Duckling survival, habitat use, and incubation rates in common goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) in the Chena River State Recreation Area
Project Number: 36
Year Funded: 2002
Lead Institution(s): University of Alaska Fairbanks
Project Lead: Joshua Schmidt
Collaborator(s): Eric Rexstad (UAF), Eric Taylor (USFWS)
Location: Alaska
Focal Species: Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Project Description: Little is known about the common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) at the northern limit of its breeding range in Interior Alaska. Approximately 50 km east of Fairbanks, an experimental population has been established and studied in a series of 150 nest boxes since 1997.
During the breeding season in 2002 and 2003, radio-telemetry and color-marking was used to follow broods and record duckling survival rates until 30 days of age. At hatch each year, VHF radios were attached to 19 or 20 females (2002 and 2003 respectively) having successfully hatched young. All ducklings from all broods were banded with plasticine-filled leg bands and marked with permanent markers to aid in later identification. The radios and color marks allowed broods to be relocated and the number of surviving young to be recorded. These relocations also provided information on habitat use by the ducklings from hatch until 30 days of age. Two weeks after ducklings left the nest boxes, aquatic invertebrates were trapped in both nesting wetlands and brood-rearing wetlands using activity traps similar to those described by Elmberg et al. (1992) to provide an index of food availability. Program MARK was used to analyze duckling survival data and the following potential covariates: hen body condition, hen age, brood size, duckling age, and precipitation; were analyzed to explain variation in duckling survival.
Artificial eggs containing temperature sensors and radio transmitters were placed in 4 nests in 2002 to collect continuous nest temperature information. Recesses taken by the female were determined by drops in the nest temperature. In 2003, 16 nests were monitored in a similar manner using artificial eggs containing HOBO data loggers. The timing and duration of incubation breaks were analyzed in relation to ambient temperatures, precipitation, and stage of incubation. Data of this type have not been collected previously on this species in Alaska.
During the breeding season in 2002 and 2003, radio-telemetry and color-marking was used to follow broods and record duckling survival rates until 30 days of age. At hatch each year, VHF radios were attached to 19 or 20 females (2002 and 2003 respectively) having successfully hatched young. All ducklings from all broods were banded with plasticine-filled leg bands and marked with permanent markers to aid in later identification. The radios and color marks allowed broods to be relocated and the number of surviving young to be recorded. These relocations also provided information on habitat use by the ducklings from hatch until 30 days of age. Two weeks after ducklings left the nest boxes, aquatic invertebrates were trapped in both nesting wetlands and brood-rearing wetlands using activity traps similar to those described by Elmberg et al. (1992) to provide an index of food availability. Program MARK was used to analyze duckling survival data and the following potential covariates: hen body condition, hen age, brood size, duckling age, and precipitation; were analyzed to explain variation in duckling survival.
Artificial eggs containing temperature sensors and radio transmitters were placed in 4 nests in 2002 to collect continuous nest temperature information. Recesses taken by the female were determined by drops in the nest temperature. In 2003, 16 nests were monitored in a similar manner using artificial eggs containing HOBO data loggers. The timing and duration of incubation breaks were analyzed in relation to ambient temperatures, precipitation, and stage of incubation. Data of this type have not been collected previously on this species in Alaska.
Project Reports: https://seaduckjv.org/pdf/studies/pr36.pdf