NUSO 2015 Research Missions
This year NUSO successfully completed and documented its testing and evaluation of UAS technology for supporting various types of waterbird population, species, and habitat studies.
Census of Ground-nesting Colonial Waterbirds in the Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge
In May 2015 the NUSO, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, and Humboldt State University utilized UAS to conduct population surveys of nesting American White Pelicans at the Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).
Anaho Island NWR was established in 1913 to provide a secure nesting area for colonial waterbirds that are vulnerable to multiple factors (e.g., predation, weather events, disease, lack of sufficient forage; human disturbance) that can influence their productivity and survival. Management objectives for this refuge include monitoring the breeding populations of the various colonial nesting species, primarily American white pelican, double-crested cormorant, California gull, and great blue heron. Anaho Island NWR also supports one of the largest American white pelican nesting colonies in the western United States with on average 10,000 pelicans returning each spring for the nesting season.
Monitoring of the waterbird nesting population at Anaho Island NWR is essential to detect and evaluate changes in waterbird distribution and abundance, and to understand how those changes affect waterbird populations throughout the western United States. Reliable baseline information on breeding population sizes and changes over time would allow the USFWS to evaluate population levels, detect changes, and make informed decisions. Various methods of obtaining population data are being evaluated to select the best method for estimating population sizes of ground-nesting waterbirds. Since colonial nesting birds’ sensitivity to human disturbance can cause them to abandon their nests, collection methods must also minimize any potential disturbance. UAS may prove to be a useful alternative to land-based and/or manned aircraft based visual surveys and have the potential to be more economical, less obtrusive, safer, and a more efficient and versatile means to survey colonial nesting waterbirds. High-resolution color images and infrared images also provide detection of individual nesting pelicans and other ground-nesting waterbirds.
Study Points of Contact:
Nancy Hoffman, Wildlife Refuge Manager
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Donna Withers, Wildlife Refuge Specialist
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Waterfowl Surveys at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge
The NUSO and the USFWS in February 2015 evaluated the use of UAS data collection to improve waterfowl survey accuracy and eliminate pilot/passenger safety risks associated with manned aircraft data collection.
The NWR System, within the USFWS, manages a national network of lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants. At Sequoyah NWR, fixed transect wintering waterfowl surveys have occurred since 2012. However, aerial transect surveys have many shortcomings, due to species identification errors associated with poor visibility and plane speed, errors associated with observer count estimates, and concerns associated with pilot and passenger safety during low-altitude winter flights. If transect surveys using UASs are successful at Sequoyah NWR, then this approach may be employed at other refuges with similar waterfowl monitoring objectives.
Study Points of Contact:
Paige M. Schmidt, Zone Biologist
Dustin Taylor, Refuge Biologist,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
This year NUSO successfully completed and documented its testing and evaluation of UAS technology for supporting various types of waterbird population, species, and habitat studies.
Census of Ground-nesting Colonial Waterbirds in the Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge
In May 2015 the NUSO, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, and Humboldt State University utilized UAS to conduct population surveys of nesting American White Pelicans at the Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).
Anaho Island NWR was established in 1913 to provide a secure nesting area for colonial waterbirds that are vulnerable to multiple factors (e.g., predation, weather events, disease, lack of sufficient forage; human disturbance) that can influence their productivity and survival. Management objectives for this refuge include monitoring the breeding populations of the various colonial nesting species, primarily American white pelican, double-crested cormorant, California gull, and great blue heron. Anaho Island NWR also supports one of the largest American white pelican nesting colonies in the western United States with on average 10,000 pelicans returning each spring for the nesting season.
Monitoring of the waterbird nesting population at Anaho Island NWR is essential to detect and evaluate changes in waterbird distribution and abundance, and to understand how those changes affect waterbird populations throughout the western United States. Reliable baseline information on breeding population sizes and changes over time would allow the USFWS to evaluate population levels, detect changes, and make informed decisions. Various methods of obtaining population data are being evaluated to select the best method for estimating population sizes of ground-nesting waterbirds. Since colonial nesting birds’ sensitivity to human disturbance can cause them to abandon their nests, collection methods must also minimize any potential disturbance. UAS may prove to be a useful alternative to land-based and/or manned aircraft based visual surveys and have the potential to be more economical, less obtrusive, safer, and a more efficient and versatile means to survey colonial nesting waterbirds. High-resolution color images and infrared images also provide detection of individual nesting pelicans and other ground-nesting waterbirds.
Study Points of Contact:
Nancy Hoffman, Wildlife Refuge Manager
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Donna Withers, Wildlife Refuge Specialist
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Waterfowl Surveys at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge
The NUSO and the USFWS in February 2015 evaluated the use of UAS data collection to improve waterfowl survey accuracy and eliminate pilot/passenger safety risks associated with manned aircraft data collection.
The NWR System, within the USFWS, manages a national network of lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants. At Sequoyah NWR, fixed transect wintering waterfowl surveys have occurred since 2012. However, aerial transect surveys have many shortcomings, due to species identification errors associated with poor visibility and plane speed, errors associated with observer count estimates, and concerns associated with pilot and passenger safety during low-altitude winter flights. If transect surveys using UASs are successful at Sequoyah NWR, then this approach may be employed at other refuges with similar waterfowl monitoring objectives.
Study Points of Contact:
Paige M. Schmidt, Zone Biologist
Dustin Taylor, Refuge Biologist,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service