Effects of leg flags on nest survival of four species of Arctic-breeding shorebirds

• Published in: Journal of Field Ornithology
• Main Authors: Weiser, Emily L., Lanctot, Richard B., Brown, Stephen C., Gates, H. River, Bentzen, Rebecca L., Boldenow, Megan L., Cunningham, Jenny A., Doll, Andrew C., Donnelly, Tyrone F., English, Willow B., Franks, Samantha E., Grond, Kirsten, Herzog, Patrick, Hill, Brooke L., Kendall, Steven J., Kwon, Eunbi, Lank, David B., Liebezeit, Joseph R., Rausch, Jennie, Saalfeld, Sarah T., Taylor, Audrey R., Ward, David H., Woodard, Paul F., Sandercock, Brett K.
• Other Authors: Fish and Wildlife Conservation
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: bands; markers; reproductive success; tags; waders; Arctic; Canada; Climate change; Alaska
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/99272; https://doi.org/10.1111/jofo.12264

Marking wild birds is an integral part of many field studies. However, if marks affect the vital rates or behavior of marked individuals, any conclusions reached by a study might be biased relative to the general population. Leg bands have rarely been found to have negative effects on birds and are frequently used to mark individuals. Leg flags, which are larger, heavier, and might produce more drag than bands, are commonly used on shorebirds and can help improve resighting rates. However, no one to date has assessed the possible effects of leg flags on the demographic performance of shorebirds. At seven sites in Arctic Alaska and western Canada, we marked individuals and monitored nest survival of four species of Arctic-breeding shorebirds, including Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla), Western Sandpipers (C. mauri), Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalarope lobatus), and Red Phalaropes (P. fielicarius). We used a daily nest survival model in a Bayesian framework to test for effects of leg flags, relative to birds with only bands, on daily survival rates of 1952 nests. We found no evidence of a difference in nest survival between birds with flags and those with only bands. Our results suggest, therefore, that leg flags have little effect on the nest success of Arctic-breeding sandpipers and phalaropes. Additional studies are needed, however, to evaluate the possible effects of flags on shorebirds that use other habitats and on survival rates of adults and chicks. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation [2010-0061-015, 2011-0032-014, 0801.12.032731, 0801.13.041129]; Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [F11AP01040, F12AP00734, F13APO535, 4073, 4102]; Alaska Department of Fish and Game; State Wildlife Grant [T-16]; Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; Bureau of Land Management; Centre for Wildlife Ecology at Simon Fraser University; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada; Kansas State University; Kresge Foundation; Liz Claiborne/Art ...