Observations of Migrating Golden Eagles ( Aquila chrysaetos) in Eastern Interior Alaska Offer Insights On Population Size and Migration Monitoring
Dates
Year
2016
Citation
McIntyre, Carol L., and Lewis, Stephen B., 2016, Observations of Migrating Golden Eagles ( Aquila chrysaetos) in Eastern Interior Alaska Offer Insights On Population Size and Migration Monitoring: Journal of Raptor Research, v. 50, no. 3, p. 254-264.
Summary
Migratory Golden Eagles ( Aquila chrysaetos) from Alaska winter across a vast region of western North America, much of which is undergoing rapid change from a diversity of indirect and direct human activities. To address recent conservation concerns, we are studying the year-round movements of migratory Golden Eagles from interior and northern Alaska to identify and evaluate potential risks to their survival. We are also developing new survey techniques to estimate population size and trends. As part of our ongoing studies, we observed migrating Golden Eagles in spring and autumn 2014 during field investigations to locate Golden Eagle capture sites in eastern interior Alaska, and in spring 2015 during capture activities. We observed [...]
Summary
Migratory Golden Eagles ( Aquila chrysaetos) from Alaska winter across a vast region of western North America, much of which is undergoing rapid change from a diversity of indirect and direct human activities. To address recent conservation concerns, we are studying the year-round movements of migratory Golden Eagles from interior and northern Alaska to identify and evaluate potential risks to their survival. We are also developing new survey techniques to estimate population size and trends. As part of our ongoing studies, we observed migrating Golden Eagles in spring and autumn 2014 during field investigations to locate Golden Eagle capture sites in eastern interior Alaska, and in spring 2015 during capture activities. We observed large numbers of Golden Eagles in both spring and autumn, suggesting that the Mentasta Mountains are an important migration corridor for this species. Further, our observations, including 1364 migrating Golden Eagles in October 2014, suggested that the Alaska Golden Eagle population is much larger than is reflected in the only currently available statewide population estimate of 2400 eagles. In combination with historical and contemporary tracking studies, our observations in the Mentasta Mountains provide important new information about Golden Eagle migration in Alaska and stimulate interest in answering fundamental questions about using counts of migrating Golden Eagles to estimate, and detect change in, the population size of Alaska's migratory Golden Eagles. Our observations also provide new information about Rough-legged Hawk migration in Alaska. Los ejemplares migratorios de Aquila chrysaetos provenientes de Alaska invernan a lo largo de una amplia región del oeste de América del Norte, gran parte de la cual está siendo sometida a un cambio rápido ocasionado por una diversidad de actividades humanas directas e indirectas. Para abordar preocupaciones de conservación recientes, estamos estudiando, a lo largo del año, los movimientos de ejemplares migratorios de A. chrysaetos provenientes del interior continental y del norte de Alaska para identificar y evaluar riesgos potenciales para su supervivencia. También estamos desarrollando nuevas técnicas de muestreo para estimar el tamaño y las tendencias poblacionales. Como parte de nuestros estudios en curso, observamos ejemplares migratorios de A. chrysaetos en primavera y otoño de 2014 durante investigaciones de campo para ubicar lugares de captura en el este continental de Alaska, y en primavera de 2015 durante las actividades de captura. Observamos gran número de ejemplares de A. chrysaetos tanto en primavera como en otoño, lo que sugiere que las montañas Mentasta son un importante corredor migratorio para esta especie. Además, nuestras observaciones, que contabilizaron 1364 ejemplares migratorios de A. chrysaetos, sugieren que la población de esta especie en Alaska es mucho mayor que la documentada en la única estimación poblacional estatal disponible de 2400 águilas. En combinación con estudios de seguimiento históricos y contemporáneos, nuestras observaciones en las Montañas Mentasta proporcionan información nueva e importante sobre la migración de esta especie de águila en Alaska y despiertan interés en dar respuesta a preguntas fundamentales acerca del uso de conteos de ejemplares migratorios de A. chrysaetos para estimar y detectar cambios en el tamaño poblacional de esta especie. Nuestras observaciones también proporcionan nueva información acerca de la migración de Buteo lagopus en Alaska. [Traducción del equipo editorial] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Raptor Research is the property of Raptor Research Foundation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)