GPS tracks of ground search effort for nesting Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) and White-tailed Tropicbird (P. lepturus) surveys at Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Kauaʻi, in 2019

During 8-11 April, 13-18 May, and 1-7 July 2019, we censused Red-tailed (Phaethon rubricauda) and White-tailed (P. lepturus) tropicbird nests in Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (KPNWR), Kauaʻi, by searching all foot-accessible areas and by searching all cliffs and islets with spotting scopes from remote vantage points. We censused over the course of three visits to account for prolonged and asynchronous nesting. For ground searching, we used previous nest census results, recommendations from the previous Refuge biologist, and our knowledge of tropicbird nesting habitat, to focus searches in areas where nesting was likely: along cliff edges and steep slopes, particularly at the base of ironwood trees (Casuarina equisetifolia) and beneath dense shrubs. Within these habitats, we searched the ground as thoroughly as vegetation and topography would permit. In areas that we did not expect to be suitable tropicbird nesting habitat (e.g. flat, open areas far from cliff edges or windward slopes), we scanned the area but did not search as thoroughly as in suspected nesting habitat. We collected continuous, 1-second GPS tracks of search effort at all times and have archived those tracks here.

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  "010:12"
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  "geospatial"
]