Biology subjects

Riser-Espinoza, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Riser-Espinoza, D..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

GAME BIRD CARCASSES ARE LESS PERSISTENT THAN RAPTOR CARCASSES, BUT CAN PREDICT RAPTOR PERSISTENCE DYNAMICS

Researchers conduct post-construction fatality monitoring (PCFM) to determine a wind energy facilitys direct impacts on wildlife. Results of PCFM can be used to evaluate compliance with permitted take, potentially triggering adaptive management measures or offsetting mitigation; reducing uncertainty in fatality rates benefits wind companies, wildlife agencies, and other stakeholders. As part of PCFM, investigators conduct carcass persistence trials to account for imperfect detection during carcass surveys. In most PCFM studies, pen-raised game birds and other non-raptor surrogates have been used to estimate persistence of all large birds, including raptors. However, there is a growing body of evidence showing carcass persistence varies by bird type; raptor fatality estimates based on game bird carcass persistence may therefore be biased high. We conducted raptor and game bird carcass persistence field trials for 1 year at 6 wind energy facilities. Raptor carcass persistence varied by habitat and season, whereas the best-supported game bird model only included habitat. Raptor persistence probabilities were higher than corresponding game bird persistence probabilities for 13 of the 16 habitat and season combinations. Analysis of a meta-dataset showed that raptor carcass persistence varied by season, habitat, and region. The probability of persisting through a 30-day search interval ranged from 0.44 to 0.99 for raptors and from 0.16 to 0.79 for game birds. Raptor persistence was significantly higher than game bird persistence for 95% of the sampled strata. We used these carcass persistence estimates to develop linear mixed-effects models that predict raptor persistence probabilities based on estimated game bird persistence probabilities. Our scaling model provides an important statistical method to address gaps in raptor persistence data at sites in a broad range of landscape contexts in the continental United States and should be used to inform fatality estimation when site-specific raptor persistence data are limited or absent.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2022

Incidental Eagle Carcass Detection Can Contribute to Fatality Estimation at Operating Wind Facilities

Risk of birds colliding with wind turbines, especially protected species like bald eagle and golden eagle, is a fundamental wildlife challenge the wind industry faces when developing and operating projects. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requires wind facilities that obtain eagle take permits to document permit compliance through eagle fatality monitoring. If trained Operations and Maintenance (O&M) staff can reliably detect and report carcasses during their normal routines, then their incidental detections could contribute substantially to meeting monitoring requirements required by eagle take permits. The primary objective of this study was to quantify incidental detection of eagle carcasses by O&M staff under a variety of landscape contexts and environmental conditions throughout 1 year. We used the incidental detection probabilities (proportion of decoys detected by O&M staff), along with raptor carcass persistence data and area adjustments, to calculate overall probability of incidental detection (i.e., incidental g). We used feathered turkey decoys as eagle-carcass surrogates for monthly detection trials at 6 study sites throughout the U.S. We evaluated the primary drivers of incidental detection using logit regression models including season, viewshed complexity, and a derived variable called the "density quartile" as covariates. We used an Evidence of Absence-based approach to estimate the overall probability of incidental detection. Detection probabilities decreased as viewshed complexity increased and as distance from the turbine increased. The resulting overall probability of incidental detection for the 12-month period ranged from 0.07 to 0.47 (mean = 0.31). The primary drivers of variability in incidental g were detection probability and the area adjustment. Results of our research show that O&M staff were capable of incidentally detecting trial carcasses while performing their typical duties. Incorporating incidental detection by O&M staff in eagle fatality monitoring efforts is a reliable means of improving estimates of a facilitys direct impacts on eagles.

ecology↗