Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Research Articles

The observation of birds from a citizen science leisure project to systematic research

This article analyses historical data from observations made of birds in breeding season, throughout two routes with urban characteristics. The data were collected during a consecutive period of 10 years (2009-2018), following a precise methodology designed by the North American Breeding Bird Survey. The analyzed routes are officially registered in the Mexican Commission for Biodiversity’s Knowledge and Use, the United States Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and the Canadian Wildlife Service Research Centre. The observations were made by citizens without formal professional education; hence the results may be considered within the framework of citizen science. Their contributions provided important data for decision-making regarding environmental issues, since the presence of birds is considered one of the main indicators of the health conditions of an ecosystem. Data analysis identified two basic conditions: (i) a reduction of the 23% in the number of species found, many of which disappeared during counting; and (ii) the significant increase in population of other species, including three species of pigeons. Apart from the study of variations in the numbers of bird species present in the routes with urban characteristics, the article acknowledges the lack of connection and use of this citizen science for decision-making and education regarding environmental issues. Therefore, we consider it crucial to create scientific observations that are available to both experts in the field and to the general population, which is the essence of citizen science.

Factors affecting captive whooping crane egg fertility: A retrospective analysis

ABSTRACTThe whooping crane (Grus americana) has been managed in captivity since the 1960s following a substantial genetic bottleneck in the wild population. Through major ex situ conservation efforts, there are 158 whooping cranes managed in North American institutions and chicks are released annually into the wild. Current reintroduction goals for the whooping crane however, are impeded by poor reproduction within the ex situ population, in part because of low egg fertility. Development of improved management techniques to overcome low egg fertility requires a better understanding of factors that influence egg fertility. We collected data for eggs laid at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center from 2005–2014 (n = 438 eggs; n = 23 pairs). We constructed 5 sets of generalized linear mixed‐models, with a Bernoulli‐distributed response variable (fertile or infertile), to address the effects of egg‐specific variables (month laid, sequence, and clutch order of the egg), life‐history events of the male and female (age, rearing method, wing condition, age at first pairing, age at current pairing, and female age at first laying), pair‐specific characteristics (kinship, years paired, chick‐rearing experience, and previous pairings), and captive management decisions (inclusion in the artificial insemination program and pair experience chick‐rearing) on the probability of egg fertility. Our results indicate that female‐specific factors (especially age, age at current pairing, and wing status) and pair‐specific factors of kinship, chick‐rearing experience, copulation, and inclusion in the artificial insemination program influenced fertile egg production. Specifically, the younger a female is when paired with her current social mate, the higher probability that her eggs will be fertile. Furthermore, high kinship reduced fertility, whereas chick‐rearing experience and artificial insemination of females with a donor male other than her social mate increased fertility. Further research on mate selection and reproductive mechanisms is needed to better understand egg laying and egg fertility in the whooping crane. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.

Neotropical Migrants Exhibit Variable Body-Size Changes Over Time and Space

Abstract Recent changes in the Earth's climate have been linked to changes in phenology, geographic distributions, and morphology of species, and warming temperatures associated with climate change have been predicted to result in decreases in avian body sizes. We examined changes in wing length and fat-free mass of 34,844 fall migrants from 31 neotropical migratory species captured at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland between 1980 and 2012. Body size changes varied across species, but wing length and fat-free mass increased significantly over time in the pooled sample of all species. Magnitudes of change were small and similar to other studies, with mean wing length increasing 0.55% and mean fat-free mass increasing 1.30% across all species. General morphological changes at our site differed from those at a banding station located 235 km away. Across species, changes in wing length were weakly correlated between stations, and changes in fat-free mass were uncorrelated. Populations of some spe...

