ABSTRACT BOOK Listed alphabetically by last name of presenting author Oral Presentations . 2 Lightning Talks . 161 Posters . 166 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 ORAL PRESENTATIONS Combining citizen science with targeted monitoring we argue how the framework allows for effective large- for Gulf of Mexico tidal marsh birds scale inference and integration of multiple monitoring efforts. Scientists and decision-makers are interested Evan M Adams in a range of outcomes at the regional scale, includ- Mark S Woodrey ing estimates of population size and population trend Scott A Rush to answering questions about how management actions Robert J Cooper or ecological questions influence bird populations. The SDM framework supports these inferences in several In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill affected many ways by: (1) monitoring projects with synergistic ac- marsh birds in the Gulf of Mexico; yet, a lack of prior tivities ranging from using approved standardized pro- monitoring data made assessing impacts to these the tocols, flexible data sharing policies, and leveraging population impacts difficult. As a result, the Gulf of multiple project partners; (2) rigorous data collection Mexico Avian Monitoring Network (GoMAMN) was that make it possible to integrate multiple monitoring established, with one of its objectives being to max- projects; and (3) monitoring efforts that cover multiple imize the value of avian monitoring projects across priorities such that projects designed for status assess- the region. However, large scale assessments of these ment can also be useful for learning or describing re- species are often limited, tidal marsh habitat in this re- sponses to management activities. By prioritizing large- gion is extensive and marsh birds are notoriously diffi- scale inference, we will be able to establish regional cult to detect on surveys. Citizen science projects could baseline population sizes for many bird species and bet- fill in some of these survey limitations and provide bet- ter distinguish reasons for population change and what ter estimates of abundance or distribution but they also kinds of management actions are viable recovery op- could have detectability rates that are too low to be tions. Previous to this regional focus, we lacked the useful. Using observations reported by eBird, we de- data and the partnerships to even consider answering termined how often marsh birds were reported in and questions at the scale of the Gulf of Mexico; by using a around tidal marsh habitats. Clapper Rails were ob- structured decision making framework with a focus on served in 4.3% of such surveys; Seaside Sparrows and regional objectives we are able prioritize such outcomes Least Bitterns were observed in 0.9% and 2.6%. De- and support the needs of conservation decision-makers. tection rates improved with the type of eBird survey protocol used, survey time, number of observers and proximity to tidal marsh habitat. By selecting citizen Genomic data provide a flicker of hope for differen- science survey effort that has a higher chance of de- tiating taxa in the Northern Flicker complex tecting marsh birds, we could be able to achieve rea- sonable estimates of occupancy with enough survey ef- Stepfanie M Aguillon fort. Integrating citizen science data with data from tar- Leonardo Campagna geted monitoring projects could then be useful to better Richard G Harrison describe the distribution of marsh birds in the Gulf of Irby J Lovette Mexico. Next-generation sequencing technologies are increas- ingly being employed to explore patterns of genomic variation in avian taxa previously characterized using Using a structured decision making framework to morphology and/or traditional genetic markers. The hy- support large-scale inference bridization dynamics of the Northern Flicker complex have received considerable attention, primarily due to Evan M Adams the conspicuous plumage differences among these birds Auriel M Fournier and the geographically extensive hybrid zone between James E Lyons the Red-shafted (Colaptes auratus cafer) and Yellow- Mark S Woodrey shafted (Colaptes auratus auratus) flickers in the Great Plains region of North America. However, no tradi- In the previous talks in this symposium we discuss how tional molecular techniques have been able to differen- a structured decision making (SDM) framework is used tiate these two morphologically well-defined taxa from to prioritize various kinds of monitoring efforts and one another, or from the closely related Gilded Flicker craft monitoring plans in the Gulf of Mexico. Here, (Colaptes chrysoides). Here, we use a next-generation 2 Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract Book sequencing approach to assess the genetic diversity and molt-migrants