Winter and Summer Home Ranges of American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) Captured at Loafing Sites in the Southeastern United States

Authors

D. Tommy King, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Justin W. Fischer, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Bronson K. Strickland, USDA, APHIS, Wildlife ServicesFollow
W. David Walter, The Pennsylvania State University
Fred L. Cunningham, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Guiwang Wang, Mississippi State University

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2017

Citation

Waterbirds 39(3): 287-294, 2016.

Comments

U.S. government work.

Abstract

Satellite telemetry was used to investigate summer and winter home ranges for resident and migrant American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) captured in the southeastern United States between 2002 and 2007. Home range utilization distributions were calculated using 50% and 95% kernel density estimators with the plug-in bandwidth selector. Mean summer home ranges (95%) varied from 177 to 4,710 km² and mean winter home ranges (95%) ranged from 185 to 916 km². Mean 50% and 95% home ranges of adult American White Pelicans during summer tended to be larger than those during winter, whereas mean 50% and 95% home ranges of immature pelicans during summer tended to be smaller than those during winter. Home ranges for all American White Pelicans encompassed the latitude range of 24°-55° N, including wintering, stop over, and nesting habitat. These data provide baseline movement and home range data for future studies of American White Pelican ecology.