Estimating updraft velocity components over large spatial scales: contrasting migration strategies of golden eagles and turkey vultures.

Impact of the California Lead Ammunition Ban on Reducing Lead Exposure in Golden Eagles and Turkey Vultures

Predatory and scavenging birds may be exposed to high levels of lead when they ingest shot or bullet fragments embedded in the tissues of animals injured or killed with lead ammunition. Lead poisoning was a contributing factor in the decline of the endangered California condor population in the 1980s, and remains one of the primary factors threatening species recovery. In response to this threa...

Population Trends of Migratory Raptors in Western North America, 1977–2001

Trained observers counted migrating raptors and vultures from ridgetops at six sites in the Intermountain and Rocky Mountain Flyways of western North America: Goshute Mountains, Nevada (autumn 1983–2001); Wellsville Mountains, Utah (autumn 1977–1979 and 1987–2001); Bridger Mountains, Montana (autumn 1992–2001); Manzano Mountains, New Mexico (autumn 1985–2001); Sandia Mountains, New Mexico (spri...

Analysis of updraft velocity in mesoscale convective systems using satellite and WRF model simulations

Updraft vertical velocity is an important dynamical quantity which is strongly related to storm intensity and heavy precipitation. It can be calculated by direct observations, NWP model, and geostationary satellites which can provide the possibility of measuring this quantity with high temporal resolution. This research analyzed updraft velocity based on six derived parameters from INSAT3-D and...

Livestock Depredations by Black Vultures and Golden Eagles

Movement ecology of migration in turkey vultures.

We develop individual-based movement ecology models (MEM) to explore turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) migration decisions at both hourly and daily scales. Vulture movements in 10 migration events were recorded with satellite-reporting GPS sensors, and flight behavior was observed visually, aided by on-the-ground VHF radio-tracking. We used the North American Regional Reanalysis dataset to obtain...