A cautionary note on the discrete uniform prior for the binomial N: reply

EcologyVolume 95, Issue 9 p. 2677-2679 Comment A cautionary note on the discrete uniform prior for the binomial N: reply William A. Link, William A. Link USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland 20708 USA. E-mail: wlink@usgs.govSearch for more papers by this author William A. Link, William A. Link USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland 20708 USA. E-mail: wlink@usgs.govSearch for more papers by this author First published: 01 September 2014 https://doi.org/10.1890/14-0857.1Citations: 2 Corresponding Editor: E. G. Cooch. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume95, Issue9September 2014Pages 2677-2679 RelatedInformation

MC(MC)MC: exploring Monte Carlo integration within MCMC for mark–recapture models with individual covariates

Summary Estimating abundance from mark–recapture data is challenging when capture probabilities vary among individuals. Initial solutions to this problem were based on fitting conditional likelihoods and estimating abundance as a derived parameter. More recently, Bayesian methods using full likelihoods have been implemented via reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling (RJMCMC) or data augmentation (DA). The latter approach is easily implemented in available software and has been applied to fit models that allow for heterogeneity in both open and closed populations. However, both RJMCMC and DA may be inefficient when modelling large populations. We describe an alternative approach using Monte Carlo (MC) integration to approximate the posterior density within a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling scheme. We show how this Monte Carlo within MCMC (MCWM) approach may be used to fit a simple, closed population model including a single individual covariate and present results from a simulation study comparing RJMCMC, DA and MCWM. We found that MCWM can provide accurate inference about population size and can be more efficient than both RJMCMC and DA. The efficiency of MCWM can also be improved by using advanced MC methods like antithetic sampling. Finally, we apply MCWM to estimate the abundance of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in 1982 allowing for capture probabilities to vary as a function body mass.

NWRC Chemical Effects Database – What’s Old is New Again

The United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (USDA APHIS WS), National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) “Chemical Effects Database” is an internet-accessible and searchable database that contains bioassay data records for chemicals evaluated for repellency, toxicity, reproductive inhibition, and immobilization of higher vertebrates, and phytotoxicity. These data are of value for environmental risk assessment, conduct of toxicology studies, and the development of safe, effective, and responsible tools to manage vertebrate pest species that cause damage. Chemical screening studies were conducted from 1943 to 1987 by predecessors of the NWRC, and by the U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC), formerly the Patuxent Research Refuge (PRR) and part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The screening activities were broadly divided into 2 phases. Data collected primarily at the PRR prior to 1960 are published in DeWitt et al. (1953) and Bowles et al. (1974). Research after 1960 was conducted at the Denver Wildlife Research Center (DWRC). Much of these data are also published and now accessible by searching the on-line “Chemical Effects Database” located on the NWRC website (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/information_services/chemical_effects.shtml). The database search capabilities provide easy access to approximately 11,000 bioassay data records for nearly 2,000 chemicals.

Training diving ducks for behavioral audiograms.

Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) are a species of diving duck that dive to depths of greater than 20 m to forage on crustaceans, mollusks, and fish. Currently, there are no measures of underwater hearing of any diving bird because of the inherent difficulties of training a bird to respond to sound underwater. Lesser scaup in a captive colony at USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, MD are being trained to participate in in‐air and underwater behavioral audiograms. Ducklings were hand‐reared to respond to trainers, auditory signals, and mealworm rewards. The ducks were then trained on a go/no‐go task to respond to varying frequencies and intensity levels by pecking an LED‐lit target. All targets and acquisition devices were designed to follow similar procedures in‐air and underwater. Previous auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests demonstrated an in‐air maximum sensitivity at 2–3 kHz. These behavioral audiograms will provide a measure to compare ABR and psychoacoustic thresholds as well as a measure of underwater thresholds, which would be difficult to implement using only the ABR.

