Pinyon Jay Movement, Nest Site Selection, Nest Fate
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PINYON JAY MOVEMENT, NEST SITE SELECTION, NEST FATE, AND RENESTING IN CENTRAL NEW MEXICO By MICHAEL COULTER NOVAK Bachelor of Science in Zoology University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, California 2010 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE December, 2019 PINYON JAY MOVEMENT, NEST SITE SELECTION, NEST FATE, AND RENESTING IN CENTRAL NEW MEXICO Thesis Approved: Dr. Loren M. Smith Thesis Adviser Dr. Scott T. McMurry Dr. Craig A. Davis ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to thank my advisor, Dr. Loren Smith, for his expert assistance guiding me through my thesis. Through his mentorship I learned to be a more effective writer and scientist. Thank you to my committee members, Dr. Scott McMurry and Dr. Craig Davis, for their valuable input on my research. Much thanks to Oklahoma State University for providing excellent academic resources and being a great place to develop professional skills required for today’s workforce. I want to thank my parents, Michael Novak and Kathleen Murphy, who have always encouraged me to work hard and be happy. I’m especially grateful for their understanding and encouragement throughout my transient career as a seasonal field biologist. Thanks, Dad, for encouraging me to find a job where they pay me to travel. Thanks, Mom, for encouraging me to pursue higher education and for keeping me on track. Thanks to my sister, Marisol Novak, for her siblingship and being a willing ear to vent my problems to. My family has always believed in me and they inspire me to continue putting one foot in front of the other, even when things are difficult. Thank you to my friends all over for helping me through grad school. Thanks to Christina Anaya and my officemates, Jonathan Harris, Cyndi Park, Allison Thompson, and Dailee Fagnant for their support, solidarity, and fascinating knowledge, as well as helping me to navigate challenges with school and my thesis. Thanks to my friends, Anna Fryjoff- Hung, Levi Gadye, Lawrence Sin, and Mako Shoemaker for keeping me close to my roots, helping me through the hard times, and stubbornly remaining friends with me even though we’re so far apart. Thanks to all my bird friends all over the country who have inspired me to keep dreaming big and wild. Thanks to my Stillwater and Albuquerque crews for all the good times and big laughs. Finally, I would like to thank the U.S. Department of Defense and Kirtland Air Force Base for their funding, without which this research would not have been possible. And big thanks to all the birds out there for inspiring me to migrate with you! iii Acknowledgements reflect the views of the author and are not endorsed by committee members or Oklahoma State University. Name: MICHAEL COULTER NOVAK Date of Degree: DECEMBER, 2019 Title of Study: PINYON JAY MOVEMENT, NEST SITE SELECTION, NEST FATE, AND RENESTING IN CENTRAL NEW MEXICO Major Field: INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY Abstract: Pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus ) are an avian species of conservation concern in the southwest U.S. Due to habitat elimination and degradation, pinyon jay numbers have decreased approximately 3.5% per year since 1960. Pinyon jay reproductive rates are low, making it difficult for populations to recover. While numerous studies on pinyon jays have been conducted in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa ) forest, research has only recently taken place in pinyon pine (Pinus edulis ) and juniper (Juniperus monophylla ) woodland. Therefore, my objectives were to investigate pinyon jay flock movement, nest site selection, nest fate, and renesting in pinyon-juniper habitat. I trapped and affixed VHF radio transmitters to pinyon jays on Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB) in central New Mexico from December to April in 2017 and 2018. I used radio telemetry to compare seasonal flock movements and core activity areas as well as find pinyon jay nesting colonies. Habitat surveys that recorded vegetation type, species, size, and foliage cover were performed at every nest site (n=42) as well as a similar number of randomized locations (n=41) within pinyon-juniper habitat. Movement data was analyzed using kernel density estimates to identify core activity areas. Nest site selection habitat data were compared to habitat at random sites using generalized linear models (GLMs) evaluated with Akaike’s Information Criterion corrected for small sample size (AICc). Variables that affected nest fate were used in GLMs with a logistic exposure function, then evaluated using AICc. Results suggest that there were 2 flocks on KAFB and spatial analyses should be conducted for each flock to determine accurate home ranges. Pinyon jays selected nest sites with fewer dead juniper trees and nest trees that were larger than surrounding trees in the same survey plot. Nest fate models did not perform better than the null model. Pinyon jays in this study did not renest as much as in ponderosa pine forest, perhaps due to lack of food and water availability. Furthermore, pinyon jays did not nest in satellite colonies as in other studies. Management recommendations are to remove smaller, less healthy trees in pinyon jay habitat when tree thinning occurs and leaving larger, healthier trees. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................1 II. PINYON JAY MOVEMENT AND FLOCK DYNAMICS ON KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE .......................................................................................................10 Abstract ..................................................................................................................10 Introduction ............................................................................................................12 Methods..................................................................................................................14 Study Area .....................................................................................................14 Data Collection ..............................................................................................14 Data Analysis .................................................................................................19 Results ....................................................................................................................20 Home Range Analysis....................................................................................22 Discussion ..............................................................................................................23 Flock Analysis ...............................................................................................23 Home Range Analysis....................................................................................25 Conclusion .............................................................................................................30 References ..............................................................................................................32 Tables and Figures .................................................................................................38 III. PINYON JAY NEST SITE SELECTION IN CENTRAL NEW MEXICO .........46 Abstract ..................................................................................................................46 Introduction ............................................................................................................47 Methods..................................................................................................................49 Study Area .....................................................................................................49 Data Collection ..............................................................................................50 Data Analysis .................................................................................................53 Results ....................................................................................................................55 Discussion ..............................................................................................................56 v Chapter Page Model Selection .............................................................................................56 Habitat Characteristics ...................................................................................57 Conclusion .............................................................................................................61 References ..............................................................................................................62 Tables and Figures .................................................................................................70 IV. PINYON JAY NEST FATE AND RENESTING IN CENTRAL NEW MEXICO ......................................................................................................................78 Abstract ..................................................................................................................78 Introduction ............................................................................................................80 Methods..................................................................................................................81 Study Area .....................................................................................................81