Reproductive effects of nest-marking studies in an American white pelican colony

Colonial Waterbirds
By: , and 

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Abstract

In 1981 and 1982 we studied the reproductive success of American White Pelicans in the Klamath Basin of northern California. We observed that reproductive success at one colony became reduced in 1981 when we entered that colony to collect eggs for chemical analysis and to mark nests for an assessment of nesting success. Those pelicans produced only 0.5 Y/N contrasted to pelicans nesting at an undisturbed colony that produced about 1.2 Y/N. No colonies were entered in 1982 and both produced about 1.1 Y/N. We concluded that our activities reduced the success of that one disturbed colony. We suggest that the sample-egg technique should not be used in American White Pelican colonies, in-colony activities should be very limited, and researchers in bird colonies should attempt more often to assess the effects of their own activiites
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Reproductive effects of nest-marking studies in an American white pelican colony
Series title Colonial Waterbirds
DOI 10.2307/1521002
Volume 11
Issue 2
Year Published 1988
Language English
Publisher Waterbird Society
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Description 5 p.
First page 215
Last page 219
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