Publications
These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.
Filter Total Items: 16785
Crotalus aquilus in the Mexican state of Mexico consumes a diverse summer diet
We report observations of the summer diet of Crotalus aquilus (Queretaro dusky rattlesnake) from an agricultural region near San Pedro de los Metates, municipality of Acambay, state of Mexico, Mexico. We recovered the remains of 12 individual prey items from 11 different snakes. Eleven of 38 (29%) snakes observed contained prey remains, including 6 mammals, 3 lizards, and 3 snakes. These observati
Authors
E. Mociño-deloya, K. Setser, S.C. Peurach, J.M. Meik
Exploring visitor acceptability for hardening trails to sustain visitation and minimize impacts
Protected natural area managers are challenged to provide high quality recreation opportunities and ensure the protection of resources from impacts associated with visitation. Development of visitor use facilities and application of site hardening practices are commonly applied tools for achieving these competing management objectives. This study applies stated choice analysis to examine visitor
Authors
K.L. Cahill, J. L. Marion, S.R. Lawson
Wildlife feeding in parks: methods for monitoring the effectiveness of educational interventions and wildlife food attraction behaviors
Opportunities to view and interact with wildlife are often an important part of high quality recreational experiences. Such interactions frequently include wildlife feeding, resulting in food-conditioned behaviors that may cause harm to both wildlife and visitors. This study developed and applied efficient protocols for simultaneously evaluating wildlife feeding-related behaviors of visitors and
Authors
Jeffrey L. Marion, Robert G. Dvorak, Robert E. Manning
Potential effects of arboreal and terrestrial avian dispersers on seed dormancy, seed germination and seedling establishment in Ormosia (Papilionoideae) species in Peru
The relative effectiveness of arboreal or terrestrial birds at dispersing seeds of Ormosia macrocalyx and O. bopiensis (Fabaceae: Papilionoideae) were studied in south-eastern Peru. Seeds of both species were either scarified, to represent seed condition after dispersal by terrestrial birds, or left intact, to represent seed condition after dispersal by arboreal birds. Seeds were distributed alo
Authors
Mercedes S. Foster
Atlantic Flyway review: Region IV Piedmont-Coastal Plain, Fall 2007: Patuxent powerline right-of-way (390-0764)
This station operates at the Patuxent Research Refuge in a powerline right-of-way that bisects an upland deciduous forest. This area has been used for this purpose since 1980, except in the years 2004-2006. Twenty-six nets are arrayed along approximately one-half mile that runs generally on an east-west orientation. The habitat is marked by dense 4-6 foot high shrub foliage with very few trees of
Authors
Danny Bystrak
Atlantic Flyway review: Region IV Piedmont-Coastal Plain, Fall 2007: Robbins Nest, Laurel, MD (390-0765)
After a gap of two years I resumed banding at this suburban fall-line station on the Patuxent River, my 33rd fall banding season on our two-acre wooded lot. I banded three mornings per week, trying to keep the same schedule as the Patuxent powerline station five miles downstream. I used half as many nets as they did and captured only 15% as many birds. Their location in a large undeveloped area co
Authors
Chandler S. Robbins
Atlantic Flyway review: Region IV Piedmont-Coastal Plain, Fall 2007
Region IV welcomed another coastal station in 2007 with a report from Chris Snook at Charleston, South Carolina. The season was hot and dry throughout Region IV except in Florida where precipitation averaged above normal. Banders blamed their poor success on the lack of cold fronts in August, September, and the first half of October and on persistent strong east winds that blew the migrants farthe
Authors
Chandler S. Robbins
Field Marks of a Celebration: Roger Tory Peterson's Centennial Birthday
A red letter day in my life was April 27, 1934, the day I first met Roger. A birding friend, Elisha Atkins, had invited Clinton Reynolds and me to dinner to meet a famous ornithologist. We would all be going on a field trip to Newburyport on the Massachusetts coast the next day. The dinner conversation revolved about a new field guide that Mr. Peterson had just completed and that would be av
Authors
J. Dunlap, C.S. Robbins
Longevity records for Acadian flycatcher and white-eyed vireo following prescribed timber harvest
No abstract available.
Authors
D.J. Twedt
History of 'computerization' of bird-banding records
No abstract available.
Authors
C.S. Houston, M. K. Klimkiewicz, C.S. Robbins
Estimating species occurrence, abundance, and detection probability using zero-inflated distributions
Researchers have developed methods to account for imperfect detection of species with either occupancy (presence-absence) or count data using replicated sampling. We show how these approaches can be combined to simultaneously estimate occurrence, abundance, and detection probability by specifying a zero-inflated distribution for abundance. This approach may be particularly appropriate when patte
Authors
S.J. Wenger, Mary C. Freeman