Colleen Handel, Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 90
Population trends of birds wintering in the Central Valley of California
Since the 1970s, the Central Valley of California has seen a large investment in preservation and restoration of wetlands and riparian areas. At the same time, grasslands have been lost to vineyards, orchards, and residential development at an accelerating rate. We analyzed data from 17 Christmas Bird Count circles that were surveyed regularly between winter 1978–79 and winter 2013–14 to document
Authors
Edward R Pandolfino, Colleen M. Handel
Trends and traditions: Overview and synthesis
This paper provides an overview by the editors of a collection of 25 papers for the Studies of Western Birds, to be published in a single volume by Western Field Ornithologists. The title of the volume is: "Trends and traditions: Avifaunal change in western North America."
Authors
W David Shuford, Robert E. Gill, Colleen M. Handel
Shorebirds adjust spring arrival schedules with variable environmental conditions: Four decades of assessment on the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska
Arctic summers are brief, and there has been strong selection for migratory birds to
arrive in Arctic nesting areas as early as possible to time breeding with peak food availability
and complete reproduction. The timing of emergence of nesting habitat in spring is, however,
extremely variable in the Arctic, and few long-term studies have examined the ability of avian
migrants to track spring condi
Authors
Craig R. Ely, Brian McCaffery, Robert E. Gill
Avian keratin disorder of Alaska black-capped chickadees is associated with Poecivirus infection
BackgroundAvian keratin disorder (AKD) is an epizootic of debilitating beak deformities, first documented in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) in Alaska during the late 1990s. Similar deformities have now been recorded in dozens of species of birds across multiple continents. Despite this, the etiology of AKD has remained elusive, making it difficult to assess the impacts of this dise
Authors
Maxine Zylberberg, Caroline R. Van Hemert, Colleen M. Handel, Joseph L. DeRisi
Montane-breeding bird distribution and abundance across national parks of southwestern Alaska
Between 2004 and 2008, biologists conducted an inventory of breeding birds during May–June primarily in montane areas (>100 m above sea level) in Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve (Aniakchak NMP), Katmai National Park and Preserve (Katmai NPP), and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (Lake Clark NPP) in southwestern Alaska. Observers conducted 1,021 point counts along 169 transects within
Authors
Courtney L. Amundson, Colleen M. Handel, Daniel R. Ruthrauff, T. Lee Tibbitts, Robert E. Gill
Comparison of acoustic recorders and field observers for monitoring tundra bird communities
Acoustic recorders can be useful for studying bird populations but their efficiency and accuracy should be assessed in pertinent ecological settings before use. We investigated the utility of an acoustic recorder for monitoring abundance of tundra‐breeding birds relative to point‐count surveys in northwestern Alaska, USA, during 2014. Our objectives were to 1) compare numbers of birds and species
Authors
Skyler T. Vold, Colleen M. Handel, Lance B. McNew
Combined analysis of roadside and off-road breeding bird survey data to assess population change in Alaska
Management interest in North American birds has increasingly focused on species that breed in Alaska, USA, and Canada, where habitats are changing rapidly in response to climatic and anthropogenic factors. We used a series of hierarchical models to estimate rates of population change in 2 forested Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) in Alaska based on data from the roadside North American Breeding Bi
Authors
Colleen M. Handel, John R. Sauer
Autonomous acoustic recorders reveal complex patterns in avian detection probability
Avian point‐count surveys are typically designed to occur during periods when birds are consistently active and singing, but seasonal and diurnal patterns of detection probability are often not well understood and may vary regionally or between years. We deployed autonomous acoustic recorders to assess how avian availability for detection (i.e., the probability that a bird signals its presence dur
Authors
Sarah J. Thompson, Colleen M. Handel, Lance B. McNew
Model-based approaches to deal with detectability: a comment on Hutto (2016)
In a recent paper, Hutto (2016a) challenges the need to account for detectability when interpreting data from point counts. A number of issues with model-based approaches to deal with detectability are presented, and an alternative suggested: surveying an area around each point over which detectability is assumed certain. The article contains a number of false claims and errors of logic, and we ad
Authors
Tiago A. Marques, Len Thomas, Marc Kéry, Steve T. Buckland, David L. Borchers, Eric Rexstad, Rachel M. Fewster, Darryl I. MacKenzie, Andy Royle, Gurutzeta Guillera-Arroita, Colleen M. Handel, David C. Pavlacky, Richard J. Camp
A global threats overview for Numeniini populations: synthesising expert knowledge for a group of declining migratory birds.
