Mark-resight approach as a tool to estimate population size of one of the world’s smallest goose populations

• Published in: Bird Study
• Main Authors: Clausen, Kevin Kuhlmann, Fælled, Casper Cæsar, Clausen, Preben
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Branta bernicla; brent geese
• Online Access: https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/markresight-approach-as-a-tool-to-estimate-population-size-of-one-of-the-worlds-smallest-goose-populations(9248bde6-a872-4153-af22-4add8db79f1a).html; https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2012.733338

The present study investigates the use of a mark–resight procedure to estimate total population size in a local goose population. Using colour-ring sightings of the increasingly scattered population of Light-bellied Brent Geese Branta bernicla hrota from their Danish staging areas, we estimate a total population size of 7845 birds (95% CI: 7252–8438). This is in good agreement with numbers obtained from total counts, emphasizing that this population, although steadily increasing, is still small compared with historic numbers.