Using High-Frequency GPS Transmitters to Infer Nesting and Breeding Behavior of Dunlin (Calidris alpina arcticola)

GIS Seminar

Using High-Frequency GPS Transmitters to Infer Nesting and Breeding Behavior of Dunlin (Calidris alpina arcticola)

Sarah Hoepfner, GIS certificate candidate, natural resource ecology and management

Advisor: Stephen Dinsmore, department chair, natural resource ecology and management

Abstract

Traditional techniques for monitoring shorebird nests require regular disturbance at nests and likely biases nest survival estimates, an important demographic metric. In summer 2021 I placed state-of-the-art high-frequency GPS tags on Dunlin at Utqiaġvik, Alaska, and tracked adults from pre- to post-breeding. I determined criteria to assess nest fate solely from the GPS tracks without ever seeing the nest. This will allow us to determine the first true nest survival estimates without human disturbance.

Equally important, we gained insights into other nesting behaviors that were not previously possible. Using the tracking data we could see pre-breeding movements, how many birds attempted nesting, the direction and distance of incubation break movements, territory size and habitat use throughout the entire breeding season.