most frequently – and the need to con- evolutionary history of these three taxa. We confirm serve a mosaic of habitats to account for adaptive selec- the overall low levels of differentiation found using tra- tion in response to variable environmental conditions. ditional molecular markers, but are able to distinguish between the three subgroups for the first time, using a dataset of thousands of SNP loci distributed across the genome. Through demographic modeling and phylo- New initiatives at cooperative bird banding stations genetic reconstructions, we find that Red-shafted and aid the conservation of migratory species Yellow-shafted flickers are likely sister taxa, and that their divergence from the Gilded Flicker was compar- Steven Albert atively ancient. The low level of divergence and lack James Saracco of fixed differences between Red-shafted and Yellow- Kristen Ruegg shafted flickers, in particular, suggests whole genome re-sequencing may be necessary to assess the dynamics The Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship of their hybridization and identify the genetic basis of (MAPS) and Monitoring Overwinter Survival (MoSI) their striking differences in plumage. Programs comprise the hemisphere’s longest-running and geographically most-extensive network of demo- graphic monitoring and bird banding stations, cover- ing nearly 500 active stations in nearly every U.S. state, several Canadian provinces, and 13 countries in Habitats and Conservation of Molt-migrant Birds in Latin America. Many stations are run or aided by Southeastern Arizona and Northwestern Mexico citizen scientists. The network was originally estab- lished to monitor avian vital rates especially produc- Steven K Albert tivity, survivorship, and recruitment but new technolo- Peter Pyle gies, methods of analysis, and emerging threats have Mary Chambers broadened the scope of work carried out at these sta- Wade Leitner tions. We will describe three areas of new and emerg- Rodney B Siegel ing research aided by the citizen scientists of the MAPS and MoSI network. (1) Studies of avian disease dy- Adults of several species of western North Ameri- namics: MAPS operators contributed to a study of the can passerines are known to migrate to the monsoon ways in which west Nile virus affected survival in 49 regions of the southwestern U.S. and northwestern species of landbirds. Results indicated that the virus Mexico from July to October to undergo molt, and negatively impacted survival in some species only dur- there is growing concern about conservation of habi- ing initial spread of the disease, while others showed no tats needed by these birds during this energetically- signs of recovery since disease introduction. (2) Stud- demanding time. For two seasons, we documented ies of migratory connectivity - MAPS and MoSI op- habitat use by 12 species of monsoonal molt-migrants erators collect feathers from the same species on the using mist-netting and area-search. Molt-migrants gen- breeding, migration, and wintering grounds. Subse- erally selected habitats similar to those used in their quent genetic analysis demonstrates links between dis- breeding territories; however, in some cases, species crete populations of breeding and wintering populations appeared to shift habitats for molt in response to en- and sites, and differences in the timing of migration by vironmental effects, including relative strength of the different populations. (3) Integrated population mod- monsoon season. In a separate study, we used archival els: Models that combine data from MAPS with the micro-GPS tags to track the movements of two male North American Breeding Bird Survey improve infer- Black-headed Grosbeaks (Pheucticus melanocephalus) ences about causes of population change across many during their full annual cycle. The seasonal timing of species’ ranges. their movements and a prolonged late summer stopover in Sonora, Mexico are consistent with the expected be- havior of a molt-migrating bird. Remote-sensed en- hanced vegetation index (EVI, a measure of the quantity Integrating an eBird portal and an Avian Knowl- of live vegetation) data indicated that the grosbeaks ar- edge Network node for improved citizen science and rived in the monsoon region near the area’s annual EVI bird conservation peak, and left as the index was sharply declining. Our results underscore the need to conserve native grass- John D Alexander lands and riparian areas – habitats in which we detected Ellie E Armstrong 3 AOS 2018 Meeting 9-14 April 2018 eBird Northwest, a regional portal of the interna- forest, one of the most endangered forest types globally, tional eBird program, serves as the primary citizen sci- during the winter season. In order to estimate survival ence application of Avian Knowledge Northwest, a re- and track