Effects of leg flags on nest survival of four species of Arctic-breeding shorebirds ; Journal of Field Ornithology
Marking wild birds is an integral part of many field studies. However, if marks affect the vital rates or behavior of marked individuals, any conclusions reached by a study might be biased relative to the general population. Leg bands have rarely been found to have negative effects on birds and are frequently used to mark individuals. Leg flags, which are larger, heavier, and might produce more drag than bands, are commonly used on shorebirds and can help improve resighting rates. However, no one to date has assessed the possible effects of leg flags on the demographic performance of shorebirds. At seven sites in Arctic Alaska and western Canada, we marked individuals and monitored nest survival of four species of Arctic-breeding shorebirds, including Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla), Western Sandpipers (C. mauri), Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalarope lobatus), and Red Phalaropes (P. fielicarius). We used a daily nest survival model in a Bayesian framework to test for effects of leg flags, relative to birds with only bands, on daily survival rates of 1952 nests. We found no evidence of a difference in nest survival between birds with flags and those with only bands. Our results suggest, therefore, that leg flags have little effect on the nest success of Arctic-breeding sandpipers and phalaropes. Additional studies are needed, however, to evaluate the possible effects of flags on shorebirds that use other habitats and on survival rates of adults and chicks. ; National Fish and Wildlife Foundation [2010-0061-015, 2011-0032-014, 0801.12.032731, 0801.13.041129]; Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [F11AP01040, F12AP00734, F13APO535, 4073, 4102]; Alaska Department of Fish and Game; State Wildlife Grant [T-16]; Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; Bureau of Land Management; Centre for Wildlife Ecology at Simon Fraser University; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada; Kansas State University; Kresge Foundation; Liz Claiborne/Art Ortenberg Foundation; Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences; National Park Service; Murie Science and Learning Center Research Fellowship Program; National Science Foundation (Office of Polar Programs)National Science Foundation (NSF) [ARC-1023396]; National Science Foundation (Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant)National Science Foundation (NSF) [1501479]; Natural Resources Canada (Polar Continental Shelf Program); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Strategic Grant - Discovery Grants) [357054]; Northern Scientific Training Program (Canadian Polar Commission); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Migratory Bird Management Division, Survey, Monitoring and Assessment Program); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Alaska National Wildlife Refuge System's Challenge Cost Share Program); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Avian Influenza Health and Influenza programs); U.S. Geological Survey (Changing Arctic Ecosystem Initiative, Wildlife Program of the USGS Ecosystem Mission Area); University of Colorado Denver; University of Alaska Fairbanks; University of Missouri Columbia ; Major support for the infrastructure of the Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network was provided by the Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (grants 2010-0061-015, 2011-0032-014, 0801.12.032731, and 0801.13.041129), and Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (grants F11AP01040, F12AP00734, F13APO535, 4073, and 4102). Additional funding for individual sites was provided by Alaska Department of Fish and Game (including State Wildlife Grant T-16), Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Bureau of Land Management, Centre for Wildlife Ecology at Simon Fraser University, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Kansas State University, Kresge Foundation, Liz Claiborne/Art Ortenberg Foundation, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, National Park Service (including Murie Science and Learning Center Research Fellowship Program), National Science Foundation (Office of Polar Programs grant ARC-1023396 and Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant 1501479), Natural Resources Canada (Polar Continental Shelf Program), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Strategic Grant - 357054, Discovery Grants), Northern Scientific Training Program (Canadian Polar Commission), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Migratory Bird Management Division, Survey, Monitoring and Assessment Program, Alaska National Wildlife Refuge System's Challenge Cost Share Program, and Avian Influenza Health and Influenza programs), U.S. Geological Survey (Changing Arctic Ecosystem Initiative, Wildlife Program of the USGS Ecosystem Mission Area), University of Colorado Denver, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and University of Missouri Columbia. We thank local communities and landowners, including the people of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, North Slope Borough, Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation, and Sitnasuak Native Corporation for permitting us to conduct research on their lands. Logistical support was provided by Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Barrow Arctic Science Consortium, Cape Krusenstern National Monument (National Park Service), ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc., Sisualik National Wildlife Refuge (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), and Umiaq, LLC. We thank the many field assistants who helped on this project throughout the years, including S. Carvey, T. Donnelly, A. Gottesman, D. Pavlik, and B. Wilkinson for their key roles in field work at the Colville River Delta, and D. Payer for his key role in implementing and overseeing field work at Canning River Delta. J. Lamb, L. Rosen, and B. Ross provided comments on an early draft of the manuscript. Animal handling, marking, and monitoring procedures were approved by animal care and use committees and permitting agencies at Environment and Climate Change Canada, Kansas State University, National Park Service, University of Alaska Fairbanks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Survey - Alaska Science Center. The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Any use of trade names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. ; Public domain authored by a U.S. government employee