231 SEMINAL QUALITY IN WHOOPING CRANE (GRUS AMERICANA) IS AFFECTED BY STAGE OF BREEDING SEASON BUT NOT BY AGE OF INDIVIDUAL

The whooping crane is one of the most critically endangered species in North America. The species underwent a severe genetic bottleneck with only 16 individuals remaining in the wild as of 1942. Captive breeding began in 1966 and continues to produce chicks for release in order to establish new wild populations. However, captive birds experience poor reproduction with approximately 40% of eggs being infertile. Males have been known to reach sexual maturity at 5 years of age and continue to reproduce almost as long as the duration of their adult life (i.e. 40 years). Understanding factors affecting seminal quality may assist in identifying and correcting causes of suboptimal reproduction. Our objectives were to determine the influence of age and reproductive seasonality on seminal quality. We hypothesised that seminal quality variations among whooping cranes and ejaculates within a given individual over time were due to bird age and stage of breeding season. In 2010, twenty-nine whooping cranes of 5 age groups housed at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (Laurel, MD, USA) were studied: ≤5 years (n = 3); 6–10 years (n = 7); 11–15 years (n = 7); 16–20 years (n = 4); >20 years old (n = 8). Semen was collected using a manual manipulation technique at 3 stages of the breeding season: early (March, n = 29) mid (April, n = 24), and late (May, n = 14). Samples were evaluated for seminal volume and sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, with data evaluated by analysis of variance. Bird age had no influence on seminal quality, whereas stage of breeding season affected seminal volume and the proportion of sperm with normal morphology (95% confidence interval). Specifically, samples collected during Mid breeding season had the highest volume (mean ± SEM; early: 42.0 ± 8.0 μL; mid: 66.0 ± 15.2 μL; late: 39.7 ± 17.8 μL), but lowest proportions of structurally normal sperm (early: 78.4 ± 3.7%: mid: 61.5 ± 3.2%; late: 69.7 ± 3.4%). There was a significant difference (P = 0.06) in sperm concentration among stages of the breeding season (early: 66.3 ± 18.8 × 106 sperm mL–1; mid: 179.2 ± 46.2 × 106 sperm mL–1; late: 91.4 ± 47.8 × 106 sperm mL–1). Sperm motility was unaffected by season (early: 36.4 ± 3.5%; mid: 45.9 ± 4.1%; late: 48.0 ± 4.9%). In summary, there is a peak in seminal quality that corresponds with higher volume and more sperm during the mid stage of the season, although with higher instances of structural abnormalities. Despite the small founder base for this species, males in this population produce sperm with no variation in seminal quality across a wide variation in age.

Establishing paternity in whooping cranes (Grus americana) by DNA analysis

-DNA fingerprinting was used to study paternity and genetic variability within a captive flock of Whooping Cranes (Grus americana). Fingerprint patterns for 42 individuals were obtained by digesting genomic crane DNAs with HaeIII followed by electrophoresis, blotting, and hybridization to the M13 minisatellite probe. Despite finding reduced levels of genetic variation in the Whooping Crane due to a population bottleneck, these polymorphisms were successfully used to determine paternity in six of seven cases of captive propagation where the maternal-offspring relationship was known, but where the sire was unknown. These determinations of paternity are required for effective genetic management of the crane flock. These results also revealed a number of heterozygous minisatellite loci that will be valuable in future assessments of genetic variability in this endangered species. Received 10 July 1991, accepted 10 February 1992. THE WHOOPING CRANE (Grus americana) is a highly endangered species. Today's 221 surviving individuals are all descendants of a single natural population that nests in Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada, and over-winters at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge near Austwell, Texas. The wild Wood Buffalo population reached a low of 15 birds in 1941 and then slowly increased to 48 in 1967, and to 142 in 1990 (Erickson 1968, Ellis et al. 1991). Besides the 142 cranes making up the Wood BuffaloAransas population, in 1990 there were 66 individuals in captivity and 13 in an experimental transplant-release program in Idaho. Due to its endangered status, the Whooping Crane has been the subject of intense efforts aimed at preservation and recovery of the species. These efforts have included ecological study, habitat management, and reintroduction (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1986, Canadian Wildlife Service 1988). A captive propagation program was initiated at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland, in 1965. Relying principally on artificial insemination, this project has produced 50 captive-reared cranes since 1975, and has supplied 73 fertile eggs for transplant release. Whooping Cranes represent a substantial captive investment due to slow sexual maturity and low reproductive capacity (only 60% of eight-year-old captive females have produced eggs, and only five or six eggs are produced per female per year). In order to maximize the production of fertile eggs, adult females often were inseminated with semen from several males. In these cases, the female parent was known, but the sire was not known. The unknown paternities pose a significant impediment to future breedings. In order to avoid the possibility of inbreeding, female offspring could not be mated with any of their possible sires. In addition, it was not possible to distinguish sibling and half-sibling relationships among these offspring. Determining paternal relationships, thus, would benefit those involved in the genetic management of the captive Whooping Crane flock. Although knowledge of paternity has been needed for some time, conventional techniques (such as allozyme analysis) have failed to resolve paternity in most birds, including these cranes. However, the recent development of DNA fingerprinting (or DNA profiling) has made it feasible to perform meaningful paternity testing in avian species. This technique makes use of minisatellites, which are short tandemly repeated DNA sequences. An interesting feature of minisatellites is that the nu-

