Multi-Factor Analysis of Avian Life History from a Unique Long-Term Data Base

Blums9974077许多鸟类保护计划的成功关键取决于存活并返回其饲养地区繁殖的幼鸟数量，但很少有研究能够彻底评估这些过程。然而，最近的一项长期努力，单独标记一天大的小鸭和他们的母亲，再加上一个计划，以寻找和定位这些鸟类在以后的生活中产生了独特的生殖和生存数据的三种鸭子。因此，本研究的主要目标是通过利用有史以来最大的自由生活鸟类数据集之一，估计鸭子的存活率和回报率，并探索它们差异如此之大的原因。先进的统计程序提供了分析这些数据的机会，更重要的是，可以确定决定人口下降、保持稳定或增加的因素。影响繁殖成功和鸟类招募的因素的结果对私人，州和国家湿地管理政策和计划具有重要意义。对湿地项目的大量财政投资需要采取能产生积极的人口反应和可行人口的战略。此外，这些研究结果可能有实际的管理意义，调整的时间，长度和袋限制与狩猎季节不同的人口水平收获迁徙水禽。

Blums9974077The success of many bird conservation initiatives depends critically on the number of young that survive and return to breed in areas where they were raised, yet remarkably few studies have been able to evaluate these processes thoroughly. However, a recent long-term effort to individually mark day-old ducklings and their mothers coupled with a program to find and locate these birds later in life has produced unique reproductive and survival data for three species of ducks. Therefore, the principal goal of this study is to estimate survival and return rates of ducks, and explore reasons why they vary so much, by exploiting one of the largest data sets ever assembled for free-living birds. Advanced statistical procedures provide an opportunity to analyze these data and, more importantly, to identify factors that determine whether a population declines, remains stable, or increases. Results about factors influencing breeding success and recruitment of birds have important implications for private, state and national wetland management policies and programs. The large financial investment in wetland programs requires strategies that result in positive population responses and viable populations. Furthermore, these findings may have practical management implications for adjusting the timing, length, and bag limits associated with hunting seasons for different population levels of harvested migratory waterfowl.