Hi again, folks.

Just got the April 1996 Journal of Wildlife Management, the quarterly =
published by The Wildlife Society, and thought that the readers might be =
interested in the bird-related articles. This society is generally =
composed of wildlife managers and biologists, as well as others =
interested in wildlife management. Some not-so-standard articles this =
quarter.... Enjoy...

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net


An embarrassment of riches: Too many geese. C. Davison Ankney. pp =
217-233. Numbers of Giant Canada Geese, Greater Snow Geese and Lesser =
Snow Geese have increased dramatically in past 30 years, are now causing =
serious ecological and economic problems on breeding grounds and/or =
wintering areas. Suggests new approaches to increase harvests and =
discontinuing planting of food on wildlife refuges that concentrates =
snow geese. Suggests *commercial* harvest of geese as a management tool =
- heretical thought for a wildlife biologist, huh? Especially since =
we've spent the last 80 years educating the public that =
commercialization of "game animals" is bad!...

Uncertainy and the adaptive management of waterfowl harvests. Byron K =
Williams, Fred A Johnson and Khristi Wilkins. pp 223-232. Authors =
developed a model to investigate the use of harvests in reducing =
structural uncertainties relative to harvest/management goals.

Effects of grazing and burning on densities and habitats of breeding =
ducks in North Dakota. Arnold D Kruse and Bonnie S Bowen. pp 233-246. =
Study at Lostwood NWR; burning/grazing reduced nest densities of gadwall =
and blue-winged teal; nest success of several species was high but not =
influenced by burning/grazing. Burning/grazing reduces brushy =
vegetation - this return to "pristine" grasslands, may or may not =
benefit waterfowl or other prairie nesting species.

Long-term declines in nest success of prairie ducks. Wendy D Beauchamp, =
Rolf R Koford, Thomas D Nudds, Robert G Clark and Douglas H Johnson. pp =
247-257. Looked at data from 37 studies since 1935; nest success =
declined at similar rates for 5 species, but late nesters (gadwall, =
blue-winged teal and shoveler) had higher success than early nesters =
(mallard and pintail). Declines were parallel in parkland and grassland, =
despite differences in composition of the predator communities and =
habitats between regions.

Duck nest success declines with and without predator management. Wendy D =
Beauchamp, Thomas D Nudds and Robert G Clark. pp 258-264. Where nest =
predators can be excluded (islands and in fenced exclosures), increased =
nest success results, but nest loss to mammalian predators does not =
appear to be the cause of long-term decline in nest success.

Effects of research activities on nest predation in Arctic-nesting =
geese. Terry Armstrong. pp 265-269. Nest markers did not affect clutch =
size or nest fate in Black Brant and Lesser Snow Geese at Anderson =
River, N.W.T., and were useful for identifying nests from a distance.

Distribution and abundance of Sandhill Cranes in Mexico. Roderick C =
Drewien, Wendy M Brown and Douglas S Benning. pp 270-285. Lesser, =
Greater and Canadian Sanhills at 39 areas in 14 states; 97.4% in the =
Northern Highlands, 0.4% in Central Highlands, 1.5% along Gulf Coast and =
0.7% along Pacific Coast - most in Chihuahua and Durango. Laguna de =
Babicora, the most important crane wintering area in Mexico is =
threatened by proposed habitat alterations - Mexican government is =
planning to drain much of this wetland basin to "improve agriculture and =
flood control". Bird people should note that there was a possible =
sighting of 2 ESKIMO CURLEWS here in December 1989.

Evaluation of visibility correction factors for waterfowl surveys in =
Wyoming. Danielle M Prenzlow and James R Lovvorn. pp 286-297. Due to =
the variability of waterfowl distributions and to procedural problems, =
adequately precise VCFs might not be achievable or cost effective in =
Wyo.=20

Changes in White-winged Dove reproduction in Southern Texas, 1954-93. =
Steven E Hayslette, Thomas C Tacha and Gary L Waggerman. pp 298-301. =
General declines in lower Rio Grande Valley; current limiting factors =
may include overhunting and effects of pesticides.

