title: Estimating the size of a transient population.
abstract: Migratory populations often stop over for short periods of time at predictable sites along their migration routes. These staging areas can be heavily used and are potentially critical to the survival of the migrants. This paper presents a method for estimating the number of individuals using such an area and their average residence time. The estimator is based on daily population estimates and records of repeat sightings of identifiable individuals. Its application is illustrated with observations on a population of migrating birds, some of which could be identified from bands that were readable from a distance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. routledg@cs.sfu.ca
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Routledge
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dawe
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nygren
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sedinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001699:Biometry; D001717:Birds; D017753:Ecosystem; D005426:Flight, Animal; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011156:Population Density; D013997:Time Factors