL
6
Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON CanadaSlide2
Introduction“common in fall and early spring on open hay fields …” – Golson and Holt 1914. Auk 31:218.Wintering studies are limited to coastal Texas, Oklahoma and coastal South Carolina
General lack of data along wintering habitats especially in coastal pine savannas along the Gulf Coast of Mexico Slide3
Southeastern Pine SavannaOnce dominated the coastal plains of the southeast United States Characterized by clumps or sparsely distributed trees Ground cover dominated
by warm season grassesHistorical natural disturbance (fire)Fire plays an essential role in pine savanna communitiesSlide4
ObjectivesDevelop a standardized monitoring protocolDetermine Yellow Rail home range and habitat use in coastal pine savanna habitats Determine response to prescribed burn regimes
Photo: Angela
DedricksonSlide5
Study SitesSlide6
Standardized Protocol
~30 min after sunset10m drag line w/bottles, 1/4 full of rocks attached4 member crew: 2 pulling drag line 2 evenly spaced behind line
Use of fixed positions (Shepard's hook’s w/lanterns) to navigate straight passes
Area covered limited by survey site and time not to exceed 2.5
hrsSlide7
Home Range and Habitat UseSites were chosen based on known Yellow Rail locationsYERA were captured at night using hand nets
Morphological measurements1.2g transmitter attached using modified synsacrum harness (Haramis and Kearns 2000*)
*
Haramis
& Kearns 2000.
Journal of Field Ornithology
,
71
(1), 135-139.Slide8
Home Range and Habitat Use (2013)Tracked once a day between 0800-1300 for up to 30 daysUsing a modified Robel Pole method a 0.1 ha plot is analyzed, centered on the ‘fix’ location of the bird
Veg metrics also analyzed at random associated locationsPercent cover of woody and herbaceous speciesHerbaceous and woody height compositionSlide9
Response to Fire13 sites chosen based on burn regime and ability to survey5- 2012 growing season burn (4: MSCNWR 1: GB Forever Wild Savanna,)
1- 2011 dormant season burn (MSCNWR)1- 2011 growing season burn (MSCNWR)2- 2010 dormant season burn (MSCNWR)1- 2010 growing season
burn (MSCNWR
)
3- 3+ years post burn (1:
J
ackson County Mitigation Bank, 2: MSCNWR)
Unbalanced due to variability in burn treatments on the refugeSlide10
Results(Surveys)2011: ~ 2 rails added per hour effort2012: 52 birds flushed, average 1 bird/survey (38 birds banded)
~ 0.6 birds per hour effort2013: ~ 0.9 birds added per hour effortSlide11
Results(Radio-tracking)20 tracked, 13 reached 30 pointsMean home range size was 1.24 ha
(SE= 0.21, n=13)Slide12
Results(Habitat)Areas w/ YERA = less woody cover and < woody height
* Different letters reflect significant differences (TukeyHSD)* Values used in analysis were log transformed
Woody Cover
Woody HeightSlide13
Results(Habitat)Herb cover greater in points w/YERA than points with no birdsHerb height greater in points w/YERA and random than points with no birds
Herbaceous Cover
Herbaceous Height
F
2, 1075
= 18.62, P < 0.001
F
2, 1074
= 23.38, P < 0.001Slide14
Species Composition
(sites with birds vs. no birds)
Herbaceous
WoodySlide15
Results2012Bird detected vs. not time since fire in days before YERA surveyLogistic
regression2013
Detected in 4 of 6 of burn treatments
Sites now burned – not burned before
Chance to test response to burning
Probability of detectionSlide16
DiscussionFire plays an important for overwintering Yellow Rails Yellow Rails are more often found in open areas with limited woody intrusionRelation to other species (plants, animals) - conservation of Bachman’s Sparrow , MS Gopher Frog MS Sandhill Crane,
Henslow’s SparrowFuture research is needed in pine savanna systems throughout the southeastStudy the effects of invasive species intrusion Synthesis of pine savannas through the southeast to determine distribution, active conservation areas.Slide17
Acknowledgements
Everyone at MSCNWR especially Angela Dedrickson, Maury Bedford, Danny Moss, fire crew and interns. John Trent (AL DCNR), Jennifer Wilson (USFWS),Charlie Brower (USFWS), and all the other volunteers and support that helped make this project possible!
Mississippi Ornithological Society