Modified: April 15, 2010
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Migration monitoring at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, Fairbanks, Alaska ABO has operated a migration-monitoring station at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge since 1992. This study will help document long-term trends in the abundance of landbirds at Creamer’s Field as well as provide information on the life histories of passerines migrating through interior Alaska. To date, we have banded over 85,000 birds of 79 species at this site.
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ABO migration banding at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, Fairbanks, Alaska Reports
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| Fall 1999 Report | |
| Spring 2000 Report | Fall Report 2000 |
| Spring Report 2001 | Fall Report 2001 |
| Spring Report 2002 |
Fall Report 2002 |
| Spring Report 2003 |
Fall Report 2003 |
| Spring Report 2004 | Fall Report 2004 |
| Spring Report 2005 | Fall Report 2005 |
| Spring Report 2006 | Fall Report 2006 |
| Spring Report 2007Spring Report 2008 | Fall Report 2007Fall Report 2008 |
Alaska Bird Observatory Creamers Field Migration Station Operations Manual. 4th Edition 2007
Monitoring landbird populations in Denali National Park
ABO has conducted point-count surveys for the National Park Service in Denali National Park since 1992. Originally, we sampled several on- and off-road survey routes every June to examine relative abundance of birds. In 2000 we switched to a new point-count regime to help the Park Service assess the spatial and temporal variation in abundance and distribution of landbirds in Denali as part of their Central Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program. Contact Denali National Park for more information.
Nesting ecology of a high-latitude Tree Swallow population
ABO began a multi-year study on the nesting ecology of Tree Swallows at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge in Fairbanks in 1999. Research is conducted by youth as part of ABO’s youth mentoring program. Data will be used as part of a long-term investigation on trade-offs between clutch size and lifetime reproductive success of a high-latitude population of Tree Swallows. This project is funded by Skaggs Foundation and by the Schamel Foundation.
Climate Change and Tree Swallow reproduction – Daisy Yuhas , 2008. We examined the average annual lay, hatch, and fledge dates of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) breeding in Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge in Fairbanks, AK from 2000 through 2008. From 2000 to 2008, lay and hatch date exhibited a significant negative relationship, indicating that the timing of swallow reproduction has advanced by approximately a week during this period. We also compared the timing of laying in May, hatching in June, and fledging in July to three weather variables (monthly high, average temperature and total precipitation). We found a nearly significant relationship between lay date and the high temperature for May from 2000 through 2008. Our results are consistent with other long-term studies of the timing of tree swallow reproduction and suggest that climate change may be responsible for shifts in breeding dates.
Breeding Ecology of Rusty Blackbirds in Alaska The Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) has suffered one of the steepest declines of any bird species in North America with populations reduced by 90–98% since 1966. Despite this steep decline, the species’ breeding habitat requirements and nesting ecology have remained poorly studied.
Hannah, K. C. 2004. Status Review and Conservation Plan for the Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) in Alaska (2004)
Shaw, D. 2006. Breeding ecology and habitat affinities of an imperiled species, the Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) in Fairbanks, Alaska: Preliminary results. Submitted to United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Contract #: 714705M0148. 15 September 2006
Matsuoka, S. M., Shaw, D., and Johnson, J. A. 2008. Assessing the value of Department of Defense lands in Alaska to a declining species, the Rusty Blackbird. Report Submitted to DoD Legacy Resource Management Program. PROJECT 07-307. (field season 2007)
Bird Air Strike Hazard (BASH) 2007-2008 Understanding bird movements and habitat use on and near airfields has proven to be imperative to limit bird/aircraft conflicts and is likely to be most effective when related to a specific airfield. Therefore, as part of the Eielson Air Force Base Bird Air Strike Hazard Reduction Program ABO has been studying bird migration, seasonal changes in abundance, and habitat associations of birds in the vicinity of the airfield. Report
2007
All-Bird Conservation Plan for Bird Conservation Region 4
ABO has developed an All-Bird Conservation Plan for Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 4, the Northwestern Interior Forest of North America. Mainly boreal forest habitat, BCR4 covers interior Alaska, the Yukon Territory, northern British Columbia, and western Northwest Territories. This conservation plan assesses the conservation status of all birds in BCR4, delineates priority species and their habitats, assesses risks to these species, and identifies specific needs for inventory, monitoring, research, and conservation for birds in the region.
