Volume 44, No. 2
Volumes > 38 (2010-->)
- Volume 52, No. 2, 2024
- Volume 52, No. 1, 2024
- Volume 51, No. 2, 2023
- Volume 51, No. 1, 2023
- Volume 50, No. 2, 2022
- Volume 50, No. 1, 2022
- Volume 49, No. 2, 2021
- Volume 49, No. 1, 2021
- Volume 48, No. 2, 2020
- Volume 48, No. 1, 2020
- Volume 47, No. 2, 2019
- Volume 47, No. 1, 2019
- Volume 46, No. 2, 2018
- Volume 46, No. 1, 2018
- Volume 45, No. 2, 2017
- Volume 45, No. 1, 2017
- Volume 44, No. 2, 2016
- Volume 44, No. 1, 2016
- Volume 43, No. 2, 2015
- Volume 43, No. 1, 2015
- Volume 42, No. 2, 2014
- Volume 42, No. 1, 2014
- Volume 41, No. 2, 2013
- Volume 41, No. 1, 2013
- Volume 41, Special Issue, 2013
- Volume 40, No. 2, 2012
- Volume 40, No. 1, 2012
- Volume 39, No. 2, 2011
- Volume 39, No. 1, 2011
- Volume 38, No. 2, 2010
- Volume 38, No. 1, 2010
Volumes 28-37 (2000-09)
- Volume 37, No. 3, 2009
- Volume 37, No. 2, 2009
- Volume 37, No. 1, 2009
- Volume 36, No. 2, 2008
- Volume 36, No. 1, 2008
- Volume 35, No. 2, 2007
- Volume 35, No. 1, 2007
- Volume 34, No. 2, 2006
- Volume 34, No. 1, 2006
- Volume 33, No. 2, 2005
- Volume 33, No. 1, 2005
- Volume 32, No. 2, 2004
- Volume 32, No. 1, 2004
- Volume 31, No. 2, 2003
- Volume 31, No. 1, 2003
- Volume 30, No. 2, 2002
- Volume 30, No. 1, 2002
- Volume 29, No. 2, 2001
- Volume 29, No. 1, 2001
- Volume 28, No. 2, 2000
- Volume 28, No. 1, 2000
Volumes 18-27 (1990-99)
- Volume 27, No. 1 & 2, 1999
- Volume 26, No. 1 & 2, 1998
- Volume 24, No. 1 & 2, 1996
- Volume 25, No. 1 & 2, 1997
- Volume 23, No. 2, 1995
- Volume 23, No. 1, 1995
- Volume 22, No. 2, 1994
- Volume 22, No. 1, 1994
- Volume 21, No. 1 & 2, 1993
- Volume 20, No. 1 & 2, 1992
- Volume 19, No. 1, 1991
- Volume 18, No. 1 & 2, 1990
Volumes 5-17 (1978-89) a.k.a 'Cormorant'
- Volume 17, No. 1 & 2, 1989
- Volume 16, No. 1, 1988
- Volume 16, No. 2, 1988
- Volume 15, No. 1 & 2, 1987
- Volume 14, No. 1 & 2, 1987
- Volume 13, No. 2, 1986
- Volume 13, No. 1, 1986
- Volume 12, No. 2, 1985
- Volume 12, No. 1, 1985
- Volume 11, No. 1 & 2, 1984
- Volume 10, No. 2, 1983
- Volume 10, No. 1, 1983
- Volume 9, No. 2, 1982
- Volume 9, No. 1, 1982
- Volume 8, No. 2, 1981
- Volume 8, No. 1, 1981
- Volume 7, 1980
- Volume 5, 1978
Search by author or title:
Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris on freshwater lakes in the Bristol Bay region of southwestern Alaska
Citation
RUDEN, R.M. 2016. Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris on freshwater lakes in the Bristol Bay region of southwestern Alaska.
Marine Ornithology 44: 145
- 149
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.44.2.1172
Received 3 February, accepted 9 April 2016
Date Published: 2016/10/15
Date Online: 2017/02/28
Key words: Kittlitz's Murrelet, Brachyramphus brevirostris, density and abundance, freshwater resources, Bristol Bay, Alaska
Abstract
Kittlitz's Murrelets Brachyramphus brevirostris are seabirds endemic to the North Pacific and Bering Sea. A pilot survey in August 2013 confirmed their presence on a freshwater glacial lake in the Bristol Bay region of southwestern Alaska. We carried out a more comprehensive survey in 2014 during the late nesting and early post-nesting periods, covering three lakes in the Wood River lake system, largely within Wood–Tikchik State Park, as well as Togiak Lake within Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. Kittlitz's Murrelet presence was confirmed on Lakes Aleknagik and Nerka, with a peak of 66 birds on Lake Aleknagik on 4 August. Distance sampling was employed on Lake Aleknagik during replicate surveys. Maximal abundance (95% confidence intervals) was estimated at 253 birds (100–644). No hatching-year birds were observed; however, one adult was observed holding a fish in its bill, which may indicate nearby nesting activity. These findings warrant further research, given the sensitivity of this species and its novel use of freshwater resources, an aspect of Kittlitz's Murrelet life history that had not previously been reported in the literature.
