Inventory of breeding birds in Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve
Ruthrauff DR and Tibbitts TL. 2009. Inventory of breeding birds in Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve. Natural Resource Technical Report. NPS/SWAN/NRTR—2009/186. U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center. Anchorage, AK
As part of the National Park Service’s Inventory and Monitoring Program, biologists from the U. S. Geological Survey’s Alaska Science Center and the National Park Service conducted an inventory of breeding birds in Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve (ANIA) during spring 2008. To survey for birds, two, two-person crews conducted counts at 136 points across eight, 10-km x 10-km (6.2-mi x 6.2-mi) random plots; another two-person crew conducted extensive area searches at six locations believed to contain unique habitats or landforms. We detected 67 species in ANIA, including 21 species of conservation concern. We detected seven species not previously recorded in Aniakchak (gadwall [Anas strepera], golden eagle [Aquila chrysaetos], merlin [Falco columbarius], marbled godwit [Limosa fedoa], downy woodpecker [Picoides pubescens], horned lark [Eremophila alpestris], and hoary redpoll [Carduelis hornemanni]). The most commonly detected species was golden-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla), followed by Wilson’s warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) and hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus). These three species were also the most widely distributed species at locations where we conducted point counts. We defined survey points as low (<120 m), middle (120–320 m), or high (321–625 m) elevation based on the distribution of vegetation cover, and similarly categorized the 13 most commonly detected species based on the mean elevation of sample points at which they were detected. The habitat types and associated bird communities were similar to those observed during inventories conducted in Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks and Preserves during 2004–2006, but the elevation classes, associated habitat types, and bird communities occurred within narrower and lower elevation ranges in ANIA. Because the avifauna of this region is poorly described, this inventory significantly contributes to our knowledge of the breeding bird community in the region and establishes baseline information on species status for any future monitoring efforts.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Ruthrauff, Daniel; Tibbitts, T
- Date of Issue
- 2009-03-31
- Publisher
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center
- Units
- ANIA , NRSS , SWAN
- Keywords
- Abundance (Biodiversity), Alaska, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, Breeding Birds, Distribution (Biodiversity), Inventory, Observations, Presence (Biodiversity), Southwest Alaska Network, SWAN