Reproductive responses of adult female Northern Bobwhite and Scaled =
Quail to nutritional stress. William M Giuliano, R Scott Lutz and =
Reynaldo Patino. pp 302-209. Lab study; macronutrient deficiencies can =
lead to reproductive failures (do tell....)

Effects of red imported fire ants on Northern Bobwhite chicks. William M =
Giuliano, Craig R Allen, R Scott Lutz and Stephen Demarais. pp 309-313. =
Lab study; survival of chicks was reduced with exposure to as few as 50 =
fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) for 15 seconds. "Our results support the =
hypothesis that quail populations can be adversely affected by directs =
exposure to Red Imported Fire Ants." Do tell....

Survival of Wild Turkey hens in southwestern Wisconsin. Robert G Wright, =
R Neal Paisley and John F Kubisiak. pp 313-320. Predation accounted for =
71% of all deaths in this radiotelemetry study. "Turkey densities =
declined during the study and more conservative fall harvests may be =
necessary."

Monitoring Great Horned Owls for pesticide exposure in southcentral =
Iowa. Jeremy A Buck, Larry W Brewer, Michael J Hooper, George P Cobb and =
Ronald J Kendall. pp 321-331. Organophosphorus pesticide (from COUNTER =
15G and LORSBAN 15G) residues occur in mice (Peromyscus) inhabiting =
cornfields. Several factors, including a wide prey base, foraging in =
areas not sprayed, etc, limit OP uptake by owls.

Reproduction in Eastern Screech-Owls fed selenium. Stanley N Wiemeyer =
and David J Hoffman. pp 332-341. Lab study; sure enough - selenium =
depresses reproductive success.

DDE decreases in plasma of spring migrant Peregrine Falcons, 1978-94. =
Charles J Henny, William S Seegar and Thomas L Maechtle. pp 342-349. =
Comparisons of blood from spring migrants captured at Padre Island, =
Texas.

Predicting status change in Red-cockaded Woodpecker cavity-tree =
clusters. John R Thomlinson. pp 350-354. On Sam Houston National Forest =
in the East Texas Pineywoods.

Bird use of an experimental strip intercropping system in northeast =
Iowa. Heidi R Stallman and Louis B Best. pp 354-362. Bird abundance was =
higher in strip cropping than in conventional row crop fields, =
suggesting better foraging habitat in the strips; the strip system may =
function as an ecological trap for birds by attracting them to nest in =
area with high risk of nest failure.

Hunting vulnerability of local and migrant Canada Geese: A comment. =
James O Leafloor, Donald H Rusch, Arthus E Smith, and John C Wood. pp =
452-457. Argued that apparently high vulnerability of local geese was =
caused by underestimation, by Lindberg and Malecki, of their numbers in =
fall population and overestimation of their numbers in the harvest.

Hunting vulnerability of local and migrant Canada Geese: A Reply. Mark S =
Lindberg and Richard A Malecki. pp 458-461. "Leafloor et al's. approach =
left room for error and failed to convince us that our assumptions were =
unreasonable or that our results were not valid. We contend that their =
conclusions about vulnerability of Canada geese in northwestern =
Pennsylvania are poorly founded and potentially misleading."

Also published were numerous non-bird papers on everything from Cane =
Toads in Australia to White-tailed Deer, Elk, Black Bears (Gypsy Moths =
defoliated oak canopy at Shenandoah Natl Park and reduced acorn resource =
for bears..), Grizzly Bears (in Yellowstone - "Current population size =
appears to be approaching a level where management to curb further =
increases might be desirable, even though it will be highly =
controversial"), Coyotes, Lynx and Snowshoe Hares.

All sorts of fun stuff. Ask your friendly local librarian.

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