Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network (ASDN)

Stephen Brown

Vice President, Science

Overview

Recent shorebird trend analyses indicate that many Western Hemisphere shorebird species are declining, but we do not fully understand why. The goal of the Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network (ASDN) is to conduct demographic analyses for several target species that will help determine the factors limiting their populations.

The ASDN measures demographic rates like adult survival and productivity and other demographic parameters at various life history stages.

The project is designed to substantially increase our ability to address a wide variety of other science and conservation goals that can only be approached at a regional or global level, such as migratory connectivity studies that require work across the entire range of a species.

A Demographic Approach

Why do we need a demographic network in addition to the other ongoing shorebird monitoring programs? The existing large scale monitoring efforts developed under the Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM) provide critical information on population size and trend, along with accompanying environmental data to interpret the estimates. However, the existing programs cannot provide information on the mechanisms behind declines, and when shorebird populations are likely to be limited during the annual cycle. For example, poor reproductive success, or low juvenile or adult survival during migration could be limiting populations, but trend information alone is not sufficient to determine which of these factors managers should target to reverse population declines. Determining when shorebird populations are limited will have significant impacts on future conservation actions to address population declines.

Status of the Network

The group developed detailed field protocols to investigate demographic parameters as well as environmental variables at all of the study sites. We completed five years of intensive banding efforts for our target species, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin, Western Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Red-necked Phalarope, and Semipalmated Plover. In addition, as part of the Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative, we collected weather data, invertebrate abundance samples, and other environmental data to help determine causes of variations in nesting success over time. Multiple study years are needed to accurately measure survival of banded individuals, and also because significant year to year variation occurs in the demographic rates of shorebirds. We completed an intensive effort to collect baseline data from representative sites across the Arctic, and are analyzing those data and publishing results in many different manuscripts. Ongoing complementary projects include efforts to track migratory pathways of our target species so we can determine critical habitats and conservation priorities.

Network of Study Sites

Below is a map showing the current research sites in the Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network.

Breeding Protocol

Click here to view the ADSN Breeding Protocol.

ASDN Data Forms, Electronic Databases, and Tools

Arctic Shorebird Age Tool

Subject: [age, Arctic, banding, breeding, egg, hatch date, incubation date, initiation date, nesting, shorebirds]

Description: The Arctic_shorebird_age_tool.xls was developed by Brooke Hill (updated in 2021 by Sarah Saalfeld) to estimate hatch dates, nest initiation dates, and nest incubation dates for nests with known hatch dates or initiation dates (i.e., date first egg is laid).

This tool provides species-specific estimates for 10 species: American Golden-Plover (AMGP), Dunlin (DUNL), Pectoral Sandpiper (PESA), Red-necked Phalarope (RNPH), Red Phalarope (REPH), Ruddy Turnstone (RUTU), Semipalmated Sandpipe (SESA), Long-billed Dowitcher (LBDO), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (BBSA), and Western Sandpiper (WESA).

To use the tool, enter correct information for maximum number of eggs and either the hatch date or date first egg laid for a given species in appropriate cells (bold areas).

The tool will then estimate initiation date and incubation date when hatch date is known or incubation date and hatch date when initiation date is known.

The tool uses the following equations for its estimations:

Initiation dates: incubation date – number of eggs in nest + 1; assuming 1 egg is laid per day.

Incubation dates: hatch date – average incubation period for a given species when hatch date is known OR initiation date + number of eggs in nest – 1 when initiation date is known.

Hatch date: incubation date + average incubation period for a given species.

With the exception of Ruddy Turnstone and Buff-breasted Sanpdiper, average incubation periods were estimated from Weiser, E.L., S.C. Brown, R.B. Lanctot, H.R. Gates, K.F. Abraham, R.L. Bentzen, J. Béty, M.L. Boldenow, R.W. Brook, T.F. Donnelly, W.B. English, S.A. Flemming, S.E. Franks, H.G. Gilchrist, M.-A. Giroux, A. Johson, L.V. Kennedy, L. Koloski, E. Kwon, J.-F. Lamarre, D.B. Lank, N. Lecomte, J.R. Liebezeit, L. Mckinnon, E. Nol, J. Perz, J. Rausch, M. Robards, S.T. Saalfeld, N.R. Senner, P.A. Smith, M. Soloviev, D. Solovyeva, D.H. Ward, P.F. Woodard & B.K. Sandercock. 2017. Life-history tradeoffs revealed by seasonal declines in reproductive traits in Arctic-breeding shorebirds. Journal of Avian Biology 49 DOI: 10.1111/jav.01531. Incubation periods for Buff-breasted Sandpiper were based on Lanctot, unpublished data, while Ruddy Turnstones were based on Birds of the World (Rodewald and Schulenberg, eds. 20200. Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY).

