Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge Research Articles

Use of an adaptive kernel home-range estimator in a GIS environment to calculate habitat use

Habitat use analyses have traditionally relied on telemetry relocation points as the primary source of data. Home-range estimations have generally been disregarded as a means of quantifying habitat use and availability. Seasonal habitat use of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)calculated from a home-range estimator using an adaptive kernel method was compared with relocation point data from Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota from 1 January 1993 to 27 June 1994, to determine if an adaptive kernel home-range estimator approximates traditional methods of quantifying habitat use. No differences between proportional area of seasonal home-ranges and point data were detected (P>0·05), indicating that habitat use calculated from an adaptive kernel home-range estimate was similar to habitat use calculated from relocation points. Potential benefits of home-range estimations include consideration of radio-telemetry error, biological independence of observations, and complete utilisation distributions. Given the success of home-range estimators at quantifying habitat use, a new alternative to habitat use analysis is offered. In situations where inherent telemetry error is unavoidable, using proportional area of home-range contours to define habitat use avoids the pitfalls associated with telemetry relocation point data.

The Importance of Emergent Vegetation in Reducing Sediment Resuspension in Wetlands

ABSTRACT Wind-induced resuspension of bottom sediment was measured with sediment traps in Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota. Resuspension was significantly greater in open water areas than in areas protected from wind by emergent vegetation. Resuspended sediment was apparently uniformly distributed through the water column.

Red Fox Spatial Characteristics in Relation to Waterfowl Predation

Radio-equipped red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) on the Cedar Creek area in Minnesota were spatially distributed, with individual families occupying well defined, nonoverlapping, contiguous territories. Territory boundaries often conformed to natural physical boundaries and appeared to be maintained through some nonaggressive behavior mechanism. Individual foxes traveled extensively throughout he family territory each night. Fox territories appeared to range from approximately 1 to 3 square miles in size, dependent largely on population density. Red foxes used a sequence of dens to rear their pups, and the amount and location of food remains at individual dens changed as the pups matured. The denning season was divided into pre-emergence, confined-use, and dispersed-use periods of 4 to 5 weeks each. Remains of adult waterfowl were collected at rearing dens on six townships in three ecologically different regions of eastern North Dakota. Remains of 172 adult dabbling ducks and 16 adult American coots (Fulica americana) were found at 35 dens. No remains from diving ducks were found. The number of adult ducks per den averaged 1.6, 5.9, and 10.2 for paired townships in regions with relatively low, moderate and high duck populations, respectively. Eighty-four percent of the ducks were females. The species and sex composition of ducks found at dens during early and late sampling periods reflected the nesting chronology of prairie dabbling ducks. Occupied rearing dens were focal points of red fox travel, and the locations of dens may have had considerable influence on predation. Thirty-five of 38 dens found on the six township study areas were on pastured or idle lands. The distribution of rearing dens on the Sand Lake and Arrowwood national wildlife refuges suggested that, on these areas, fox dens were concentrated because of the topography and land-use practices. Red foxes are abundant hroughout much of the prairie waterfowl production areas in the United States and Canada. They prey on waterfowl and their eggs, but few data are available that document he use of these food sources by red foxes. The purposes of this paper are to discuss certain spatial characteristics of red foxes that relate to their population densities and predator-prey interactions, and to portray and discuss red fox utilization of adult waterfowl during the nesting season. Data included in this paper came primarily from ( 1 ) literature on the subject, ( 2 ) a study on the ecology and behavior of radio-equipped red foxes on the Cedar Creek Natural History Area in east-central Minnesota, (3) a study of red fox utilization of adult waterfowl on six townships in eastern North Dakota, and (4) observations on locations of red fox dens on Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota, and Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota. Only certain aspects of these studies that demonstrate specific characteristics of red foxes in relation to their interactions with waterfowl populations are presented. A more detailed and comprehensive report on the Cedar Creek study is being prepared for publication.