Organized Oral Session 16. Linking Data and Theory in Dendritic Ecological Networks: from Ecological Problems to Rapid Understanding

Organized Oral Session 16. Linking Data and Theory in Dendritic Ecological Networks: from Ecological Problems to Rapid Understanding

Pathogenicity of West Nile Virus and Response to Vaccination in Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) Using a Killed Vaccine

West Nile virus was introduced into the United States in the vicinity of New York, New York, USA in 1999. The virus has since killed large numbers of birds nationwide, especially, but not limited to, crows (Corvus brachyrhinchos). One sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) at the Bridgeport Zoo (Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA) reportedly died from West Nile virus, so sandhill cranes and endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana), both in the wild and in captive breeding colonies at United States Geological Service (USGS) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (Laurel, Maryland, USA) were considered at risk. A killed vaccine in sandhill cranes was evaluated by vaccinating and then challenging these cranes with live West Nile virus. No sandhill cranes inoculated with the killed vaccine developed significant titers when compared with unvaccinated controls. No sandhill cranes inoculated with the vaccine and challenged with the virus died from West Nile virus infection. In addition, no unvaccinated challenged sandhill cranes died. However, 2 days postchallenge, vaccinated cranes had significantly less viremia (P < 0.05) than unvaccinated cranes. Seven days postchallenge vaccinated cranes had significantly less cloacal shedding of the virus (P < 0.05) than unvaccinated cranes and significantly less weight loss (P < 0.05) as compared with unvaccinated cranes. Vaccinated sandhill cranes developed significantly higher titers 14 days postchallenge and were viremic for shorter periods of time after challenge than unvaccinated individuals. Unvaccinated challenged cranes had glial cell aggregates in both the brain and brain stem areas, and this was not observed in vaccinated challenged cranes or in vaccinated unchallenged cranes.

