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Movements and Survival of Juvenile Reddish Egrets Egretta Rufescens on the Gulf of Mexico Coast

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Movements and Survival of Juvenile Reddish Egrets Egretta Rufescens on the Gulf of Mexico Coast Vol. 28: 123–133, 2015 ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH Published online August 11 doi: 10.3354/esr00682 Endang Species Res OPENPEN ACCESSCCESS Movements and survival of juvenile reddish egrets Egretta rufescens on the Gulf of Mexico coast Brock Geary1,3,*, M. Clay Green1, Bart M. Ballard2 1Population and Conservation Biology Program, Department of Biology, Texas State University — San Marcos, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA 2Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University — Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA 3Present address: Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, 6823 Saint Charles Ave, 400 Lindy Boggs Center, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA ABSTRACT: Understanding natal dispersal patterns of animals is critical to development of effective species conservation plans, as it ensures that population management takes place at appropriate scales. The reddish egret Egretta rufescens is a threatened waterbird species lacking documentation on many aspects of its ecology, including movement behaviors at all life stages. We attached satellite transmitters to 25 juvenile reddish egrets on their natal colonies and observed their dispersal patterns and subsequent movements over a period of 115 wk (May 2010–August 2012). Birds exhibited the greatest movement rates in the remainder of the first breeding season (through July 2010, ~10 to 13 wk of age, 11.07 km d−1) and steadily decreased in the post-breeding period (4.87 km d−1) and winter (1.96 km d−1) of their first year. Movements of 1 to 2.5 km d−1 char- acterized the remainder of the tracking period, suggesting that surviving birds were able to estab- lish local territories. Of the 25 tagged birds, 8 (32%) survived throughout the observation period, based on transmitter failure rates, with losses increasing each winter. The majority of birds remained on the Texas/ Mexico coast of the Gulf of Mexico, indicating that the population is largely resident and therefore vulnerable to coastal habitat alterations in the region. Due to a com- bination of infrequent long- distance migration, specialized behaviors, and apparent limited gene flow, habitat maintenance should be of primary importance for management of this rare species. This is among the first published studies of heron movement ecology using telemetry, and should be followed by further tracking with developing technologies to characterize high-resolution movements and habitat associations. KEY WORDS: Conservation · Dispersal · Gulf of Mexico · Movement · Reddish egret · Satellite tracking · Spatial distribution · Texas INTRODUCTION exhibit delayed sexual maturity relative to many other avian groups at 3 to 4 yr of age (Lowther & Paul 2002, Natal dispersal is defined as movement of an indi- Gill 2007). Understanding an organism’s dispersal ca- vidual from its place of birth or a center of population pabilities is also integral to the development of con- density (Koford et al. 1994). Knowledge of the disper- servation strategies at appropriate scales, especially sal and subsequent movements made by individuals in birds that may travel great distances (Melvin et al. are vital to the understanding of a species’ ecology. 1999). Failure to appropriately consider scale can eas- Additionally, information concerning all age classes ily lead to an over-expenditure of time, resources, and of a species is essential to a thorough understanding effort to manage areas that individuals underutilize or of population dynamics, especially in waterbirds, which leave quickly (Warkentin & Hernandez 1996). © The authors 2015. Open Access under Creative Commons by *Corresponding author: [email protected] Attribution Licence. Use, distribution and reproduction are un - restricted. Authors and original publication must be credited. Publisher: Inter-Research · www.int-res.com 124 Endang Species Res 28: 123–133, 2015 In addition to measurement of animal movements, serving energy (Smith 1978, Greenwood & Harvey understanding the life stage at which populations 1982, Lowther & Paul 2002). Persistent movement suffer the greatest degree of mortality is equally during non-migratory periods could be indicative of a important in conservation planning (Spear et al. lack of consistency in quality habitat, or intense 1987, Allard et al. 2006, Davis & Restani 2006, Wiens competition in which an inexperienced juvenile is et al. 2006). Through a combination of their new- subordinate to more established adults (Greenwood found mobility and inexperience relative to older et al. 1979). birds, juveniles may be more likely to interact In addition to examining movements, we