SURVEYS AND POPULATION ESTIMATES OF A DISTINCTIVE SUBPOPULATION OF SANDHILL CRANES IN THE FRASER RIVER LOWLANDS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

A poorly understood subpopulation of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) breeds at scattered locations in the lower Fraser River Valley on the south coast of British Columbia. The area also harbors the northernmost population of overwintering sandhill cranes anywhere in its range. While sporadic monitoring has been carried out since the mid-1960s, no formal survey efforts have been attempted for the entire Fraser River lowland subpopulation. During 2014-2019 we collected groundbased survey data on presence and occupation of territories within the study area; this effort was supported by citizen science contributions. On 20 June 2019, we flew a fixed-width, aerial transect survey over known breeding areas. Transects were flown over 6 wetlands known to historically or currently support sandhill cranes but that were too large or difficult to survey on foot. Combined aerial and ground surveys estimated that only 12 breeding pairs and an estimated subpopulation size of approximately 30 individuals were present during the survey year. These survey data represent the first coordinated effort to estimate the Fraser River lowland population of sandhill cranes. Further research and conservation effort is required for this subpopulation given its perilously small breeding population, seemingly low recruitment, and growing urban pressures on remaining habitat

Inferring the rules of social interaction in migrating caribou

Social interactions are a significant factor that influence the decision-making of species ranging from humans to bacteria. In the context of animal migration, social interactions may lead to improved decision-making, greater ability to respond to environmental cues, and the cultural transmission of optimal routes. Despite their significance, the precise nature of social interactions in migrating species remains largely unknown. Here we deploy unmanned aerial systems to collect aerial footage of caribou as they undertake their migration from Victoria Island to mainland Canada. Through a Bayesian analysis of trajectories we reveal the fine-scale interaction rules of migrating caribou and show they are attracted to one another and copy directional choices of neighbours, but do not interact through clearly defined metric or topological interaction ranges. By explicitly considering the role of social information on movement decisions we construct a map of near neighbour influence that quantifies the nature of information flow in these herds. These results will inform more realistic, mechanism-based models of migration in caribou and other social ungulates, leading to better predictions of spatial use patterns and responses to changing environmental conditions. Moreover, we anticipate that the protocol we developed here will be broadly applicable to study social behaviour in a wide range of migratory and non-migratory taxa. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Collective movement ecology’

Outcomes in randomised controlled trials in prevention and management of carious lesions:a systematic review

Abstract Background Inconsistent outcome reporting is one significant hurdle to combining results from trials into systematic reviews. Core outcome sets (COS) can reduce this barrier. The aim of this review was to map outcomes reported in caries prevention and management randomised controlled trials (RCT) as a first step to COS development. We also investigated RCT characteristics and reporting of primary outcomes and sample size calculations. Methods PubMed, Embase, Web of Knowledge and Cochrane CENTRAL were systematically searched (1 January 1968 to 25 August 2015). Inclusion criteria: RCTs comparing any technique for prevention or management of caries with another or placebo and RCTs comparing interventions to support patients undergoing treatment of caries (without setting, dentition or age restrictions). Categories were developed through piloting and group consensus and outcomes grouped accordingly. Results Of 4773 search results, 764 were potentially relevant, full text was available for 731 papers and 605 publications met the inclusion criteria and were included. For all outcomes across the time periods 1968–1980 and 2001–2010, reporting of outcome ‘caries experience’ reduced from 39% to 18%; ‘clinical performance of the restoration’ reporting increased from 33% to 42% although there was a reduction to 22% in 2011–2015. Emerging outcome domains include ‘lesion activity’ and ‘pulp health-related outcomes’, accounting for 1% and 0%, respectively, during 1968–1980 and 10% and 4% for 2011–2015. Reporting ‘resource efficiency’ and ‘quality of life measures’ have remained at a low level. No publications reported tooth survival independent of an index such as DMFT or equivalent. Primary outcomes were only identified as such in 414 (68%) of the reports. Conclusions Over the past 50 years, outcome reporting for trials on prevention and management of carious lesions have tended to focus on outcomes measuring caries experience and restoration material clinical performance with lesion activity and cost-effectiveness increasingly being reported. Patient-reported and patient-focused outcomes are becoming more common (although as secondary outcomes) but remain low in use. The challenge with developing a COS will be balancing commonly previously reported outcomes against those more relevant for the future. Trial registration PROSPERO, CRD42015025310 . Registered on 14 August 2015, Trials (Schwendicke et al., Trials 16:397, 2015) and COMET initiative online (COMET, 2017)

New avian breeding records for Kugluktuk, Nunavut

New breeding records for 10 species of tundra and boreal nesting birds were documented near the community of Kugluktuk (Nunavut, Canada) over the course of the 2015 and 2016 breeding seasons and incidentally in 2017 and 2018. These species include American Wigeon (Mareca americana), Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata), Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis), Greater Scaup (Aythya marila), Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya), Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis), Greycheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus), Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata), and Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis). Previously unpublished breeding evidence for Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is also discussed along with suspected breeding of Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus), White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), and Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator). These records represent the first described breeding occurrences for these species in the Kitikmeot region, or new records for the mainland of Nunavut. A lack of historical ornithological survey effort in this area has likely led to the diversity of these previously unrecorded breeding observations. These results highlight the need to increase geographic coverage of bird surveys in northern Canada to more accurately delineate the northern limit of breeding ranges and suggest that further formal survey effort will undoubtedly lead to additional new breeding records

New Northern Records for Townsend’s Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories

On 10 May 2015, a Townsend’s Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) was observed near the hamlet of Kugluktuk in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut. This represents the first record for the territory and the first observation above the canadian tree line. We discuss new data from the Northwest Territories of singing males recorded by autonomous recording units, which may represent breeding evidence at the northeastern limit of the species’ range. We summarize other observations of this species across northwestern canada and describe the ecology of the lower coppermine River

Territorial and courtship displays of Mauritius Cuckooshrike Lalage typica

Volume: 136Start Page: 147End Page: 14

Supporting Information from Inferring the rules of social interaction in migrating caribou

Information; Tables S1-S4; Figures S1-S