Investigate the Ecology of Resident Birds in relation to Climate Change in Interior Alaska

Project ID: P17AC00646

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: University of Washington

Fiscal Year: 2017

Initial Funding: $55,710

Total Funding: $146,553

Project Type: Research

Project Disciplines: Biological

National Park: Denali National Park and Preserve

Principal Investigator: Marzluff, John

Agreement Technical Representative: Phillips, Laura

Abstract: Resident birds in Alaska use a variety of strategies to survive a season of extreme cold temperatures and food scarcity. Many resident birds depend on stored food that they cache during the summer and fall to successfully survive the winter and nest in early spring. Gray Jays cache food under tree bark and are unusual in that they store food items perishable in warm temperatures. In contrast, Black-billed Magpies are opportunistic foragers throughout the winter, caching food in scattered locations for only short periods of time. We will study the ecology of common resident species of birds in Denali to identify how they are responding to a warming climate. This includes investigating the condition of their food caches in relation to warmer temperatures. We will connect the local community members and students to Alaskan parks by using volunteer citizen scientists to study resident bird behavior in accessible areas in and around park lands by targeting territories in front country areas and near local residents’ homes for inclusion in the study. Outreach with local residents and in products developed will emphasize the message that climate change threatens the persistence of even the most common and seemingly ubiquitous backyard birds.
This project fulfills a public purpose through the support of a graduate student to conduct research in Denali for the completion of a Master’s or Doctoral Degree. Outreach products and presentations created during the study will improve the public understanding of resident bird communities in the park and increase awareness of steps they may take to reduce potential negative impacts to birds. Reports and publications will provide new knowledge of resident bird community response to climate warming to the scientific community as well as to interested land managers. A citizen science component of the project will engage local area residents to park resource stewardship of birds.