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Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: Monitoring breeding colonies and post-breeding movements of terns and skimmers in coastal northwestern Mexico and southern California Objectives: (1) Collect information on breeding population size and productivity for Gull-billed and Royal Terns and Black Skimmers; 2) initiate a banding program to uniquely mark juvenile birds of each species and continue ongoing banding efforts at the Salton Sea; and 3) survey selected coastal locations during the non-breeding season to document juvenile and adult dispersal and identify important wintering habitats in northwestern Mexico. Project Description: This project will monitor the populations of terns and skimmers breeding at selected locations in coastal northwestern Mexico and southern California. It focuses on three species that commonly co-occur and establish significant breeding colonies in the region: Gull-billed Tern (Sterna nilotica), Royal Tern (Sterna maxima), and Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger). Gull-billed tern and Black Skimmer are birds of conservation concern in BCR regions 32 and 33. All three taxa are Species of Special Concern in California. Specifically, this project will 1) collect information on breeding population size (number of breeding pairs) and productivity (number of fledglings per pair) for each focal species; 2) initiate a banding program to uniquely mark juvenile birds of each species and continue ongoing banding efforts at the Salton Sea; and 3) survey selected coastal locations during the non-breeding season to document juvenile and adult dispersal and identify important wintering habitats in northwestern Mexico. With the establishment of standardized monitoring protocols for breeding colonies and post-breeding surveys, this project will enhance the ability to detect population trends in terns and skimmers in the region and elucidate factors responsible for detected changes, identify important non-breeding habitats and their potential threats, and enhance knowledge of population connectivity throughout the annual cycle. Such information can be useful in the prioritization of species and habitats that may require immediate attention and is necessary to adequately inform the efforts of managers charged with conserving biodiversity in Mexico and the U.S. The project also provides field assistance and training for Mexican conservation workers as well as provides opportunities for student training. Recruiting interns from local communities, when feasible, will help raise awareness of local issues of biodiversity. In the future, with uniquely banded populations of these species, researchers will be able to document natal and breeding site fidelity, connectivity between populations in the region throughout annual cycle, and help identify population sinks and sources thereby furthering the potential for long-term collaboration between Mexican and U.S. researchers and land managers. Contact: |