Abstract
Partial migration, in which migrant and resident members of a species spend part of the annual cycle in the same habitat, is a widely-occurring strategy among animal species. However, studies of this behavior are impeded by problems such as distinguishing migrant from resident individuals and detecting resident-migrant hybridization. We used a combination of genomic sequencing and bird banding to determine the migratory status of individuals in a declining population of western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) in northern California. We banded individuals for four consecutive years in winter and summer. Each summer we surveyed for birds we had banded during previous winters. Using genomic analysis, we analyzed feathers from birds found in winter and summer to assess migratory status and interactions between winter and summer owls. The data showed a pattern of migration in which long-distance migratory birds were found in areas outside the breeding sites and joined resident owls at the breeding sites in the winter, but disappeared from these areas by the next breeding season. These results fit a pattern of partial migration in which long-distance migrants join resident birds in the winter. Although during breeding seasons we never observed any migrants that we banded in winter either within or outside the breeding sites, genomic analysis showed that some migrants stayed into the summer and bred with resident owls to produce hybrid offspring. This interaction brings different genetic material into the small resident population, a contribution that may benefit this declining population. This work demonstrates the value of combining genomic assessments of migratory status with field data collection to better characterize population structure and inform conservation actions.
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Data availability
The genotype data can be accessed by reviewers temporarily using the following link: https://datadryad.org/stash/share/qe5MUuYovbnd7aRszdUHl7SZK0Uz42Dt4KoIHAtSr-Q. The raw genotype files used for analyses in this manuscript can be found on the dryad repository (https://doi.org/10.5068/D1CT14). Field data are available from the corresponding author upon request.
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Acknowledgements
A heartfelt thank you to Edmund Sullivan, executive director, and the dedicated staff at the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency for all their support. We thank the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, especially Galli Basson, for helping us to access many remote sites and navigate agency permitting. Thank you to the many other agencies that allowed us to access their sites including the cities of Mountain View, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto and San Jose, NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Valley Transportation Authority, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Silicon Valley Land Conservancy, Arcatis, and Freeman Associates. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency funded this study, and we are grateful for this support. Thank you to James Belthoff, Geoffrey Holroyd, Alberto Macías-Duarte and Mark Ogonowski for their valuable comments.
Funding
Field research for this work was funded by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife through Natural Community Conservation Planning Local Assistance Grants, numbers P1382111 and P1582105, and with funds from the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency. The genomics research and some manuscript work were funded by the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency.
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The field study was designed and implemented by the team of LAT, DAC, PGH and SM. DAC compiled the field data for analysis. LAT led the manuscript writing with substantial contributions from KR, CMB, and DAC. Genomic analyses and interpretation were conducted by KR and CMB.
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Trapping, banding, feather and blood collection were sub-permitted under two United States Geological Survey Federal Bird Banding Permits, one from the Institute for Bird Populations in Point Reyes Station, California (Permit number 22423) for 2014–2015 and one from the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory Coyote Creek Field Station in Milpitas, California (Permit number 22109) for 2015–2018. The field research for this study was conducted under California Department of Fish and Wildlife Scientific Collecting Permit number SC-7012 and San José State University IACUC Permit number 1013. Feathers were transported under US Department of Agriculture transport Permit #138961.
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Trulio, L.A., Chromczak, D.A., Higgins, P.G. et al. Combining genomic and field analyses to reveal migratory status in a burrowing owl population. Conserv Genet 25, 427–437 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-023-01578-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-023-01578-3