Sharbaugh, S., Ring, R., Guers, S., and Shaw, D. 2007. Breeding Ecology and Habitat Associations of the Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis kennecotti) in Central Alaska 2004-2006 Final Report.
Meixell, B. W. 2007. Aerial Waterfowl Surveys Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska May – June 2007. Report
As part of cooperative efforts among state and federal agencies in the preparation for response to an avian influenza virus H5N1 outbreak in North America, we conducted aerial surveys during May and June, 2007, to investigate the chronology, distribution and areas of aggregation, and species of waterfowl present in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (the Park). Diving ducks were the most abundant group of waterfowl, and of 19 observed species, scaup were the most common. Complete data available from ABO.
Guers, S. L. 2007. The impact of a Thinleaf Alder Pathogen on riparian bird communities in interior Alaska. Final Report.
Thin-leafed alders (Alnus incana subsp. tenuifolia) throughout much of the southcentral region of Alaska are showing widespread dieback and mortality. This prompted US Forest Service biologists to determine if this phenomenon had spread to other areas in Alaska (Trummer et al. 2005). Surveys conducted within Interior Alaska in 2006 confirmed that thinleaf alder stands were showing symptoms similar to those found in the south-central region of the state. The impact of this unprecedented event on both alders and wildlife populations in Interior Alaska has yet to be evaluated. To begin this determination, the Alaska Bird Observatory began bird surveys in both affected and lightly affected areas of Interior Alaska in 2006 and 2007.
2006
H5N1 Avian Influenza Screening Effort 2006
In response to recent concern over the highly pathenogenic avian influenza virus, H5N1, the United States Fish & Wildlife Service has developed a screening effort to capture and collect samples from migrant birds. As a part of this effort the Alaska Bird Observatory was contracted to conduct five studies to capture target species for avian influenza screening.
Walker, T. 2006. Recommendations for Conducting a Training Program in Passerine Identification and Distance Estimation. Prepared for the National Park Service, Central Area Network. Training Manual.
2005
Landbird Surveys in the Chena Lakes Flood Control Project and Recreation Area. Report
2004
Benson, A-M. 2004. Habitat Selection and Densities of Passerines Breeding in Interior Alaska. Report
2003
Effects of Military Overflights in Nesting Neotropical Migrants Final Report, August 2003
ABO initiated a landbird nesting-productivity study near Eielson Air Force Base and at Bonanza Creek near Fairbanks in 2000 to determine whether birds have decreased reproductive success when exposed to intense jet noises. This three-year study was funded by the U.S. Air Force and National Park Service.
Hannah, K. C., Ajmi, Amal R., and Walker, T. R. 2003. Distribution and abundance of landbirds in the Tanana Valley State Forest, Alaska 2002-2003 Final Report
2002
Anthropogenic Threats to Coastal Birds in Southcentral and Southeast Alaska:
2001
Habitat Selection of Birds Breeding in the Tok River Watershed. Progress Report 2000-2001
Owl Surveys Conduct in Alaska in 2001
During March and April of 2000 and 2001, ABO volunteers conducted owl censuses near Fairbanks. This preliminary effort was conducted to gain a better understanding of where and when owl surveys should be conducted.
2000
Avian species diversity in the Noyes Slough, Fairbanks. Final Report
During the spring of 2000, ABO cooperated with the Noyes Slough Action Committee (a nonprofit organization interested in the restoration of a slough that runs through Fairbanks) to examine the bird species diversity in Noyes Slough. Our primary goal was to document the slough’s current avian diversity and to determine whether birds were using the slough during migration, as a breeding site, or as a foraging location.
1998
Distribution of landbirds among habitats on the Yukon Maneuver Area and Tanana Flats, Ft. Wainwright, Alaska 1998. Final Report
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