Use of 4-Aminopyridine to Protect Ripening Corn from Blackbirds

A toxic, fright-producing chemical, 4-aminopyridine, was tested for alleviating damage by redwinged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) to ripening corn in Brown County, South Dakota. The treatment reduced losses by about 7() percent in 8 contiguous sections colntaining 1,013 acres of corn. Numbers of blackbirds using the treated area fell sharply during a 5-day period after treatment began and remained at a low level for the remainder of the damage season. The technique was highly specific for blackbirds. Although pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) were abundant, there was no evidence that any were affected, and mortality among other species of birds was negligible. Blackbirds, principally red-winged blac3<birds, damage ripening corn in many areas of the United States and create a need for an effective, safe, and economical means of controlling damage. Many techniques have been tried, some providing a degree of relief ( Neff 194S, Neff and Meanley 1957, Bird and Smith 1963), but, for the effort expended, most have failed to give the protection desired. Since 1, the Denver Wildlife Research Center has investigated methods of controlling blackbird damage to ripening field corn at Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota ( De Grazio 1964 ) . From 1961 to 1963, we detennined that redwings destroyed an average of about 3 bushels of com per acre in a 94-section survey area surrounding the marshes of this refuge. In 1962 and 1963 experiments, we sprayed partially husked ears of standing corn with a chemical frightening agent, 4-aminopyridine. Some species of birds affected with 4aminopyridine emit distress cries and perform aerial distress displays, and a few affected individuals often frighten the other 1 Deceased. birds in the floek and cause thenr to leave. Although this chemieal was first synthesized by Koenigs and Gredner ( 1931), its unique aetion on birds was discovered by Goodhue et al. (l964), and its utility for controlling damage by birds in some situations was demonstrated by Goodhue and Baumgartner (1965s, b). In redwings, we found that a lethal dose of 4-aminopyridine was necessary to produee distress behavior. The acute oral LD50, as well as the dose necessary tol produce distress in 50 percent of the birds, was 2.4 mg/kg (95 pereent eonfidence limits, 1.5-3.8 mg/kg). At this level, distress usually began about 15 minutes after dosing and lasted for about 20 to 30 minutes. Our studies in 1963 indieated the eonditions for using 4-aminopyridine sprays effectively, the number of treatments necessary to provide proteetion during the damage season, and the number of treated ears required per aere. These investigations showed that the feedingl habits of blackbirds could be disrupted after they had beeome established in a field, and that a field could be protected even though only a few birds were affeeted. Often, a few

Repelling Pheasants from Sprouting Corn with a Carbamate Insecticide

The protection of sprouting corn from pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) by treating the seed with a new repellent, DRC-736 (4-(methylthio)-3,5-xylyl N-methylcarbamate), was evaluated in May and June, 1967 on the Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota. The three treatments (0.5 and 3.0 percent DRC-736 and the control) were each evaluated 100 times on 0.016-acre plots in each of four fields. The number of corn seedlings pheasants destroyed in the 400 plots of each treatment was 2,192 for the control but only 99 in the 0.5-percent plots and 59 in the 3.0-percent plots. This effec- tive repellency did not occur until entire fields were treated instead of small plots within fields. The 0.5-percent DRC-736 treatment saved $10 worth of corn for every dollar spent for chemical. Abstract: The protection of sprouting corn from pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) by treating the seed with a new repellent, DRC-736 (4-(methylthio)-3,5-xylyl N-methylcarbamate), was evaluated in May and June, 1967 on the Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota. The three treatments (0.5 and 3.0 percent DRC-736 and the control) were each evaluated 100 times on 0.016-acre plots in each of four fields. The number of corn seedlings pheasants destroyed in the 400 plots of each treatment was 2,192 for the control but only 99 in the 0.5-percent plots and 59 in the 3.0-percent plots. This effec- tive repellency did not occur until entire fields were treated instead of small plots within fields. The 0.5-percent DRC-736 treatment saved $10 worth of corn for every dollar spent for chemical.

