Blackbird flock dispersal and abandonment data in response to drone hazing with an avian repellent in sunflower

Metadata:

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

Below you will find a list and description of the files included in this data publication.

VARIABLE DESCRIPTION FILE (1)

1. \Data\_variable_descriptions.csv: Comma-separated values (CSV) file containing a list and description of variables found in the CSV file. (A description of these variables is also provided in the metadata below.)

Columns include:

Filename = Name of data file

Variable = Name of variable

Units = Units (if applicable)

Precision = Precision (if applicable)

Description = Description of variable


DATA FILES (2)

1. \Data\Duttenhefner_etal_ANCOVA.csv: CSV file containing blackbird flock response prior to and immediately after drone hazing. This file can be used with the provided R code (\Supplements\Duttenhefner_etal_2024_WildBiol.R) to analyze the results as reported in Duttenhefner et al. (2024).

Variables include:

trial = Unique identification number for each drone trial

treatment = Drone application treatment dispensed during trial (Water or MA = methyl anthranilate)

period = Observational time period (Pre = Pre-hazing, Post = Post-hazing)

lopm = Number of lift-offs per minute based on time flock was present

ptf = Time spent in flight based on time flock was present (proportion)

flocksize = Size of blackbird flock (estimated by Jessica L. Duttenhefner)


2. \Data\Duttenhefner_etal_Hazing.csv: CSV file containing blackbird flock response, weather conditions, drone path characteristics, and landscape feature data collected during this study. This file can be used with the provided R code (\Supplements\Duttenhefner_etal_2024_WildBiol.R) to analyze the results as reported in Duttenhefner et al. (2024).

Variables include:

trial = Unique identification number for each drone trial

abandonment = Did the entire blackbird flock leave the sunflower field in response to drone hazing? (Yes, Partial, No)

trial_liftoffs = Number of times the flock lifted off during the 8-minute (min) hazing period

trial_tfd = Total time flock spent in flight during the 8-min hazing period (seconds [s])

flock_reduction = Change in flock size divided by the pre-hazing flock size

latency_to_return = Time it took the first bird to return to the sunflower field (minutes [min])

year = Study year (2021 and 2022)

julian_day = Julian date starting from the first day of the year

time = Time of day the trial was initiated (HH:MM)

wind_avg = Average windspeed (meters per hour [m hr⁻¹]; calculated using Airdata UAV Drone Data Management algorithm)

temperature = Ambient temperature (degrees Celsius [°C])

ambient_light = Ambient light intensity (micromoles per square meter per second [µmol m⁻² s⁻¹])

treatment = Drone application treatment dispensed during trial (Water or MA = methyl anthranilate)

edgeinterior_ratio = Field edge to interior ratio between field perimeter (meters [m]) and area (meters squared [m²])

field_size = Size of sunflower field (hectares [ha])

pct_altforage = Corn and sunflower (%) in a 3-kilometer (km) buffer around fields

Pct_wetland = Cattail (%) in a 3-kilometer (km) buffer around fields

closest_tree_patch = Field proximity to nearest tree row/patch (meter [m])

pre_flocksize = Size of blackbird flock (estimated by Jessica L. Duttenhefner)

pre_liftoffs = Number of lift-offs when the flock was present pre-hazing

pre_tfd = Time spent in flight when the flock was present pre-hazing (seconds [s])

flock_dte = Distance between sunflower field edge and blackbird flock (meters [m])

flock_dtss = Distance between drone spray start and blackbird flock (meters [m])

flock_dtl = Distance between drone launch site and blackbird flock (meters [m])

avg_drone_speed = Average speed from start to end of spraying (meters per second [m s⁻¹[)

area_sprayed = Area sprayed by the DJI Agras MG-1P (hectares [ha[)

spray_distance = Distance of path from start to end of spraying (meters [m[)

total_distance = Distance of path for the full hazing trial (meters [m])

spray_time = Length of time from start to end of spraying (minutes:seconds)

path_MCP = Minimum convex polygon created by spray path (hectares [ha])

path_fractal_dimension = Path tortuosity index (Value = 1–2 [1 = straight line])

trial_time_present = Total time the blackbird flock was present during the 8-min hazing period (minutes:seconds)

post_time_present = Total time the blackbird flock was present during the 15-min post-hazing (minutes:seconds)



SUPPLEMENTAL FILES (1)

1. \Supplements\Duttenhefner_Klug_2024_WSB.R: Text file containing R code that when paired with the data files included in this package can be used to replicate the results, step by step, as they appear in Duttenhefner et al. (2024).

Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

Duttenhefner, Jessica L.; Greives, Timothy J.; Klug, Page E. 2024. Spraying drones: Efficacy of integrating an avian repellent with drone hazing to elicit blackbird flock dispersal and abandonment of sunflower fields. Wildlife Biology. e01333. https://doi.org/10.1002/wlb3.01333

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20241024

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Research Center

Contact_Person: Page Klug

Contact_Position: Supervisory Research Wildlife Biologist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical

Address: 4101 LaPorte Ave.

City: Fort Collins

State_or_Province: CO

Postal_Code: 80521

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 701-630-3776

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: page.e.klug@usda.gov

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001.1-1999