IN MEMORIAM: STANLEY HELMER ANDERSON, 1939–2005

Stanley Helmer Anderson was born on 6 August 1939 in San Francisco, California. He died peacefully at home with his family in Laramie, Wyoming, on 1 September 2005 after a lengthy illness. His wife Donna preceded him in death in 1999. He is survived by two children, Becky Castano and Greg Anderson, their spouses, and a grandson, Ross Anderson. Stan joined the AOU in 1967, became an Elective Member in 1986, and was elected a Fellow in 1995. Stan's interest in birds began through participation in Boy Scout programs in the San Francisco Bay area when he was 11. He graduated from high school in Burlingame, California, in 1957, and from the University of Redlands with a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry in 1961. A year of graduate courses in Education and Biology at San Jose State College in California followed. Stan went on to serve as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1963 to 1966, after which he obtained an M.S. degree at Oregon State University under John A. Wiens, studying The Avifaunal Composition of Oregon White Oak Stands. He continued for a Ph.D. under Wiens, completing his dissertation, Ecological Relationships of Birds in Forests of Western Oregon, in 1970. That same year, Stan joined the faculty at Kenyon College, where he worked until 1975. He served as a Scientist at Oak Ridge Associated Universities from 1975 to 1976, and from 1976 to 1980 as Chief of the Migratory Nongame Bird Section of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. In 1980 he moved to Laramie, Wyoming, as Leader of the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. He served as Unit Leader and Professor of Zoology and Physiology at the University of Wyoming until his death. The breadth and depth of Stan's contributions to science were substantial. Between 1970 and 2005, he authored almost 200 scientific publications that appeared in journals ranging from The Auk and Ecology to the Journal of Wildlife Management. He also authored or co-authored multiple editions of three textbooks that have been used widely in the field of wildlife management, as well as books on the Prairie Falcon and forest and rangeland birds of the United States. Stan was one of the first avian ecologists to study bird-habitat relations using multivariate statistical techniques. Throughout his career, a special interest in habitat selection guided his research and his training of students. In recent years, he focused increasingly on endangered species and made significant contributions to solving problems confronting black-footed ferrets and Greater Sage-Grouse. Stan's influence is reflected not only in his extensive contributions to science but also in the many students he mentored. From 1980 to 2005, Stan advised or co-advised 100 graduate students, including 23 Ph.D. and 77 M.S. students. Many of his students currently serve as management or research biologists with state (21%), federal (22%), or tribal (3%) natural resource agencies. Many others are college or university faculty (15%), or biologists with nongovernmental organizations (14%) or consulting firms (10%). And still others presently work in secondary schools, medicine, city planning, and ranching, with one bringing his wildlife background to the U.S. Secret Service. Stan's care and sense of responsibility for his students were evident. He frequently mentioned that mentoring his students was the most rewarding aspect of

PRENESTING USE OF INTERTIDAL HABITATS BY PIPING PLOVERS ON SOUTH MONOMOY ISLAND, MASSACHUSETTS

JAMES D. FRASER,1 Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0321, USA SHANNON E. KEANE,2 Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0321, USA P. A. BUCKLEY, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Box 8, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA

Head-bobbing behavior in foraging whooping cranes favors visual fixation

Many species of birds move their heads forward through a series of successive, fixed positions when walking. This unique ‘head-bobbing’ behavior stabilizes visual fields during body movement, preventing motion blur of the retinal image [1–3]. Gaze stabilization could be required for successful visual search, particularly for moving objects [4], but the time available for stabilization varies with walking speed. No direct evidence has been published showing that birds favor the stabilization phase while foraging either for moving or immobile food.

The effects of captive rearing on the behavior of newly-released whooping cranes ( Grus americana)

Rearing treatments used in captivity to prepare animals for reintroduction to the wild may have a profound effect on behavior and, possibly, affect their survival after reintroduction. This study examined the behaviors of captive-reared whooping cranes ( Grus americana) upon their release in Florida to determine if rearing treatments may affect the behavior of the birds and how these affect their chances of survival in the wild. Individually tagged birds were observed at the rearing facility, the U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland, from hatch to 20 weeks of age and at the release site in Central Florida for up to 6 weeks post release. The rearing treatments were parent reared (PR), hand reared (HR), and hand reared with exercise (HRE). Observations at the rearing facility are described in a previous paper. At the release site, each bird was observed for 5 min every morning (0700–1000 h) and late afternoon (1500–1800 h) during the 6-week study period. Our results indicated that most of the time, the n = 34 birds were foraging (46.03 ± 1.48%), followed by nonvigilant (20.89 ± 0.73%), vigilant (19.21 ± 0.72%), or performing comfort behaviors (11.61 ± 1.28%). Data were analyzed using mixed models repeated measures ANOVA. There were no significant behavioral differences between HR and HRE birds. PR birds were found in larger groups than HR birds during the first 2 weeks post release and greater than HR and HRE birds afterwards. This may be interpreted as an antipredator strategy for birds that relied on parental guidance during rearing. HR and HRE birds foraged more than PR birds during the first 2 weeks post release and PR birds were more vigilant during the first 2 weeks post release. Across rearing treatments, the percentages of time spent foraging and engaged in vigilant behaviors during rearing were positively correlated with their behavior upon release. If any of these behaviors can be demonstrated to have relevance for the survival of the whooping cranes after release then it may be possible to establish behavioral interventions to increase the frequencies of such behavior, so that they are perpetuated after release.

