Population Decline in Allen's Hummingbirds
Author: Kamryn Beall
Faculty Supervisor: Jaime Chaves
Department: Biology
Chaparral and coastal scrub dominate the California coast into Oregon providing vast biodiversity in floral abundance, supporting a wide network of bird species. Allen’s Hummingbirds specifically migrate to coastal areas of California into Oregon to breed every year, arriving as early as January into the spring, but for the past 50 years the population rate has declined by about 80%. To assess the population decline over the past 50 years, data sets collected from eBird through the Cornell Lab were analyzed to determine if there was a shift in migratory behavior, indicating any fluctuations to arrival in Pacific coastal ranges which could impact overall success. Habitat loss from the past 50 years was assessed from online data sets through government portals. To test the hypothesis that habitat loss has been contributing a stronger correlation to population decline, data sets collected will be run through an R program for statistical analysis. The results will show if there is a stronger correlation between population decline and habitat loss or a shift in migratory arrival. Population decline is affecting a vast majority of species, making it imperative for research to uncover the contributors so necessary conservation efforts can be implemented.