The Numeniini is a tribe of 13 wader species (Scolopacidae, Charadriiformes) of which seven are Near Threatened or globally threatened, including two Critically Endangered. To help inform conservation management and policy responses, we present the results of an expert assessment of the threats that members of this taxonomic group face across migratory flyways. Most threats are increasing in inten
Authors
James W. Pearce-Higgins, Daniel J. Brown, David J.T. Douglas, José A. Alves, Mariagrazia Bellio, Pierrick Bocher, Graeme M. Buchannan, Robert P. Clay, Jesse R. Conklin, Nicola Crockford, Peter Dann, Jaanus Elts, Christian Friis, Richard A. Fuller, Jennifer A. Gill, Ken Gosbell, James A. Johnson, Rocio Marquez-Ferrando, José A. Masero, David S. Melville, Spike Millington, Clive Minton, Taej Mundkur, Erika Nol, Hannes Pehlak, Theunis Piersma, Danny I. Rogers, Daniel R. Ruthrauff, Nathan R. Senner, Junid Nazeer Shah, Rob D. Sheldon, Sergej A. Soloviev, Pavel S. Tomkovich, Yvonne I. Verkuil
When winners become losers: Predicted nonlinear responses of arctic birds to increasing woody vegetation
Climate change is facilitating rapid changes in the composition and distribution of vegetation at northern latitudes, raising questions about the responses of wildlife that rely on arctic ecosystems. One widely observed change occurring in arctic tundra ecosystems is an increasing dominance of deciduous shrub vegetation. Our goals were to examine the tolerance of arctic-nesting bird species to exi
Authors
Sarah J. Thompson, Colleen M. Handel, Rachel M. Richardson, Lance B. McNew
Blood serum chemistry of wild Alaskan Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) with avian keratin disorder
We measured serum chemistries in wild Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) from Alaska to test for potential differences associated with beak deformities characteristic of avian keratin disorder. Lower uric acid in affected birds was the only difference detected between groups, although sample sizes were small. This difference could be associated with fasting or malnutrition in birds wit
Authors
Caroline R. Van Hemert, Colleen M. Handel
Filter Total Items: 21
Species Affected by Beak Deformities
At least 30 Alaskan bird species are affected and the geographic extent of the problem appears to be growing. In addition to Alaskan observations, we have received increasing numbers of reports from other parts of North America and Europe.
Physical Description of Beak Deformities
The most commonly observed physical abnormalities among Alaskan birds are overgrown or crossed beaks. The severity of the deformities varies, ranging from a nearly indiscernible “overbite” to beaks that are more than double their normal length. The upper and lower parts of the beak are also frequently crossed or gapped.
Prevalence, Distribution and Timing of Beak Deformities in Birds
The rates of beak deformities documented in Black-capped Chickadees and Northwestern Crows in Alaska are the highest ever recorded within a wild bird population anywhere.
Beak Deformity's Effects on Birds
Birds with beak deformities often have difficulty foraging and preening, and may not be able to keep themselves warm and well-fed during cold winter months. Although some birds with beak deformities breed successfully, they typically encounter more challenges than normal birds.
Possible Causes for Beak Deformities
Beak deformities can be caused by a variety of factors, including contaminants, nutritional deficiencies, disease, parasites, blunt trauma, or genetic abnormalities. We recently identified a novel picornavirus (Poecivirus) in Black-capped Chickadees with avian keratin disorder (AKD). Our results suggest that Poecivirus is the most likely factor responsible for beak deformities in Alaskan birds...
Literature Cited for Beak Deformities
Literature Cited in the Beak Deformity web pages
Links Related to Beak Deformity Research
Links, videos and news articles related to beak deformity research
Beak Deformities in Landbirds
Over the past 20 years, Alaskans have witnessed a startling increase of beak deformities among Black-capped Chickadees and other species of resident birds. This disease, called avian keratin disorder (AKD), is characterized by debilitating beak overgrowth and other abnormalities of keratinized tissues. Affected birds have difficulty feeding and preening, and may suffer high rates of mortality.
Environmental Contaminants and Beak Deformities in Alaskan Chickadees
A recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides some of the first environmental contaminants data for a species of passerine bird (perching birds) in Alaska but leaves unanswered questions as to the cause of beak abnormalities found in this species.Beginning in the late 1990s, biologists and members of the public reported an unusual number of beak abnormalities among black-capped...
Filter Total Items: 14
Audio Recording Device Data for Assessing Avian Detectability, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2013-2014
This data set contains information from recording devices that we placed at 11 site-years, set to record regularly during summer breeding seasons. A single observer listened to 2692 recordings, noting which species were heard during each 10-min recording. We used this information to examine how avian detectability varied by day of season, time of day, and ambient temperature. All study locations w
Avian Point Count, Habitat, and Covariate Data for Subarctic Bird Abundance, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2012-2014
This data package contains three tables: avian counts by species, habitat type, a covariate information used for analysis of bird surveys conducted between 2012 and 2014 on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, as part of the USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems Initiative. We conducted 1,208 point counts on 12 study blocks from 2012-2014 in northwestern Alaska, using repeated surveys to account for imperfect
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 90
Population trends of birds wintering in the Central Valley of California
Since the 1970s, the Central Valley of California has seen a large investment in preservation and restoration of wetlands and riparian areas. At the same time, grasslands have been lost to vineyards, orchards, and residential development at an accelerating rate. We analyzed data from 17 Christmas Bird Count circles that were surveyed regularly between winter 1978–79 and winter 2013–14 to document
Authors
Edward R Pandolfino, Colleen M. Handel
Trends and traditions: Overview and synthesis
This paper provides an overview by the editors of a collection of 25 papers for the Studies of Western Birds, to be published in a single volume by Western Field Ornithologists. The title of the volume is: "Trends and traditions: Avifaunal change in western North America."
