Santa Cruz Island Reserve

16 Mar, 05 PM - 21 Mar, 05 PM

?Reproductive ecology, habitat associations, and West Nile Virus prevalence in landbirds on Santa Cruz Island? Nest searching and monitoring research will focus on two species, Orange-crowned Warbler and Island Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma insularis). We will monitor nests on 20 ? 40 jay territories/species and capture, mark, and sample blood from 50 ? 100 individuals/species including individuals encountered on island-wide surveys (see below). Adult birds will be caught using mist-nets or bal-chatri traps. Both trap types are designed to maximize the safety of the individuals caught and are standard methods for capturing wild birds. The birds will be extracted quickly (within 3 minutes). They will be weighed, measured, color-banded, and have had a blood sample taken within 20 minutes of capture. Blood will be collected via venipuncture of the brachial vein and 50-100 μl (small passerines) or 100 ? 200 μl (large passerines) will be taken from each individual. Pain and distress to individuals will be minimal, and all birds will be released unharmed. Nests will be checked every 2-4 days until fledging or failure. We will document female incubation behavior and parental provisioning rates with video cameras set up 5 ? 20m from nests. Each nestling will be color-banded, weighed, and measured 2-4 days before fledgling and 500 of blood will be collected via venipuncture of the metatarsal vein. We will conduct avifaunal surveys to determine: 1) distribution and abundance, and 2) prevalence of WNV in Island Scrub-Jays and for other breeding landbirds on Santa Cruz Island. Surveys will consist of fixed-radius point counts and mist-netting. All landbirds captured in nets will be banded, measured, and weighed. In addition, blood will be collected from each individual. Blood will be collected via venipuncture of the brachial vein; 50 ? 70 μl will be taken from each individual. Blood specimens will be sent to Dr. Walter Boyce at the Wildlife Health Center, University of California, Davis. Potential landbird species to be sampled: Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Pacific-slope Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni Island Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma insularis Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus American Robin Turdus migratorius Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos European Starling Sturnus vulgaris Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Capturing, marking, and the collection of samples from birds will be conducted under the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center?s federal (#22665) and California state (SC-006471) banding permits, and approved by the UCSB IACUC (permit 4-06-709).

Visit #14651 @Santa Cruz Island Reserve

Approved

Under Project # 5082 | Research

Reproductive ecology, habitat associations, and West Nile Virus prevalence in landbirds on Santa Cruz Island

research_scientist - Smithsonian Institution

Reservation Members(s)

Group of 2 Faculty Mar 16 - 21, 2008 (6 days)

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Jeep 2 Mar 16 - 21, 2008
Private Room 2 Mar 16 - 21, 2008