New Mexico Project
Inferring Rosy-Finch demography and breeding distribution trends from long-term wintering data in New Mexico
July 2022 - December 2026
Personnel
- Abby Lawson, Principal Investigator
- Whitney Watson, Student / Post Doc
- Corrie Borgman, Co-Principal Investigator
- Steve Cox, Non-PI Collaborator
- Erin Duvuvuei, Non-PI Collaborator
Participating Agencies
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Migratory Bird Management
The three Rosy-Finch species (Black, Brown-capped, and Gray-crowned) are among the most climate-threatened species in the United States. Rosy-Finches breed within high alpine and artic tundra biomes of North America, which are predicted to be disproportionately impacted by climate change. Therefore, identifying potential drivers of vital rates, abundance, and breeding distributions can potentially important environmental and habitat needs. Our study will evaluate long-term trends in demography and breeding distribution trends (inferred from stable isotopes) using long-term data form wintering birds captured on the Sandia Crest, New Mexico, which is also the southernmost point in which all three species co-occur. This project is a collaboration between the USGS New Mexico Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, USFWS Migratory Bird Management, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, and Rio Grande Bird Research Inc. The research will be used to identify potential conservation actions, including habitat restoration, that could improve conditions for Rosy-Finches in a warming climate.
Presentations | Presentation Date |
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Watson, W.A., C.C. Borgman, S.C. Cox, E. Duvuvuei, T.F. Wright, A.J. Lawson. 2024. Inferring Breeding Origins of Rosy-finches Overwintering in Northern New Mexico Using Stable Hydrogen Isotopes. American Ornithological Society Annual Conference; Estes Park, Colorado. October 1–5, 2024. | October 2024 |
Watson, W.A., C.C. Borgman, S. Cox, T.F. Wright, A.J. Lawson. 2024. Rosy-finch survival estimation based on long-term wintering data in New Mexico. Joint Annual Meeting of Arizona/New Mexico Chapters of The Wildlife Society; Flagstaff, Arizona. February 1 – 3rd, 2024. | February 2024 |
Watson, W.A., C.C. Borgman, S. Cox, T.F. Wright, A.J. Lawson. 2024. Inferring demographic trends of Rosy-finches from long-term wintering data in New Mexico. NMSU Research and Creativity Week; Las Cruces, New Mexico. February 26 – March 1st, 2024. | February 2024 |
Presser, K., W.A. Watson, C.C. Borgman, S. Cox, E. Duvuvuei, A.J. Lawson. 2024. Intra-feather variation in stable hydrogen isotopes of rosy-finch feathers. American Ornithological Society Annual Conference; Estes Park, Colorado. October 1–5, 2024. Poster presentation. | October 2024 |