Aging Small Canada Geese by Neck Plumage

The neck plumage method, a new technique for separating immature from adult Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in the hand, was evaluated by comparison with the notched tail feather and cloacal examination methods. Two (1.4 percent) of 141 geese examined were misaged, resulting in a 6 percent error in the immature-adult ratio obtained by the neck plumage method. The neck plumage method is a rapid aging method and reasonable accuracy (94 percent) can be obtained. It can also be used to dif- ferentiate immatures from adults on the ground at distances up to 175 yards, but was almost impossible to use when geese were in flight. As yet, the neck plumage method has only been tested on the subspe- cies (B. c. hutchinsii-parvipes complex) in the Tall-Grass Prairie population of small Canada geese. AGING SMALL CANADA GEESE BY NECK PLUMAGE KENNETH F. HIGGINS, South Dakota Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Brookings1 LYLE J. SCHOONOVER, Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Columbia, South Dakota Abstract: The neck plumage method, a new technique for separating immature from adult Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in the hand, was evaluated by comparison with the notched tail feather and cloacal examination methods. Two (1.4 percent) of 141 geese examined were misaged, resulting in a 6 percent error in the immature-adult ratio obtained by the neck plumage method. The neck plumage method is a rapid aging method and reasonable accuracy (94 percent) can be obtained. It can also be used to dif- ferentiate immatures from adults on the ground at distances up to 175 yards, but was almost impossible to use when geese were in flight. As yet, the neck plumage method has only been tested on the subspe- cies (B. c. hutchinsii-parvipes complex) in the Tall-Grass Prairie population of small Canada geese.

Banding Pliers for Pre-Opened Bands

The fabrication of pliers that close pre-opened bird bands with a single clamping motion is described. Metal wedges, fitted into the jaws, roll in on the band as it is being shut, molding the band into a tightly closed position. Pliers for bands of five different sizes have been made and used successfully for banding thousands of birds, principally waterfowl. In 1962, banding pliers and related equipment suited for large-scale banding operations were developed at the Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota. Since then, and with the advent of preopened bands from the Bird Banding Office, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, the pliers have been used in several areas where large numbers of birds were captured at one time and where rapid banding and release were desirable. To date, pliers for Nos. 5, 6, 7A, 7B, and 9 bands have been made and used successfully in banding thousands of birds, including pelicans, geese, ducks, and band-tailed pigeons. Since the principle is the same for all sizes of pliers, this paper describes the fabrication of the No. 5 pliers only. A size 10, style 4-1242S banding pliers blank, that is, without holes drilled in the jaws or the ends ground off for opening bands, was obtained from the National Band & Tag Company of Newport, Kentucky. A 3/s-inch hole, the outside diameter of a closed No. 5 band, was drilled through the base of the jaws (Fig. 1). The central third (%72 inch) of the jaw tips was removed to receive the 3/6-inch-thick (#2, Fig. 1) that pivoted on a %2-inch pin (#3, Fig. 1) near the tip of each jaw. In use, as the pliers are closed the pivoting wedges roll in on the band and help to shape it into the closed position. To insure the proper positioning of the wedges when the pliers are opened, a %2-inch compression spring (#5, Fig. 1) was inserted in a transverse 7/64-inch hole at the base of each wedge. A portion of the metal on each side of this transverse hole was removed to permit passage of a ~1/6-inch pin (#4, Fig. 1) that was inserted after the spring and wedge were placed in the jaw of the pliers.

Recent Modifications in Banding Equipment for Canada Geese

Recent Modifications in Banding Equipment for Canada Geese

Waterfowl Sickness Diagnoses in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Manitoba

A previous report on duck sickness at Whitewater Lake (Bossenmaier, et al., 1954) reviewed the possible causative agents in that area in 1950 and 1951. Algal poisoning was the sole substitute explanation advanced that could not be rejected after thoughtful consideration of the problem. Blooms of blue-green algae (Cyanophyta), composed of species known to be toxic to many animals, were present in the portion of Whitewater Lake where most affected waterfowl were recorded in the late summer of 1950 and 1951 when avian sickness was at its height. Fresh and frozen samples of this algae exhibited a high toxicity when injected intraperitoneally into mice. In addition to these findings, toxin-producing species of blue-green algae were identified (by T. A. Olson's staff at the School of Public Health, University of Minnesota) on Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Columbia, South Dakota, during an outbreak of sickness in the summer of 1952. Furthermore, similar species were found during a period of waterfowl losses in the same summer on Mud Lake National Wildlife