DOI: 10.5061/dryad.9b6qj34p
title: Data from: Bird use of fields treated post-harvest with two types of flooding in Tulare Basin, California

description: We surveyed birds on grain and non-grain fields in the Tulare Basin of
 California treated post-harvest with two types of flooding that varied in
 duration and depth of water applied (Flooded-type fields [FLD]: &lt;1
 cm–1.5 m for &gt;1 week; Irrigated-type fields [IRG]: &lt;1–15 cm
 water for &lt;1 week at a time). Our goal was to compare use of these
 field types by birds to guide habitat conservation in the region. During
 19 August–6 December 2005, we counted a total of 80,316 birds during 23
 surveys of 5 FLD (4 wheat, 1 alfalfa) fields and 8,225 birds during 38
 surveys of 33 IRG (23 cotton, 4 tomato, 3 wheat, 1 alfalfa, 1 oat, 1
 fallow) fields. We recorded 14 waterfowl (13 duck, 1 goose), 29 other
 waterbird (coots, shorebirds, grebes, pelicans, herons, egrets, gulls,
 terns), and 14 non-waterbird (passerines, raptors, and vultures) species
 on FLD fields compared to 5 duck, 14 other waterbird, and 9 non-waterbird
 species on IRG fields. Species composition differed by field type;
 waterfowl (FLD vs. IRG, 16.2% vs. 1.3%) and other waterbirds (80.4% vs.
 71.6%) comprised a greater percentage and non-waterbirds (3.5% vs. 27.1%)
 a lower percentage of birds on FLD than on IRG fields. The modeled density
 estimate of waterfowl was 108 times greater on FLD than IRG fields and 7.4
 times greater on grain than non-grain fields. The density estimate of
 other waterbirds was 11.8 times greater on FLD than IRG fields and 4.4
 times greater on grain than non-grain fields. The density estimate of
 non-waterbirds was 14.3 times greater on grain than non-grain fields but
 did not differ by flood type. Long duration (i.e., &gt;1 week)
 flooding increased waterbird use of grain fields in the Tulare Basin more
 than in the northern Central Valley. Thus, even though water costs are
 high in the Tulare Basin, if net benefit to waterbirds is considered,
 management programs that increase availability of FLD-type fields
 (especially grain) in the Tulare Basin may be a cost-effective option to
 help meet waterbird habitat conservation goals in the Central Valley of
 California.
description: Fleskes_etal_Table
 S1_REVTable S1. Microsoft
 Excel file containing data used in the analysis of bird use of grain and
 non-grain fields treated with two types of post-harvest flooding that
 differed in depth and duration (Flood-type [FLD] fields were flooded with
 &lt;1 cm–1.5 m water for &gt;1 week; Irrigated-type [IRG] fields were
 flooded with &lt;1 cm–15 cm water for &lt;1 week) in the Tulare Basin of
 California, 19 August–6 December 2005. Surveys were grouped by time of day
 into early-day (&lt; 4 hours post sunrise), mid-day (&gt; 4 hours post
 sunrise and &gt; 4 hours before sunset) and late-day (&lt; 4 hours before
 sunset) periods. Counts for each survey are presented by species and for
 waterfowl (includes ducks and geese), other waterbirds (includes coots,
 shorebirds, grebes, pelicans, herons, egrets, gulls, and terns),
 non-waterbirds (includes passerines, raptors, and vultures) and total
 birds (See Table 1 for species).