For detailed information on determining hatch and initiation dates see the Arctic Shorebird Demographics Protocol (Brown, S. C., H. R. Gates, J. R. Liebezeit, P. A. Smith, B. L. Hill, and R. B. Lanctot. Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network breeding camp protocol, Version 5, April 2014. Unpubl. paper by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.

The data providers have invested considerable effort in QA/QC, but it is possible that undetected errors remain. It is strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data to evaluate data set limitations, restrictions, or intended use. The originators of this dataset shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein.

modified_date: [20210125]

created_date: [20210125]

creator: Sarah Saalfeld

contact: Richard Lanctot or Sarah Saalfeld

publisher: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage, AK.

Download the Arctic Shorebird Age Tool

Arctic Shorebird Egg Float Tool

Subject: [age, Arctic, banding, breeding, egg, float, hatch date, incubation date, initiation date, nesting, shorebirds]

Description: The Arctic_shorebird_egg_float_tool.xls was developed by Rob Rankin (updated in 2021 by Sarah Saalfeld) to estimate hatch dates, nest initiation dates, nest incubation dates, and nest age based on egg floatation equations developed by Liebezeit, J.R., P.A. Smith, R.B. Lanctot, H. Schekkerman, I. Tulp, S.J. Kendall, D.M. Tracy, R.J. Rodrigues, H. Meltofte, J.A. Robinson, C. Gratto-Trevor, B.J. Mccaffery, J. Morse & S.W. Zack. 2007. Assessing the development of shorebird eggs using the flotation method: species-specific and generalized regression models. Condor 109: 32-47.

This tool provides species-specific estimates for 10 species: American Golden-Plover (AMGP), Dunlin (DUNL), Pectoral Sandpiper (PESA), Red-necked Phalarope (RNPH), Red Phalarope (REPH), Ruddy Turnstone (RUTU), Semipalmated Sandpiper (SESA), Long-billed Dowitcher (LBDO), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (BBSA), and Western Sandpiper (WESA).

To use the tool, enter correct information for date eggs were measured (‘Date Measured’; dd-mon), species (4-letter acronym), number of eggs floated (1-4), number of eggs in nest, angle of each egg, whether eggs were above or below the surface (‘y’ or ‘n’), and mm above surface (if below surface = ‘n’). When less than 4 eggs are floated, information for egg angle, below surface, and mm above surface for those eggs should be entered beginning with egg ‘1’, followed by ‘2’, etc. until all information is entered, with fields left blank for eggs with no information. All other fields within the tool should not be changed. Note that egg angles < 21 or > 89 are not allowed.

The tool will then estimate days to hatch (DTH), hatch date, initiation date, incubation date, and nest age for 3 scenarios: ‘AVERAGE’: estimates based on the average number of days to hatch across all eggs, ‘Most Conservative’: estimates based on the egg with the greatest number of days to hatch, and ‘Median’: estimates based on the median number of days to hatch across all eggs.

The tool uses the following equations for its estimations:

Days to hatch: a + b*logit of proportional egg angle for sinking eggs; a + b*float height in mm + c*egg angle in degrees for floating eggs, where a, b, and c are taken from Liebezeit et al. 2007.

Hatch date: date eggs were measured + number of days to hatch.

Initiation dates: incubation date- number of eggs in nest + 1; assuming 1 egg is laid per day.

Incubation dates: hatch date – average incubation period for a given species.

Estimated age: date eggs were measured – estimated incubation period.

For detailed information on proper egg floating techniques see the Arctic Shorebird Demographics Protocol (Brown, S. C., H. R. Gates, J. R. Liebezeit, P. A. Smith, B. L. Hill, and R. B. Lanctot. Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network breeding camp protocol, Version 5, April 2014. Unpubl. paper by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. Available at <https://www.manomet.org/sites/default/files/publications_and_tools/ASDN_Protocol_V5_20Apr2014.pdf>).

modified_date: [20210125]

created_date: [20210125]

creator: Sarah Saalfeld <sarah_saalfeld@fws.gov>

contact: Richard Lanctot <richard_lanctot@fws.gov> or Sarah Saalfeld <sarah_saalfeld@fws.gov>

publisher: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage, AK.

Download the Arctic Shorebird Egg Float Tool

rights: Public Domain

Databases

Team

This internationally coordinated effort includes 17 partners working in 16 camps across Alaska, the Canadian Arctic and Russia. It is led and coordinated by Manomet, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Kansas State University.

Lead Organizational Roles

Manomet’s Stephen Brown is the overall coordinator for the project, and supports group planning, communication and group funding efforts. Rick Lanctot of USFWS is the Science Coordinator and leads the design and development of field protocols and data analysis. Brett Sandercock of Kansas State University leads the group on study design issues and will lead the demographic analyses. River Gates works for both Manomet and USFWS on protocol development and Network coordination. Joe Liebezeit of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Paul Smith serve on the protocol development committee.

The ASDN partners with: