Keywords

pinyon jays, drought, habitat suitability modeling

Abstract

Pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) are corvids native to semiarid ecosystems of the western US. Populations have declined by 84% since 1966, yet no causes have been identified and imminent decisions about federal status make understanding pinyon jay ecology increasingly urgent. As drought conditions intensify, water is becoming scarcer in systems that are already characterized by its limited availability. Therefore, pinyon jay decline is likely influenced by increasing aridity. Jays have been observed drinking from springs and artificial water sources in Utah; however, their relationship to water is poorly understood. Our study aims to characterize pinyon jay water source selection in order to address this knowledge gap. We used a machine learning algorithm to identify jays in a 16-year, 4.5-million image dataset collected by camera traps at 296 water sources throughout western Utah. Using these preliminary data, we developed resource selection functions via a model selection framework that suggest that distance to the next-nearest water source, vegetation type, terrain ruggedness index, and distance to suitable habitat are important factors contributing to water source selection by pinyon jays. We expect future models to also include variables representing predator presence and precipitation. In coming years, pinyon jays will likely rely increasingly on surface water to meet their needs. Management programs should focus on providing, restoring, and protecting water sources in core pinyon jay habitat.

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

2026-08-04

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Plant and Wildlife Sciences

University Standing at Time of Publication

Graduate Student

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