Bald Eagle Nest Survey Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska
Witter LA and Anderson SA. 2011. Bald Eagle Nest Survey Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska. Natural Resource Data Series. NPS/KATM/NRDS—2011/311. National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science. Fort Collins, Colorado
Nest occupancy and reproductive success of the large breeding populations of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) within parks in the Southwest Alaska Network (SWAN), including Katmai National Park & Preserve (KATM), have been selected as a “vital sign” for monitoring as they are indicative of the health of both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Records of nesting activity were collected from 1974-1997 in KATM, but monitoring lapsed from 1998-2010. In 2011, we reinitiated eagle surveys in KATM following a standardized sampling protocol with an initial double-count aerial survey in May to determine nest locations and occupancy, and a follow-up survey in July to assess productivity. Objectives of this report were to: (1) map all empty and incubating eagle nests located in the Naknek drainage of KATM in 2011, (2) summarize historic KATM bald eagle nesting data, and (3) discuss techniques that can be used for future consistent monitoring. We found 33 incubating and 25 empty nests in the Naknek drainage in 2011. Nest success was 62%, with 0.90 ± 0.15 SE chicks per incubating nest. The number of incubating nests in the Naknek area was higher than any number recorded in the past. Reproductive success fell within the range of past productivity rates, and is indicative of a healthy and stable population. Monitoring trends in bald eagle nest occupancy and productivity over time will allow us to gauge when broader natural or human-caused changes may be occurring within KATM ecosystems.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Witter, Leslie; Anderson, Sherri
- Date of Issue
- 2011-10
- Publisher
- National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science
- Units
- KATM , NRSS , SWAN