You are here
Home ยป Estimating the Abundance of Eared Grebes on Mono Lake, California, by Aerial Photography
Estimating the Abundance of Eared Grebes on Mono Lake, California, by Aerial Photography
Publication Type: | Journal Article |
Year of Publication: | 1998 |
Authors: | W. Boyd, S, Jehl, Jr., JR |
Journal: | Colonial Waterbirds |
Volume: | 21 |
Issue: | 2 |
Date Published: | 1998 |
ISBN Number: | 07386028 |
Keywords: | Podiceps, Podiceps nigricollis, Podicipedidae |
Abstract: | We used an aerial photography protocol to estimate the number of Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) staging on Mono Lake in the fall of 1996 and 1997. Three analytical techniques, a non-stratified and two stratified ones, generated similar abundance values for any given date. The stratified by-quartiles method resulted in the lowest percent SEs but this method and the non-stratified one are sensitive to the quantity and quality of photo coverage. The stratified-by-density method was more time/effort consuming and resulted in intermediate percent SEs but is more robust than the other methods. Total abundance differed by < 3% across consecutive days in October, 1997, which suggests that the photo protocol is reliable. Our data indicate that a minimum of 1.5 to 1.6 million grebes were present on the lake in October of each year. When these estimates are corrected for submerged birds, they increase to 1.8 to 2.0 million birds, confirming that Mono Lake is the most important fall staging site for Eared Grebes in North America. |
URL: | http://www.jstor.org/stable/1521912 |
Short Title: | Colonial Waterbirds |
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical):
Ed Baker,
Katherine Bouton
Alice Heaton
Dimitris Koureas,
Laurence Livermore,
Dave Roberts,
Simon Rycroft,
Ben Scott,
Vince Smith