U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Summer Fellowship

Rachel Ruden, UPenn

Abstracts, Entry

Kittlitz’s murrelets (Brachyramphus brevirostris) are an elusive sea bird of Beringia, however there presence on freshwater glacial lakes in the Bristol Bay region of southwest Alaska precipitated an extensive survey effort in 2014. Surveys were carried out on lakes in the Wood River Lake System, in close proximity to Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, as well as Togiak Lake within the Refuge proper during the late nesting and early post-nesting periods. Murrelets were confirmed present on Lakes Aleknagik and Nerka, with a peak abundance of 66 birds on Lake Aleknagik 4 August. Distance sampling was employed on Lake Aleknagik during formal surveys using traditional distance estimation and an off-transect method. Maximum abundance with 95% confidence intervals was estimated at 253 birds (100-644) and 419 birds (84-2093), respectively. Though the presence of hatch-year birds could not be confirmed, the findings of this study warrant further research given the sensitivity of this species and its novel use of freshwater resources.

Rachel, during a survey of a lake in Alaska.