Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
12-2008
Journal or Book Title
Wilson Journal of Ornithology
Volume
120
Issue
4
First Page
700
Last Page
707
DOI
10.1676/07-135.1
Abstract
Estimates of local abundance for declining species provide important information necessary for conservation measures. We estimated the density and abundance of Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) in Phillips and Valley counties in north-central Montana in 2004 using distance sampling methodology. Sampling efforts were stratified to include active prairie dog (Cynomys sp.) colonies, an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) specifically established for Mountain Plover, and all other habitats. The density of plovers was greatest on prairie dog colonies (7.20 ± 0.42 [SE] plovers/km2) and much lower on both the ACEC (1.60 ± 0.31 plovers/km2), and all other habitats (0.07 ± 0.01 plovers/km2). An estimated 1,028 (95% CI = 903–1,153) plovers inhabited this region in 2004, most (74%) on prairie dog colonies. Our results highlight the importance of prairie dog colonies to plovers in this region and suggest that as much as 10% of their continental population may breed in north-central Montana.
Copyright Owner
The Wilson Ornithological Society
Copyright Date
2008
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Childers, Theresa M. and Dinsmore, Stephen J., "Density and Abundance of Mountain Plovers in Northeastern Montana" (2008). Natural Resource Ecology and Management Publications. 188.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/nrem_pubs/188
Comments
This article is from Wilson Journal of Ornithology 120 (2008): 700, doi:10.1676/07-135.1. Posted with permission.