Migratory Connectivity of Sora Virginia and Yellow Rails

Migratory Connectivity of Sora, Virginia and Yellow Rails Auriel M. V. Fournier – Arkansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit – University of Arkansas Kiel Drake, Doug Tozer – Bird Studies Canada David G. Krementz – USGS Arkansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit – University of Arkansas @Rallidae. Rule

Stopover, Migration, Wetlands • Stopover habitat for wetland species has been greatly reduced in the U. S (>60%) • Waterfowl connectivity has been studied • Other wetland species are unknown • Especially hard for small species with no site fidelity

Why Rails? Why Stable Isotopes? • Important connection between wetland systems • Sora and Virginia Rail are game species • Elusive, poorly studied, wetland obligate • No known site fidelity • Isotopes – Single capture needed • Butler et al. 2016 – Yellow Rails in inland Canada

Sample Collection • Breeding Grounds Foam Lake, Saskatchewan All Species • Migration Sora Virginia Rail Yellow Rail

Stable Hydrogen Isotopes Image: http: //www. animalmigration. org/stable_isotopes/index. htm

Fournier & Sullivan et al 2016 Journal of Applied Ecology DOI 10. 1111/1365 -2664. 12723 Stable Hydrogen Species Distribution Model Stables Isotopes with Species Distribution Model Prior

Species Distribution Models • Regional, State and Provincial Marshbird Monitoring Programs • Logistic Regression • Used 21 environmental covariates related to Temperature Wetland cover Rainfall • Bayesian prior • Van Wilgenburg, S. L. , and K. A. Hobson. 2011. Combining stableisotope and band recovery data to improve probabilistic assignment of migratory birds to origin. Ecological Applications 21: 1340 -1351.

Model Results • Virginia Rail Standard Deviation of Temperature Modeling continues to be challenging • Sora and Yellow Rail Mean Temp Driest Quarter Mean Temp Warmest Quarter Mean of monthly temperature range Non-forested Wetland presence

Yellow Rail

Virginia Rail

Sora

Next Steps • Better east coast data for SDM • Better environmental/habitat data to feed into SDM • Bring in additional isotopes Butler et al 2016 found Sulphur to be helpful • Use other forms of tracking connectivity

Acknowledgements Wonderful Technicians! Funding From • Garden Club of America Frances M. Peacock Scholarship, • Arkansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Presentation Available - tinyurl. com/rail-naoc 16 DOI: 10. 6084/m 9. figshare. 3565578 Questions? aurielfournier@gmail. com @Rallidae. Rule aurielfournier. github. io Butler, C. J. Wilson J. K. Frazee S. R. Kelly J. F. 2016. A Comparison of the origins of Yellow Rails wintering in Oklahoma and Texas, USA Waterbirds Fournier, A. M. V. Sullivan A. R. Bump J. K. Perkins M. Shieldcastle M. C. King S. L. 2016. Combining citizen science species distribution models and stable isotopes reveals migratory connectivity in the secretive Virginia Rail. Journal of Applied Ecology Van Wilgenburg, S. L. , and K. A. Hobson. 2011. Combining stable-isotope and band recovery data to improve probabilistic assignment of migratory birds to origin. Ecological Applications 21: 1340 -1351.