Birds at the Rawhide Energy Station - The 2000 Ryder Report

Since 1986 Dr. Ronald A. Ryder, Professor Emeritus, Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University, has conducted an ongoing study of migrating bird populations using the Rawhide Energy Station site. His objective is to document, by species and population numbers, birds frequenting Hamilton Reservoir at Rawhide and the adjacent wetland and surrounding short-grass prairies at key periods of the year. He also determines peaks of migration, routs, places of breeding, and wintering areas for the more abundant species.

The program involves capturing and banding various species of waterbirds. Banded birds have been recovered from such distances as Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Canada; Sinaloa, Guadalajara, and Jalisco in Mexico; and Alaska, Missouri, Ohio, California, Louisiana, and Mississippi in the U.S.

Dr. Ryder also coordinates studies for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and the U.S. Public Health Service, documenting the presence of heavy metals, pesticides, Vibrio cholerae, and equine encephalitis, if observed, in the migratory species.

In 2000, Dr. Ryder banded 148 birds as follows: American Coot, 90; Mallard, 20; American Wigeon, 13; Green-winged Teal, 9; Gadwall, 5; Canada Goose, 4; Northern Pintail, 3; and 1 each of Common Merganser, Killdeer and Red-winged Blackbird. Additional geese were banded, neck-collared and radioed by personnel of the National Wildlife Research Center as part of a study of chemicals to reduce goose productivity. They also recaptured 8 Canada Geese previously banded by Dr. Ryder.

During 2000, 23 counts and 15 banding trips were conducted. Counts indicated far fewer birds used Rawhide compared to the previous 13 years, probably in large part due to major maintenance and construction activities, as well as reduced abundance of aquatic plants (food) resulting from efficient feeding by three species of herbivorous carp.

Dr. Ryder has presented findings to the Colorado Field Ornithologists, The Wildlife Society, the International Ornithological Congress in New Zealand, the Colorado-Wyoming Academy of Sciences, and the Cooper Ornithological Society. Dr. Ryder also hosts many ornithological organizations on field trips to Rawhide and conducts the National Audubon Society's Annual Christmas Bird County (an international event) from the Rawhide Energy Station's visitor's overlook.

2001 Ryder Report
2002 Ryder Report
2003 Ryder Report
2004 Ryder Report
2005 Ryder Report
2006 Ryder Report
2007 Ryder Report

Statistics HTML pages:

Birds 1986-2011 (pdf) 8.5X14 (legal-sized)