GPS tracking of Brown Pelican in the northern Gulf of Mexico (2013-2016) - Reference data
Dates
Publication Date
2017
Start Date
2013-04-24
End Date
2014-05-30
Citation
Juliet S. Lamb, Yvan G. Satgé, and Patrick G.R. Jodice, 2017, Brown pelican data from Lamb et al. (2017), Movebank.org, http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.7856r086.
Summary
This dataset comprises reference data for each individual bird included in Lamb et al. (2017). Reference data include, but are not limited to, colony name, nest coordinates, nest content, culmen size, tag manufacturer, etc. Funding for this study was provided by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and U.S. Geological Survey (Interagency Agreement no. M12PG00014). The Eastern Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis) is a large-bodied seabird that nests in colonies of 10 to upwards of 5,000 pairs, on nearshore barrier islands in subtropical and tropical North American waters. It breeds between March and August, laying 2–3 eggs and raising 1–2 chicks per year. The species is facultatively migratory during nonbreeding, with [...]
Summary
This dataset comprises reference data for each individual bird included in Lamb et al. (2017). Reference data include, but are not limited to, colony name, nest coordinates, nest content, culmen size, tag manufacturer, etc.
Funding for this study was provided by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and U.S. Geological Survey (Interagency Agreement no. M12PG00014).
The Eastern Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis) is a large-bodied seabird that nests in colonies of 10 to upwards of 5,000 pairs, on nearshore barrier islands in subtropical and tropical North American waters. It breeds between March and August, laying 2–3 eggs and raising 1–2 chicks per year. The species is facultatively migratory during nonbreeding, with some individuals remaining resident and others leaving breeding areas. Pelicans forage in near- and offshore waters and capture schooling fish by plunge-diving. We collected data on breeding adult movements at six colonies in the Northern Gulf of Mexico between 83° and 98° W and 27° and 31° N. We deployed fifty-four 65-g solar GPS Platform Terminal transmitters (GeoTrak, Inc., North Carolina, USA) and twenty-seven 65-g GPS GSM transmitter (NorthStar Science and Technology, Virginia, USA) with a backpack-style Teflon ribbon harness attachment. Adults were captured at active nests using leg nooses in either the late incubation or early chick-rearing stage of breeding. All captured adults were weighed, measured, banded, and sampled for blood and feathers. Adults were later sexed via PCR using collected DNA samples. Total handling time from capture to release averaged 19 min (±6.5 min).
J.S. Lamb, Y.G. Satgé, P.G.R. Jodice, 2017, Influence of density-dependent competition on foraging and migratory behavior of a subtropical colonial seabird, Ecology & Evolution
This study focuses on obtaining information about populations of Eastern Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) across the northern Gulf of Mexico. Study objectives are to (1) document dispersal, seasonal and annual movements, seasonal home range, and site fidelity of marked adult Brown Pelicans among nesting colonies from the Gulf coast, (2) compare contaminant exposure risk, contaminant levels, and health parameters in adult and nestling Brown Pelicans from various colony sites, and (3) document the relationship of local environmental and nest site characteristics to nestling survival and recruitment. We have deployed 93 remote-downloading GPS tags on adult pelicans in the northern Gulf: 25 tags in Florida, 5 in Alabama, 32 in Louisiana, and 31 in Texas. We have used tracking data to analyze preferred marine habitat characteristics and analyze individual and colony-wide variation in home ranges, habitat characteristics, and migratory patterns. This dataset only comprises data from Florida, Louisiana and Texas.
Rights
The authors of these data require that data users contact them regarding intended use and to assist with understanding limitations and interpretation. Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata, and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Preview Image
S. Desaivre, 2013. Brown pelican nesting on Shamrock Island, TX