filling critical knowledge gaps to evaluate vulnerability of the western yellow rail

FILLING CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE GAPS TO EVALUATE VULNERABILITY OF THE

WESTERN YELLOW RAIL

Sean P. Murphy, Susan M. Haig, Faye Weekley, Mark P. Miller, Thomas D. Mullins, Kenneth J. Popper, & Michael Green

Yellow Rail Symposium 19 July 2013

• Historical information• Current knowledge• Ongoing efforts

Objectives

1) Historical background

2) Since 1982- Nesting ecology- Genetic analyses

3) Current endeavors

Historical Breeding Distribution

Pre-1950− Mono Co, CA− Klamath Co, OR

1950-1980− Extirpated from all

historic sites

1982− Rediscovered in west

- Marshall, D. et al. 2003. Birds of OR. OSU Press.

- Shuford & Gardali. 2008. CA Bird Sp. of Special Concern. CA Dept of Fish & Game.

Winter Distribution

Historically (early 1900’s)- Coasts & bays

• Humboldt to Orange (57/64 records)

- San Joaquin Valley (6 records)

Recently (since 1970’s)- Extirpated from all historic

sites

- Marshall, D. et al. 2003. Birds of OR. OSU Press.

- Shuford & Gardali. 2008. CA Bird Sp. of Special Concern. CA Dept of Fish & Game.

Current Distribution

Western YERA classifications• SENSITIVE-CRITICAL (OR)• SPECIAL CONCERN (CA)

• SENSITIVE SPECIES – USFS (R6)

Breeding− Majority in sc. Oregon

Winter− Coastal CA?

NESTING ECOLOGY (Popper & Stern 2000)

- Hatch: early June through July

- Clutch: 8 eggs (n=8; SD = 1.1; range 6-9)

- Nest: equal parts dead/senescent and live vegetation

- Vegetation: Carex dominated at nest

- Water: 7cm depth at calling males (n=638, SD=3.6)

- Home range: 19.3 ha(n=9, range 4.6-45.2; Popper & Stern 1996)

Western Yellow Rail

Population Structure & Bottlenecks

GENETIC STRUCTURE- Oregon population subtly different from the others- Likely an artifact of geographic distance

Miller et al. 2012. Condor 114: 100-112.

BOTTLENECKS (red)- Oregon- Michigan- Wisconsin/e. Minnesota

Need: additional samples from other breeding populations

Annual Cycle: filling in the blanks

Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge- 40,000 acres of marsh and sedge meadows- Approximately half the western population (~300 pairs)- Fall management activities: haying, burning, grazing- Proposed 10,000 acre river restoration project

Impacts of management actions:1) Identify postbreeding space use

2) Determine fall departure

3) Determine winter location

Field Methods

Captured calling males in late June- 23 in 2012- 12 in 2013 (one female)

Attached 1.5g VHF transmitters - 19 in 2012- 11 in 2013 (one female)

Tracked radio-marked birds over subsequent months

Telemetry MethodsHaramis & Kearns (2000) attachment

Haramis & Kearns. 2000. JFO 71: 135-139.

Challenges of tracking Yellow Rails

Transmitter information:- 2012: Holohil BD2N (4-5 mo)- 2013: Lotek Connectivity Tag (6 mo)

Needle in a Haystack

- Conduct fall/winter ground telemetry surveys at historical winter sites

- Looking for more partners

PROBABLE WINTER DISTRIBUTION

Future Efforts

- Survey all known breeding locations (including CA sites)

- Partner with stakeholders throughout the western population range

- Refine telemetry techniques

- Location tags to identify winter location and migration

- Collect additional genetic samples from other breeding populations (contact me at smurphy@usgs.gov)

Acknowledgements:

US Geological Survey Elise Elliott-SmithAmanda HollandDaniel HowardJeff HollenbeckMichael Casazza

Klamath Bird ObservatoryKaren Hussey John Alexander

Jim Rivers – Oregon St. Univ.Lew Oring – Univ. of NV-RenoMarty St. Louis – OR Div. Fish & WildlifePeter Sanzenbacher – ABR, Inc.Bruce Taylor – OR Habitat JVTom Rickman – Lassen NFMark Colwell – Humboldt St. Univ.Tom Gardali – Point Blue Conserv. Sci.

US Fish and WildlifeKeely LopezDave MauserMike JohnsonRob DosterMichelle McDowell

Klamath Marsh NWR

Summer LakeSycan Marsh

Camas Prairie

Wood River Valley

Odessa Creek

Aspen Lake