The potential conservation value of unmowed powerline strips for native bees

The land area covered by powerline easements in the United States exceeds the area of almost all national parks, including Yellowstone. In parts of Europe and the US, electric companies have altered their land management practices from periodic mowing to extraction of tall vegetation combined with the use of selective herbicides. To investigate whether this alternate management practice might produce higher quality habitat for native bees, we compared the bee fauna collected in unmowed powerline corridors and in nearby mowed grassy fields at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (MD). Powerline sites had more spatially and numerically rare species and a richer bee community than the grassy fields, although the difference was less pronounced than we expected. Powerline sites also had more parasitic species and more cavity-nesting bees. Bee communities changed progressively through the season, but differences between the site types were persistent. The surrounding, non-grassland landscape likely has a strong influence on the bee species collected at the grassland sites, as some bees may be foraging in the grasslands but nesting elsewhere. Improving habitat for native bees will help ameliorate the loss of pollination services caused by the collapse of wild and managed honeybee populations. This study suggests that powerline strips have the potential to provide five million acres of bee-friendly habitat in the US if utilities more generally adopt appropriate management practices.

Endophytic-Host Selectivity of Discula umbrinella on Quercus alba and Quercus rubra Characterized by Infection, Pathogenicity and Mycelial Compatibility

The fungal endophytic–host relationships of Discula umbrinella and two oak species, Quercus alba and Quercus rubra, were characterized on the basis of endophytic infection, pathogenicity, and mycelial compatibility. Isolates of D. umbrinella were cultured from leaves of Q. alba and Q. rubra collected from a hardwood forest located in Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland, USA. Endophytic infection was observed on sterile leaf discs and living 2-month-old seedlings of Q. alba and Q. rubra. Fungal-host reciprocal inoculations revealed the presence of conidiomata on both hosts but conidiomata production was more abundant on Q. alba. Isolates from Q. rubra produced milder disease symptoms on both oak species. Mycelial compatibility studies identified seven different MCG groups. MCG groups 1–3 contained isolates from both oak species whereas MCG groups 4–7 contained host specific isolates. Field studies monitored the seasonal appearance of the sexual fruiting structures, perithecia, as a possible source of new genetic variation that might alter host specificity/pathogenicity of the D. umbrinella isolates on Q. alba and Q. rubra hosts. Only 1–2% of the leaves contained perithecia throughout the sampling period (April–September). Isolates collected from Q. alba differed from those collected from Q. rubra in endophytic infection, pathogenic response, and perithecia production. The results of this study suggest that the endophyte–host relationship is one of host selective preference for Q. alba, but that the endophyte has the ability to maintain the endophytic/pathogenic life cycle on the less preferred host species, Q. rubra.