estimated naively with predators or venture into suboptimal survival in this cohort. Nesting success rates in red- habitat, decreasing their probability of healthy dish egret colonies appear to be quite high (>85%) in growth and/or survival (Anders et al. 1997, Davis & the absence of complete colony failure (Holderby et Restani 2006, Wiens et al. 2006). Declines of juveniles al. 2012), but survival rates of juveniles and adults entering adulthood in good health, in tandem with remain unknown, preventing a complete under- low immigration rates, could have consequences for standing of limiting factors to reddish egret popula- the overall fecundity and maintenance of a popula- tion recovery. Compounding this problem for the tion over the long term (Clutton-Brock 1988, Anders species is the low efficiency (32 and 42% success in et al. 1997, Lindström 1999, Martin et al. 2007). adults, 25 and 29% success in juveniles in Florida The reddish egret Egretta rufescens is a plumage- and Texas, respectively) and high energetic cost of its dimorphic, medium-sized heron found along the Gulf active foraging strategies (frequent ‘open-wing’ run- of Mexico and Pacific coast of Mexico in North Amer- ning) relative to other egret species (Rodgers 1983, ica, as well as southward into Central America and Lowther & Paul 2002, Green 2005). Juvenile foraging eastward throughout most of the Caribbean (Lowther success is consistently lower compared to adults & Paul 2002). Information on the life history of juve- (Bates & Ballard 2014), as most do not develop a full nile reddish egrets is limited, with many aspects of repertoire of hunting tactics until maturity, as forag- their ecology completely lacking documentation. ing behaviors are not taught by parents (Rodgers This is particularly troubling given the species’ 1983). threatened status in the states of Texas and Florida, Key wintering localities for reddish egrets have and designation as a species of concern at the federal been noted (Mikuska et al. 1998), and our study level (Kushlan et al. 2002). As habitat specialists that determines whether young birds utilize these areas primarily forage in coastal tidal flats and shallow early in life or explore other areas extensively. Of waters (Lowther & Paul 2002, Green 2005, Bates & particular interest is whether birds from this cohort Ballard 2014), reddish egret populations that do not travel outside the Gulf of Mexico and join the Baja travel long distances may be particularly vulnerable California or Caribbean populations of birds. The to habitat alteration and loss. To develop effective information gathered from this study will provide management plans, information describing the ecological data comparable to the conclusions of Hill movements of juveniles during their first years after et al.’s (2012) recent genetic assessment, which rec- leaving the natal colony is critical. Therefore, the pri- ommends the management of the species as 3 evolu- mary objective of this research was to examine the tionarily significant units (Wilson et al. 2014). Long- movement behaviors of juvenile reddish egrets distance dispersal, if detected, would be encouraging hatched on the Texas coast. Texas contains the great- when considering the species’ persistence at the est concentration of breeding reddish egrets globally global level in the face of local habitat loss. (Green 2006) and is therefore an ideal region in which to study their movements. To acquire continu- ous movement and survival information across a MATERIALS AND METHODS potentially large geographic area, we tracked a cohort of juveniles using satellite telemetry. Move- Data collection ment rates are of interest as they provide insight into the time and energy budgets of an organism. If a We initiated field work for this project in May 2010. nearby area that contains abundant resources The Laguna Madre, a hypersaline lagoon comprising becomes locally available, it is assumed that a non- about 209 km of Texas coastline, served as the pri- breeding individual will establish itself there, mary site of reddish egret capture. The majority of remaining stationary for a period of time (as long as reddish egrets in Texas breed in low vegetation, par- optimal conditions hold and prey remains) and con- ticularly Borrichia spp. and Opuntia spp., within the Geary et al.: Juvenile reddish egret movements 125 Laguna Madre, so we visited several islands at which cohort was found to contain 21 males and only 4 previous research on the species has been conducted females, so sex was not considered in some move- (Bates et al. 2009, Hill et al. 2012, Holderby et al. ment analyses. Total handling time for each individ- 2012, Holderby & Green 2013, Bates & Ballard 2014). ual was <40 min, with some being released within We surveyed islands frequently before the capture 15 min. After transmitter attachment, we returned period to assess reddish egret nesting status. Once
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