Hierarchical Distance Sampling Reveals Increased Population Size and Broader Habitat Use in the Endangered Bahama Oriole

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dc.contributor.authorRowley, Michael G.
dc.contributor.authorStanley, Richard C.
dc.contributor.authorAntalffy, Janine M.
dc.contributor.authorChristhilf, Jennifer L.
dc.contributor.authorStonko, Daniel C.
dc.contributor.authorJohnson, Scott B.
dc.contributor.authorCant-Woodside, Shelley
dc.contributor.authorSillett, T. Scott
dc.contributor.authorFagan, Matt E.
dc.contributor.authorStudds, Colin E.
dc.contributor.authorOmland, Kevin
dc.date.accessioned2021-01-13T20:38:16Z
dc.date.available2021-01-13T20:38:16Z
dc.date.issued2021-01-10
dc.description.abstractCaribbean is home to over 20 passerine species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi) is listed as critically endangered and is now restricted to Andros, a single island complex in The Bahamas. We investigated this species’ habitat use and produced the first statistically robust estimate of population size. We conducted point counts during the Bahama Oriole’s breeding season in May and June 2017, extensively surveying the northern part of North Andros over a study area covering 713 km². Hierarchical distance sampling models estimated 1269-2765 individuals within our study area, a substantially larger population on North Andros than was indicated by the previously published estimates. Earlier studies, which disproportionately sampled anthropogenic and coppice habitats, likely underestimated this species’ abundance in pine forest. We found that the Bahama Oriole is widespread, most abundant in pine forest, and not dependent on developed habitats during the breeding season. These findings provide a better outlook for the species’ persistence and indicate that conserving pine forest would benefit this critically endangered species. Our results also emphasize the importance of rigorously evaluating habitat use when developing conservation plans for endangered species. Systematic population counts and statistical analyses that account for detection probability are needed for endangered and vulnerable endemic birds across the Caribbean, especially in the face of increased hurricane strength and sea level rise due to climate change.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThis project was primarily funded by grants from American Bird Conservancy, Birds Caribbean, and Mohammed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund. Kevin Omland, Colin Studds and Matt Fagan are funded by an NSF International Research Experience for Students Grant (IRES – OISE-1827110). In addition, UMBC Undergraduate Research Awards and Explorers Club Youth Activity Fund grants supported Michael Rowley, Jennifer Christhilf and Daniel Stonko, and an anonymous donation to the UMBC Foundation supported student research on Andros. Matthew Jeffery from Audubon’s International Alliance Program and Melissa Price provided advice to help start the project. We thank The Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology Commission (BEST) for permits to conduct this research. UMBC students Alexis Scarseletta, Matthew Kane, Briana Yancy and Cierra McKoy helped with fieldwork; Breanna Byrd helped with figures. Bahamas National Trust personnel including Lehron Rolle, Latia Smith and Leslie Brace helped with our work on Andros; we also thank Zeko McKenzie. Finally, we thank Carleen and Doral Woods, Samuel Nelson, Tarran Simms, Diane Knoll, Karan and Norm Byers, Karin and Dave Barton and many other residents of North Andros.en_US
dc.description.urihttp://www.ace-eco.org/vol16/iss1/art5/
dc.format.extent31 pagesen_US
dc.genrejournal articlesen_US
dc.identifierdoi:10.13016/m2duck-gavz
dc.identifier.citationRowley, Michael G.; Stanley, Richard C.; Antalffy, Janine M.; Christhilf, Jennifer L.; Stonko, Daniel C.; Johnson, Scott B.; Cant-Woodside, Shelley; Sillett, T. Scott; Fagan, Matt E.; Studds, Colin E.; Omland, Kevin E.; Hierarchical Distance Sampling Reveals Increased Population Size and Broader Habitat Use in the Endangered Bahama Oriole; Avian Conservation and Ecology (2020) v, 16, no. 1; http://www.ace-eco.org/vol16/iss1/art5/en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/20479
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.relation.isAvailableAtThe University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Biological Sciences Department Collection
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Faculty Collection
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Student Collection
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Geography and Environmental Systems Department
dc.rightsThis item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)*
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/*
dc.titleHierarchical Distance Sampling Reveals Increased Population Size and Broader Habitat Use in the Endangered Bahama Orioleen_US
dc.title.alternativeL'échantillonnage fondé sur la distance couplé à une approche hiérarchique révèle une taille de population plus élevée et une utilisation de l'habitat plus vaste chez l'Oriole des Bahamas, espèce en danger
dc.typeTexten_US
dcterms.creatorhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3863-5509

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