References
BARBAREE, B.A., NELSON, S.K., DUGGER, B.D., ROBY, D.D., CARTER, H.R., WHITWORTH, D.L. & NEWMAN, S.H. 2014. Nesting ecology of Marbled Murrelets at a remote mainland fjord in southeast Alaska. Condor 116: 173-184.
BRADLEY, R.W., COOKE, F., LOUGHEED, L.W. & BOYD, W.S. 2004. Inferring breeding success through radiotelemetry in the Marbled Murrelet. Journal of Wildlife Management 68: 318–331.
BROWN, C.M. 2005. Navigability of Wood River and lake system in the Bristol Bay Region, Alaska [Memorandum]. Anchorage, AK: US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Office.
Buckland, S.T., Anderson, D.R., Burnham, K.P. & Laake, J.L. 1993. Distance Sampling: Estimating Abundance of Biological Populations. London, UK: Chapman and Hall.
Burgner, R.L. 1991. Life history of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). In: GROOT, C. & MARGOLIS, L. (Eds.) Pacific Salmon Life Histories. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia Press.
Carter, H.R. & Sealy, S.G. 1987. Fish-holding behavior of Marbled Murrelets. Wilson Bulletin 99: 289-291.
Day, R.H. 1996. Nesting phenology of Kittlitz's Murrelet. Condor 98: 433-437.
Day, R.H., Kuletz, K.J. & Nigro, D.A. 1999. Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris). In: Poole, A. (Ed.) The Birds of North America Online. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. [Available online at: http://http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/435. Accessed 19 May 2016.] doi:10.2173/bna.435
Day, R.H. & Nigro, D.A. 2000. Feeding ecology of Kittlitz's and Marbled murrelets in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Waterbirds 23: 1-14.
GIBSON, D.D. 1980. Alaska region. American Birds 34: 921-922.
Kaler, R.S.A., Kenney, L.A. & Sandercock, B.K. 2009. Breeding ecology of Kittlitz's Murrelets at Agattu Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Waterbirds 32: 363-373.
Kissling, M.L, Kuletz, K.J., Brockmann, S.P. & Hatch, N.R. 2007. Distribution and abundance of Brachyramphus murrelets and other marine species from Icy Bay to LeConte Bay, southeast Alaska, 2002–2004. Juneau, AK: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Juneau Field Office.
Kuletz, K.J., Stephensen, S.W., Irons, D.B., Labunski, E.A. & Brenneman, K.M. 2003. Changes in distribution and abundance of Kittlitz's Murrelets Brachyramphus brevirostris relative to glacial recession in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Marine Ornithology 31: 133-140.
Lawonn, M.J., Piatt, J.F., Corcoran, R.M., Pyle, W.H. & Roby, D.D. 2011. Breeding ecology and behavior of Kittlitz's Murrelet in Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge: 2011 progress report. Kodiak, AK: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.
MacDonald, R. 1996. Baseline physical, biological, and chemical parameters of 21 lakes, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, 1984–1990. Fishery Data Series Number 96–5. Dillingham, AK: US Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. [Available online at: https://www.fws.gov/alaska/fisheries/fish/Data_Series/d_1996_5.pdf. Accessed 1 June 2016.]
Murphy, E.C., Roseneau, D.G., & Bente, P.M. 1984. An inland nest record for the Kittlitz's Murrelet. Condor 86: 218.
Nelson, S.K. 1997. Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus). In: Poole, A. (Ed.) The Birds of North America Online. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. [Available online at: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/276. Accessed 19 May 2016.] doi:10.2173/bna.276.
Piatt, J.F., Arimitsu, M., Drew, G., Madison, E.N., Bodkin, J. & Romano, M.D. 2011. Status and trend of the Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris in Glacier Bay, Alaska. Marine Ornithology 39: 65-75.
Rogers, D.E. 1973. Abundance and size of juvenile sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, and associated species in Lake Aleknagik, Alaska, in relation to their environment. Fishery Bulletin 71: 1061-1075.
Thomas, L., Buckland, S.T., Rexstad, E.A., Laake, J. L., Strindberg, S., Hedley, S.L., Bishop, J.R.B., Marques, T.A. & Burnham, K.P. 2010. Distance software: design and analysis of distance sampling surveys for estimating population size. Journal of Applied Ecology 47: 5-14.
Thompson, W.L. 2004. Sampling Rare or Elusive Species: Concepts, Designs, and Techniques for Estimating Population Parameters. Washington, DC: Island Press.
Walsh, P. 2013. Kittlitz's Murrelet survey: draft memorandum for record. Dillingham, AK: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge.