NPS
MANDATORY for Data Store: NPS Alpha Unit Code (ACAD)
MANDATORY for Data Store: NPS Unit Type (National Park, National Monument, etc)
Falk Huettmann
20061217
Year-round Urban Raven Surveys in Fairbanks, Interior Alaska 2004-2006
http://science.nature.nps.gov/nrdata
This dataset presents Raven (Corvus corax) survey data carried out for app. two years at a supermarket parking lot (app. 300m*600m), strip mall, in Fairbanks, interior Alaska located app. 120 miles south of the arctic circle. Seventy-three surveys were done. Data were collected bi-weekly, or with a higher frequency, on Sundays or Saturdays between 8 AM and 11 AM by driving on the parking lot for 15 minutes; detectability is believed to be 100 % for the survey area (app. 200m radius). These car-based surveys result into virtually unbiased surveys providing a representative snap shot in time. Other opportunistic surveys were included as well, e.g. collected during the week or from locations nearby. The parking lot represents a typical situation of Ravens in an urban habitat. Week-end surveys were done in order to assess any temporal regularities within the week, and whether there was a link with Ravens and the fastfood left-overs from Friday and Saturday nights. Ravens were scanned for bands and marks, but none were found. Moult and age were also noted when possible. Basic Raven behaviour is also reported, as well as the state of the parking lot in regards to parked trucks and cars, food items, garbage, fast food left-overs and snow/climate. All other bird species were recorded as well, e.g. common gulls (Larus canus) in summer (but almost no other species were seen). Bird abundance seems to be driven by food items on the parking lot, e.g. provided by an adjacent fast food restaurant and by left-overs from parties and gatherings at the parking lot from the previous night. The numbers of Ravens at this study site are relatively small (app. 15 birds in winter and basically none in summer) and consistent patterns of abundance are shown throughout the two years. With few exceptions, opportunistic observations of Ravens in the wider region indicate that the described situation would apply to many other supermarket parking lots in the vicinity as well. These 2 years of data are unique and contribute to baseline information relevant for Ravens in the interior of Alaska; they are a simple but powerful snapshot in time and when put into an overall ecological context.
To provide basic information on Raven abundance, behaviour and related information throughout the year in a quantitative fashion for interior Alaska.
Heinrich, B. Ravens in winter. Vintage Publishers, 400 pages. See as well ITIS website references
Unknown
Unknown
Current
Currently no maintenance. Future publication planned and in progress.
-147.7200
-147.7200
64.8400
64.8400
Viewshed of "Fred Meyer and Taco Bell parking lot", Airport Way, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
none
Urban Ecology
Strip Mall
Raven
Corvids
Winter
Fall
Summer
Spring
Year round surveys
Alaska
Interior Alaska
Supermarkets
Baseline data
Opportunistic Surveys
National Park Service Theme Category Thesaurus
Urban Ecology
Strip Mall
Raven
Corvids
Winter
Fall
Summer
Spring
Year round surveys
Alaska
Interior Alaska
Supermarkets
Baseline data
Opportunistic Surveys
ISO 19115 Topic Category
Urban Ecology
Strip Mall
Parking Lot
Raven
Corvids
Winter
Fall
Summer
Spring
Year round surveys
Alaska
Interior Alaska
Supermarkets
Baseline data
Opportunistic Surveys
Ecology off Fast Food Restaurants
none
Fairbanks
Alaska
Interior Alaska
National Park System Unit Name Thesaurus
Fairbanks
Alaska
Interior Alaska
National Park System Unit Code Thesaurus
Fairbanks
Alaska
Interior Alaska
None
bi-weekly
year round
Available by arrangement with data owner.
Interpretation only possible within framework of data protocol. Intimate knowledge about Raven and the study is highly suggested. Contact data owner for details
Falk Huettmann
EWHALE lab, Inst. of Arctic Biology, Biology & Wildlife Dept., University of Alaska-Fairbanks
419 IRVING 1
Fairbanks
Alaska
99775
USA
+1 907 474 7882
fffh@uaf.edu
Falk Huettmann
Unknown
Fairbanks, Alaska
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
none
Raven
Corvids
Corvus corax
Common Raven
Unknown
Unknown
ITIS USDA
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Subphylum
Vertebrata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Corvidae
Genus
Corvus
Species
Corvus corax
grand corbeau
Falk Huettmann
Field notes, Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet
High, animals were detected 100%, biases are low since surveys were done without biases, e.g. from a car/truck. Several observers contributed to the dataset: F. Huettmann, N. Coutsobos, D. Holcomb, J. and S. Linke, J. Ritter, E. Craig. H. and T. Gundersen.
Methodology is consistent throughout. One principle data collector Falk Huettmann; sometimes other fieldworkers collected data with the same protocol (see attribute accuracy for details). Some additional data are not collected consistently but can be inferred, e.g. snow coverage. Behavioral classification is done descriptive.
Consistent methods. See methods
Field
Field
Data were collected bi-weekly, or with a higher frequency, on Sundays or Saturdays between 8 AM and 11 AM by driving on the parking lot for 15 minutes; detectability is believed to be 100 %. This results into unbiased surveys providing a snap shot in time. Other opportunistic surveys were included as well, e.g. collected during the week or from locations nearby. The parking lot represents a typical situation of Ravens in an urban habitat. Ravens were scanned for bands and marks, but none were found. Moult and age was also noted. Basic Raven behaviour is also reported, as well as state of the parking lot in regards to parked trucks and cars, food items, garbage, fast food left-overs, snow and climate. All other bird species were recorded as well, e.g. gulls in summer.
Field notes recorded in notebook and inserted into Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet.
Unknown
1 month
Falk Huettmann
Falk Huettmann
EWHALE lab, 419 Irving I, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)
Fairbanks
Alaska
99775
USA
Fred Myers Parking Lot, off Taco Bell Fast Food Restaurant on Airport Way in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
Point
64.8400
0
Decimal degrees
ravendataFairbanks 20042006_FalkHuettmann1
Excel Sheet that consists of Raven Survey Information
Falk Huettmann
Month of the year when observation was carried out
Month when survey was carried out
Defined by Falk Huettmann
August, text field
year
year when Raven survey was carried out
Defined by Falk Huettmann
4 digit number
datestring
Date when observation was carried out
Falk Huettmann
month/day/yearyearyearyear
Observer
Observername doing the field observations
Defined by Falk Huettmann
name (firstname and lastname) as text
Location
Name of the location where study was carried out
Falk Huettmann
official site name
Latdec
Latitude in decimal degrees, 4 decimals, North positive
Falk Huettmann
coordinate
Londec
Longitude in decimal degrees, 4 decimals, west negative
Falk Huettmann
coordinate
Ravennumberobserved
Name from where observation was exactly done
Falk Huettmann
Maximum number of Ravens that were in the viewshed, and from which behaviors were described
Numbersinmoult
How many birds showed signs of moult
Defined by Falk Huettmann
Numbers
Behavior
Specific Behavior of Raven
Defined by Falk Huettmann
Unclassified behavior categories
Carsatparkinglot
Additional Habitat Information: Description or Index of how many cars are occupying the parking lot
Falk Huettmann
Visual assessment
RavensinFairbanks
Have any Ravens been seen in Fairbanks; are birds around ? Opportunistic information from other locations at that day
Defined by Falk Huettmann
verbal descriptions, some numbers
Otherbirds
What other birds have been observed at the study area
Falk Huettmann
Common bird names in English
Snowonground
Habitat descriptor: Was there any snow on the ground, and how much ?
Falk Huettmann
Verbal description
Location
Name of the location where study was carried out
Falk Huettmann
official site name
Comments
Additional information that helps to analyse and to understand the data and observed behaviors
Falk Huettmann
Text descriptions
Falk Huettmann
EWHALE lab, University of Alaska, Institute of Arctic Biology, Biology and Wildlife Department
mailing and physical address
419 IRVING I - EWHALE lab, University of Alaska, Institute of Arctic Biology, Biology and Wildlife Department
Fairbanks
Alaska
99775-7000
907 474-7882
907 474-6967
fffh@uaf.edu
Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the University of Alaska, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from a server, and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. The Universities of Alaska (U.S.) and others shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein.
Excel
None
20061206
Falk Huettmann
EWHALE lab, University of Alaska, Institute of Arctic Biology, Biology and Wildlife Department
mailing and physical address
419 IRVING I - EWHALE lab
Fairbanks
Alaska
99775-7000
907 474-7882
907 474-6967
fffh@uaf.edu
Content Standard for National Biological Information Infrastructure Metadata
FGDC-STD-001.1-1999
http://nrdata.nps.gov/profiles/NPS_Profile.xml
NPS NR and GIS Metadata Profile