Scientific Papers
ELLIS BIRD FARM PUBLISHES SCIENTIFIC PAPER
Thanks to careful record keeping by Winnie Ellis and EBF Biologists, EBF has been able to publish a scientific paper showing that Mountain Bluebirds have advanced their arrival dates in Central Alberta by about 19 days over a 58-year period.
ABSTRACT: Much attention has been given to the topic of bird phenology in response to climate change. While strong evidence supports a general pattern of advancement in spring migrants’ arrival dates with warming temperatures, the mechanisms underlying these changes are not clearly understood. We summarize the spring arrival of the Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) in central Alberta from 58 years of data and examine the influence of temperature and snow cover on the patterns of arrival. We hypothesized that a significant advance in the Mountain Bluebird’s first arrival date was related to weather variables. In central Alberta, March temperatures increased, and first arrival dates for the Mountain Bluebird advanced 0.33 days per year from 1961 to 2018 or 19 days over the 58 years. However, temperatures on the date of arrival have cooled slightly (2.8 °C) over the study period, and snow depth on the date of arrival decreased slightly (1.5 cm) over the study period, which may influence early migrants’ opportunities for foraging. Although Mountain
Bluebirds have arrived at our central Alberta study area considerably earlier over the past decades, temperatures and snow depth have been highly variable, suggesting that the species is likely responding to multiple cues that influence its arrival dates. Given the Mountain Bluebird’s migratory nature, environmental and behavioral stimuli en route to breeding areas likely exert considerable influence on arrival dates.
ABSTRACT: Much attention has been given to the topic of bird phenology in response to climate change. While strong evidence supports a general pattern of advancement in spring migrants’ arrival dates with warming temperatures, the mechanisms underlying these changes are not clearly understood. We summarize the spring arrival of the Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) in central Alberta from 58 years of data and examine the influence of temperature and snow cover on the patterns of arrival. We hypothesized that a significant advance in the Mountain Bluebird’s first arrival date was related to weather variables. In central Alberta, March temperatures increased, and first arrival dates for the Mountain Bluebird advanced 0.33 days per year from 1961 to 2018 or 19 days over the 58 years. However, temperatures on the date of arrival have cooled slightly (2.8 °C) over the study period, and snow depth on the date of arrival decreased slightly (1.5 cm) over the study period, which may influence early migrants’ opportunities for foraging. Although Mountain
Bluebirds have arrived at our central Alberta study area considerably earlier over the past decades, temperatures and snow depth have been highly variable, suggesting that the species is likely responding to multiple cues that influence its arrival dates. Given the Mountain Bluebird’s migratory nature, environmental and behavioral stimuli en route to breeding areas likely exert considerable influence on arrival dates.
| 51_1_-p047-p058_publishes_scientific_paper.pdf |
Precise direct tracing and remote sensing reveal the use of forest islands as roost sites by Purple Martins during migration.
Journal of Field Ornithology
Auriel Fournier et. al
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334806200_Precise_direct_tracking_and_remote_sensing_reveal_the_use_of_forest_islands_as_roost_sites_by_Purple_Martins_during_migration
Journal of Field Ornithology
Auriel Fournier et. al
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334806200_Precise_direct_tracking_and_remote_sensing_reveal_the_use_of_forest_islands_as_roost_sites_by_Purple_Martins_during_migration
Individual Variablity in Migration Timing Can Explain Long-term Population-level Advances in a Songbird
Kevn Fraser et. al
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335661476_Individual_Variability_in_Migration_Timing_Can_Explain_Long-Term_Population-Level_Advances_in_a_Songbird
Kevn Fraser et. al
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335661476_Individual_Variability_in_Migration_Timing_Can_Explain_Long-Term_Population-Level_Advances_in_a_Songbird
ECOLOGICAL CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF INTRATROPICAL MIGRATION IN TEMPERATE-BREEDING MIGRATORY BIRDS. HTTPS://WWW.NCBI.NLM.NIH.GOV/PUBMED/27513909
Motivations, commitment, and turnover of bluebird trail managers Glen T. Hvenegaard & Robyn Perkins - 2019
| hvenegaard_and_perkins_2019_motivations_commitment_and_turnover_of_bluebird_trail_managers.pdf |
EBF Research Article Published!
An article about our RFID research was recently published in Western Birds. A link to the article can be found here.
| ebf_research_article_published.pdf |
Migratory stopover timing is predicted by breeding latitude, not habitat quality, in a long-distance migratory songbird
Journal of Avian Biology
From Dr. Kevin Fraser: Thank you again for all of your hard work that has enabled us to discover and share these results with a broader audience. We have now made very clear the conservation value of fall migratory stopover sites in the Yucatan and region for Purple Martins originating from across the breeding range as well as highlighting next steps.
Journal of Avian Biology
From Dr. Kevin Fraser: Thank you again for all of your hard work that has enabled us to discover and share these results with a broader audience. We have now made very clear the conservation value of fall migratory stopover sites in the Yucatan and region for Purple Martins originating from across the breeding range as well as highlighting next steps.
Click on file below to view or download.
| fraser_et_al-2017_determining_fine-scale_migratory_connectivity_and_habitat_selection_for_a_migratory_songbird_by_using_new_gps_technology_journal_of_avian_biology.pdf |
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