The impact of Whitebark Pine mortality on Clark's Nutcracker demography: Will restoration work? Clark's Nutcracker Demography and Habitat Selection in the Face of Habitat Decline Taza Schaming

Will Clark's nutcrackers & their functional role as seed dispersers persist in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem? Martin Meyers Taza Schaming Will their behavior & population change?

Methods ( ) N = 185 trapped N = 76 radio tracked N = 1,014 occupancy surveys N = 74.5 hours fledgling surveys Rob Curtis STUDY SITE 23,500km 2 1,107 person-days in field: Taza Schaming Pocholo MartinezJada Schaming

BREEDING

Breeding vs. Nonbreeding Years Taza Schaming

To breed or not to breed? 1) Prior to breeding onset, reliable cues indicate poor breeding season -> skip breeding 2) Unfavorable prebreeding food supplies or weather -> individuals in poor condition -> skip breeding Taza Schaming

1) Prebreeding Environmental Cues

2) Body condition

How often are “nonbreeding” years predicted ? “Low” cone crop only = 44% (15/34) “High” snowpack only = 24% (8/34) Both = 15% (5/34)

HABITAT SELECTION

Habitat Selection: Occupancy Surveys ( , fall harvest season, n = 142) (β = 0.005, SE = 0.002, p = 0.005) (β = 1.4, SE = 0.3, p < 0.001) Less than 100 m VS. All distances

Habitat Selection: Occupancy Surveys ( , Jan – Oct, n = 286) (β = 2.7e-07, SE = 7.3e-08, p < 0.001) (β = 0.005, SE = 0.002, p = 0.01 Importance value = density + dominance + frequency

Detectability (p) N = 10 Observed N = 10 p=1 Observed N = 5 p=0.5 OR Important Factors *Tree Density *WBP importance value *Time of Day

Breeding Season Home Range

Habitat Selection: HR vs. landscape

Habitat Selection: indiv. points vs. HR

Implications for Management 1)Don’t assume CLNU presence = CLNU persistence. 2) An increase in nonbreeding years could have a strong negative effect on stability of the regional CLNU population. 3)Greater Yellowstone: Douglas Fir stands may be necessary for CLNU persistence. a) Protect Douglas Fir? b) Focus of WBP rehabilitation near Douglas Fir?

MORE TO COME!

Acknowledgements Thank you Advisor: Janis Dickinson Special Committee: Andre Dhondt, Evan Cooch, John Fitzpatrick Interns & volunteers Dept. of Natural Resources & Lab of Ornithology students & faculty Lighthawk, Lisa Robertson Bridger-Teton National Forest Nature Mapping Jackson Hole Wyoming Game and Fish, Susan Patla Jackson Hole Bird Club Pocholo Martinez, Peter & Teal & Jada Schaming Dick Qua, Bruce Pressler, Andy Royle Funding Cornell Lab of Ornithology Meg and Bert Raynes Wildlife Fund Wyoming Wildlife – The Foundation Cornell Sigma Xi Western Bird Banding Association Cornell University Graduate School Explorers Club The Garden Club of America Samuel and Linda Kramer Fischer American Philosophical Society Conservation and Research Foundation Mellon Foundation Havahart Mazamas Charles Redd Center American Ornithologists’ Union NASA Harriett G. Jenkins Pre-doctoral Fellowship Wilson Ornithological Society Athena Fund of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Questions? Sean Beckett