Authors
W David Shuford, Robert E. Gill, Colleen M. Handel
Shorebirds adjust spring arrival schedules with variable environmental conditions: Four decades of assessment on the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska
Arctic summers are brief, and there has been strong selection for migratory birds to
arrive in Arctic nesting areas as early as possible to time breeding with peak food availability
and complete reproduction. The timing of emergence of nesting habitat in spring is, however,
extremely variable in the Arctic, and few long-term studies have examined the ability of avian
migrants to track spring condi
Authors
Craig R. Ely, Brian McCaffery, Robert E. Gill
Avian keratin disorder of Alaska black-capped chickadees is associated with Poecivirus infection
BackgroundAvian keratin disorder (AKD) is an epizootic of debilitating beak deformities, first documented in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) in Alaska during the late 1990s. Similar deformities have now been recorded in dozens of species of birds across multiple continents. Despite this, the etiology of AKD has remained elusive, making it difficult to assess the impacts of this dise
Authors
Maxine Zylberberg, Caroline R. Van Hemert, Colleen M. Handel, Joseph L. DeRisi
Montane-breeding bird distribution and abundance across national parks of southwestern Alaska
Between 2004 and 2008, biologists conducted an inventory of breeding birds during May–June primarily in montane areas (>100 m above sea level) in Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve (Aniakchak NMP), Katmai National Park and Preserve (Katmai NPP), and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (Lake Clark NPP) in southwestern Alaska. Observers conducted 1,021 point counts along 169 transects within
Authors
Courtney L. Amundson, Colleen M. Handel, Daniel R. Ruthrauff, T. Lee Tibbitts, Robert E. Gill
Comparison of acoustic recorders and field observers for monitoring tundra bird communities
Acoustic recorders can be useful for studying bird populations but their efficiency and accuracy should be assessed in pertinent ecological settings before use. We investigated the utility of an acoustic recorder for monitoring abundance of tundra‐breeding birds relative to point‐count surveys in northwestern Alaska, USA, during 2014. Our objectives were to 1) compare numbers of birds and species
Authors
Skyler T. Vold, Colleen M. Handel, Lance B. McNew
Combined analysis of roadside and off-road breeding bird survey data to assess population change in Alaska
Management interest in North American birds has increasingly focused on species that breed in Alaska, USA, and Canada, where habitats are changing rapidly in response to climatic and anthropogenic factors. We used a series of hierarchical models to estimate rates of population change in 2 forested Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) in Alaska based on data from the roadside North American Breeding Bi
Authors
Colleen M. Handel, John R. Sauer
Autonomous acoustic recorders reveal complex patterns in avian detection probability
Avian point‐count surveys are typically designed to occur during periods when birds are consistently active and singing, but seasonal and diurnal patterns of detection probability are often not well understood and may vary regionally or between years. We deployed autonomous acoustic recorders to assess how avian availability for detection (i.e., the probability that a bird signals its presence dur
Authors
Sarah J. Thompson, Colleen M. Handel, Lance B. McNew
Model-based approaches to deal with detectability: a comment on Hutto (2016)
In a recent paper, Hutto (2016a) challenges the need to account for detectability when interpreting data from point counts. A number of issues with model-based approaches to deal with detectability are presented, and an alternative suggested: surveying an area around each point over which detectability is assumed certain. The article contains a number of false claims and errors of logic, and we ad
Authors
Tiago A. Marques, Len Thomas, Marc Kéry, Steve T. Buckland, David L. Borchers, Eric Rexstad, Rachel M. Fewster, Darryl I. MacKenzie, Andy Royle, Gurutzeta Guillera-Arroita, Colleen M. Handel, David C. Pavlacky, Richard J. Camp
A global threats overview for Numeniini populations: synthesising expert knowledge for a group of declining migratory birds.
