Graduation Date

Spring 2018

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Master of Science degree with a major in Natural Resources, option Wildlife

Committee Chair Name

Dr. Mark Colwell

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Second Committee Member Name

Dr. Daniel Barton

Second Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Third Committee Member Name

Dr. Jared Wolfe

Third Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

Snowy plovers, Apparent survival, Non-breeding season, Humboldt County

Subject Categories

Wildlife

Abstract

Survival is an important vital rate that contributes to population viability, but is infrequently monitored and studied, especially compared to productivity. Furthermore, factors that limit survival and the relative effect on survival are often unknown. I used mark-resight observations of a small (~350) population of threatened Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) to quantify seasonal and annual variation in survival and movement between three coastal locations across ~70 km in Humboldt County, California. The return of individuals to non-breeding flocks at three locations was high between years (75-81%). Movement between three locations varied greatly, although most (n = 137) individuals resided at a single location throughout the 7-month study period (Sep-Mar). Apparent survival was lowest (0.88 ± 0.02) during late winter (Feb-Mar), and highest during the breeding season (0.97 ± 0.005). Annual survival was also higher in this study than previously reported for the population (0.85 ± 0.03). Given that apparent survival is predictably lowest during the winter (Dec-Mar), management directed at protecting non-breeding plover flocks from disturbance and other threats may make plovers less susceptible to mortality.

Citation Style

Journal of Wildlife Management

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