Population density of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in northeastern Mexico

Background: The western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) occurs throughout western North America in various habitats such as desert, short-grass prairie and shrub-steppe, among others, where the main threat for this species is habitat loss. Range-wide declines have prompted a need for re...

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Main Authors: Ruiz Aymá, Gabriel, Olalla Kerstupp, Alina, Macías Duarte, Alberto, Guzmán Velasco, Antonio, González Rojas, José Ignacio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2016
Online Access:http://eprints.uanl.mx/14763/1/13.pdf
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author Ruiz Aymá, Gabriel
Olalla Kerstupp, Alina
Macías Duarte, Alberto
Guzmán Velasco, Antonio
González Rojas, José Ignacio
author_facet Ruiz Aymá, Gabriel
Olalla Kerstupp, Alina
Macías Duarte, Alberto
Guzmán Velasco, Antonio
González Rojas, José Ignacio
author_sort Ruiz Aymá, Gabriel
collection Repositorio Institucional
description Background: The western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) occurs throughout western North America in various habitats such as desert, short-grass prairie and shrub-steppe, among others, where the main threat for this species is habitat loss. Range-wide declines have prompted a need for reliable estimates of its populations in Mexico, where the size of resident and migratory populations remain unknown. Results: Our objective was to estimate the abundance and density of breeding western burrowing owl populations in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in two sites located within the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion in the states of Nuevo Leon and San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Line transect surveys were conducted from February to April of 2010 and 2011. Fifty 60 ha transects were analyzed using distance sampling to estimate owl and Mexican prairie dog populations. We estimated a population of 2026 owls (95 % CI 1756–2336) in 2010 and 2015 owls (95 % CI 1573–2317) in 2011 across 50 Mexican prairie dog colonies (20,529 ha). Conclusions: The results represent the first systematic attempt to provide reliable evidence related to the size of the adult owl populations, within the largest and best preserved Mexican prairie dog colonies in Mexico.
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spelling eprints-147632023-05-25T17:08:12Z http://eprints.uanl.mx/14763/ Population density of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in northeastern Mexico Ruiz Aymá, Gabriel Olalla Kerstupp, Alina Macías Duarte, Alberto Guzmán Velasco, Antonio González Rojas, José Ignacio Background: The western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) occurs throughout western North America in various habitats such as desert, short-grass prairie and shrub-steppe, among others, where the main threat for this species is habitat loss. Range-wide declines have prompted a need for reliable estimates of its populations in Mexico, where the size of resident and migratory populations remain unknown. Results: Our objective was to estimate the abundance and density of breeding western burrowing owl populations in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in two sites located within the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion in the states of Nuevo Leon and San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Line transect surveys were conducted from February to April of 2010 and 2011. Fifty 60 ha transects were analyzed using distance sampling to estimate owl and Mexican prairie dog populations. We estimated a population of 2026 owls (95 % CI 1756–2336) in 2010 and 2015 owls (95 % CI 1573–2317) in 2011 across 50 Mexican prairie dog colonies (20,529 ha). Conclusions: The results represent the first systematic attempt to provide reliable evidence related to the size of the adult owl populations, within the largest and best preserved Mexican prairie dog colonies in Mexico. 2016 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_nc_nd http://eprints.uanl.mx/14763/1/13.pdf http://eprints.uanl.mx/14763/1.haspreviewThumbnailVersion/13.pdf Ruiz Aymá, Gabriel y Olalla Kerstupp, Alina y Macías Duarte, Alberto y Guzmán Velasco, Antonio y González Rojas, José Ignacio (2016) Population density of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in northeastern Mexico. BMC Ecology, 16 (1). ISSN 1472-6785 http://doi.org/10.1186/s12898-016-0091-y doi:10.1186/s12898-016-0091-y
spellingShingle Ruiz Aymá, Gabriel
Olalla Kerstupp, Alina
Macías Duarte, Alberto
Guzmán Velasco, Antonio
González Rojas, José Ignacio
Population density of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in northeastern Mexico
thumbnail https://rediab.uanl.mx/themes/sandal5/images/online.png
title Population density of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in northeastern Mexico
title_full Population density of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in northeastern Mexico
title_fullStr Population density of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in northeastern Mexico
title_full_unstemmed Population density of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in northeastern Mexico
title_short Population density of the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) colonies in northeastern Mexico
title_sort population density of the western burrowing owl athene cunicularia hypugaea in mexican prairie dog cynomys mexicanus colonies in northeastern mexico
url http://eprints.uanl.mx/14763/1/13.pdf
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