PRADO WETLANDS M.A.P.S. STATION | |||
Phylicia K Sanchez; Institute for Conservation Research & Education; psanchez@endemicenvironmental.net; Barry Nerhus, Peter Bloom, Thea Wang, Helen Lin, Richard Zembal | |||
The Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program is a continent-wide collaboration facilitated by the Institute for Bird Populations (IBP), which utilizes standardized protocols to research avian populations and ultimately aid in their conservation. In the summer of 2022, during the passerine breeding season, the Institute for Conservation Research & Education collaborated with IBP and the Orange County Water District to establish a new MAPS station within the Prado Wetlands; this station successfully continued its second year of research this past summer. As the largest reconstructed wetland on the United States West Coast, the Prado wetlands provide a unique habitat for various rare and endangered birds -- the least Bell's vireo being one of them. The Prado station's banding efforts focus on passerine activity along a 0.79-mile stretch within riparian woodland. Throughout the past two seasons of operation, 26 passerine species have been banded, with the Song Sparrow and Common Yellowthroat being the most prevalent. Upon capturing individuals, they are banded with a unique ID and assessed for demographic data values such as sex, age, molt, etc. This station intends to run for at least five years, with a long-term plan to analyze survivorship, reproduction, and the prevalence of diseases like avian pox. | |||
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