IN MEMORIAM: ROXIE COLLIE LAYBOURNE, 1910–2003

identification expert for 40 years, bird-skinning teacher, mentor, renaissance woman, natural historian, educator, and sports car enthusiast, Roxie Collie Laybourne died on 7 August 2003 at her home in Manassas, Virginia. Known as the Feather Lady, Roxie pioneered the field of forensic ornithology at the Smithsonian Institution by studying the detailed microscopic structures of plumulaceous (downy) feather barbules and creating a technique of identifying species of birds from fragmentary feather samples. Her methods are now used throughout the world to identify birds involved in collisions with aircraft (birdstrikes) and are routinely applied to studies of prey remains, evidence from criminal cases, and anthropological artifacts. She worked long hours, weekends and holidays, and never took a vacation-believing that if you love what you do, there is no need for time off. Her career in ornithology and species identification benefited numerous agencies, including the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Army; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); National Park Service; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Bureau of Customs; Federal Aviation Administration; and National Transportation Safety Board. On the basis of data provided by Roxie, aircraft have been redesigned, airport biologists have improved their techniques for reducing birdstrikes, and many people have gained a greater appreciation of birds and the natural world. Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on 15 September 1910, Roxie grew up in Farmville, North Carolina, the eldest of 15 children. She graduated from Meredith College, Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1932 with a degree in mathematics and general science. In 1950, Roxie received a Master's degree in Botany from George Washington University, Washington, D.C., completing a thesis on mosses. Before joining the Smithsonian Institution, Roxie worked for H.H. Brimley at the North Carolina State Museum of Natural History in Raleigh as a taxidermist and collector. She also worked at the National Fisheries Laboratory in Beaufort, North Carolina. It was during those years that she transformed her love of natural history, museum collections, and ornithology into a career. In 1944, Alexander Wetmore, acting Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, encouraged Roxie to come to Washington, D.C. for a short-term appointment in the Bird Division at the National Museum of Natural History, with taxidermist Watson Perrygo and curator Herbert Friedmann. From 1946 to the late 1980s, Roxie continued her work at the Smithsonian with the USFWS Bird and Mammal Laboratory (now part of the U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center). Even though Roxie retired from the USFWS in 1988, her professional life was far from over. She continued her feather identification work as a Research Associate with the Smithsonian until her death. Throughout her career, Roxie's ingenuity was apparent in all her projects. In the early 1960s, she developed a technique for sexing Whooping Cranes for the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center -an important process for recovery and management efforts to save that endangered species. During her early years with USFWS, under the direction of John Aldrich, Roxie began her first feather identification services. She developed a technique to identify species of birds from feathers using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, in combination

Establishing appropriate measures for monitoring aging in birds: comparing short and long lived species

In order to reveal patterns of reproductive aging in birds we focus on a short lived species, the Japanese quail and the American kestrel, which has a life span of medium length. Quail have been studied extensively in the laboratory as models for understanding avian endocrinology and behavior, and as a subject for toxicological research and testing. In the lab, Japanese quail show age-related deterioration in endocrine, behavioral, and sensory system responses; the American kestrel is relatively long lived and shows moderate evidence of senescence in the oldest birds. Using data collected from captive kestrels at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, a database was designed to document selected parameters over the life cycle of the kestrels. Life table data collated from many species indicate that longer lived species of birds show senescence in survival ability but this pattern has not been established for reproductive function. We suggest that useful comparisons among species can be made by identifying stages in reproductive life history, organized on a relative time scale. Preliminary data from quail and kestrels, admittedly only two species, do not yet indicate a pattern of greater reproductive senescence in longer-lived birds.

The eastern box turtle at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center 1940s to the present: another view

Several long-term mark recapture studies have been conducted on box turtles ( Terrapene c. carolina) providing valuable information on life span, basic demography, home range, and apparent effects of environmental changes on box turtle survival. One of the longest studied populations was first marked in 1942 on the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland, and has been surveyed every 10 years until 1995. The age structure and gender ratio of these turtles in the field may support differential habitat use and survival estimates. A few of the turtles first marked during the 1945 study are still observed throughout the Center. Data collected from turtles marked in the more upland habitats during 1985–2002 indicate a younger age class distribution than that observed in the more protected biota of the bottomland floodplain study area. Extrapolating ages of turtles described in data collected throughout the long-term study, it was estimated that turtles, both males and females, can show reproduction-intent behaviors at ages greater than 54 years old. It is suggested that count data collection be continued on a more frequent cycle, extending over a larger part of the Center.