The Numeniini is a tribe of 13 wader species (Scolopacidae, Charadriiformes) of which seven are Near Threatened or globally threatened, including two Critically Endangered. To help inform conservation management and policy responses, we present the results of an expert assessment of the threats that members of this taxonomic group face across migratory flyways. Most threats are increasing in inten
Authors
James W. Pearce-Higgins, Daniel J. Brown, David J.T. Douglas, José A. Alves, Mariagrazia Bellio, Pierrick Bocher, Graeme M. Buchannan, Robert P. Clay, Jesse R. Conklin, Nicola Crockford, Peter Dann, Jaanus Elts, Christian Friis, Richard A. Fuller, Jennifer A. Gill, Ken Gosbell, James A. Johnson, Rocio Marquez-Ferrando, José A. Masero, David S. Melville, Spike Millington, Clive Minton, Taej Mundkur, Erika Nol, Hannes Pehlak, Theunis Piersma, Danny I. Rogers, Daniel R. Ruthrauff, Nathan R. Senner, Junid Nazeer Shah, Rob D. Sheldon, Sergej A. Soloviev, Pavel S. Tomkovich, Yvonne I. Verkuil
When winners become losers: Predicted nonlinear responses of arctic birds to increasing woody vegetation
Climate change is facilitating rapid changes in the composition and distribution of vegetation at northern latitudes, raising questions about the responses of wildlife that rely on arctic ecosystems. One widely observed change occurring in arctic tundra ecosystems is an increasing dominance of deciduous shrub vegetation. Our goals were to examine the tolerance of arctic-nesting bird species to exi
Authors
Sarah J. Thompson, Colleen M. Handel, Rachel M. Richardson, Lance B. McNew
Blood serum chemistry of wild Alaskan Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) with avian keratin disorder
We measured serum chemistries in wild Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) from Alaska to test for potential differences associated with beak deformities characteristic of avian keratin disorder. Lower uric acid in affected birds was the only difference detected between groups, although sample sizes were small. This difference could be associated with fasting or malnutrition in birds wit
Authors
Caroline R. Van Hemert, Colleen M. Handel
Filter Total Items: 21
Species Affected by Beak Deformities
At least 30 Alaskan bird species are affected and the geographic extent of the problem appears to be growing. In addition to Alaskan observations, we have received increasing numbers of reports from other parts of North America and Europe.
Physical Description of Beak Deformities
The most commonly observed physical abnormalities among Alaskan birds are overgrown or crossed beaks. The severity of the deformities varies, ranging from a nearly indiscernible “overbite” to beaks that are more than double their normal length. The upper and lower parts of the beak are also frequently crossed or gapped.
Prevalence, Distribution and Timing of Beak Deformities in Birds
The rates of beak deformities documented in Black-capped Chickadees and Northwestern Crows in Alaska are the highest ever recorded within a wild bird population anywhere.
Beak Deformity's Effects on Birds
Birds with beak deformities often have difficulty foraging and preening, and may not be able to keep themselves warm and well-fed during cold winter months. Although some birds with beak deformities breed successfully, they typically encounter more challenges than normal birds.
Possible Causes for Beak Deformities
Beak deformities can be caused by a variety of factors, including contaminants, nutritional deficiencies, disease, parasites, blunt trauma, or genetic abnormalities. We recently identified a novel picornavirus (Poecivirus) in Black-capped Chickadees with avian keratin disorder (AKD). Our results suggest that Poecivirus is the most likely factor responsible for beak deformities in Alaskan birds...
Literature Cited for Beak Deformities
Literature Cited in the Beak Deformity web pages
Links Related to Beak Deformity Research
Links, videos and news articles related to beak deformity research
Beak Deformities in Landbirds
Over the past 20 years, Alaskans have witnessed a startling increase of beak deformities among Black-capped Chickadees and other species of resident birds. This disease, called avian keratin disorder (AKD), is characterized by debilitating beak overgrowth and other abnormalities of keratinized tissues. Affected birds have difficulty feeding and preening, and may suffer high rates of mortality.
Environmental Contaminants and Beak Deformities in Alaskan Chickadees
A recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides some of the first environmental contaminants data for a species of passerine bird (perching birds) in Alaska but leaves unanswered questions as to the cause of beak abnormalities found in this species.Beginning in the late 1990s, biologists and members of the public reported an unusual number of beak abnormalities among black-capped...
Filter Total Items: 14
Audio Recording Device Data for Assessing Avian Detectability, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2013-2014
This data set contains information from recording devices that we placed at 11 site-years, set to record regularly during summer breeding seasons. A single observer listened to 2692 recordings, noting which species were heard during each 10-min recording. We used this information to examine how avian detectability varied by day of season, time of day, and ambient temperature. All study locations w
Avian Point Count, Habitat, and Covariate Data for Subarctic Bird Abundance, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2012-2014
This data package contains three tables: avian counts by species, habitat type, a covariate information used for analysis of bird surveys conducted between 2012 and 2014 on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, as part of the USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems Initiative. We conducted 1,208 point counts on 12 study blocks from 2012-2014 in northwestern Alaska, using repeated surveys to account for imperfect
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government