Violation of Model assumption

[willard]

I am using single season occupancy modeling to determine bird-habitat associations. Detection probability for one species is negatively associated with date and I suspect the majority of our detections are of migrants passing through. Can the model still be used and interpreted as habitat variables associated with stopover habitat with the acknowledgement that occupancy estimates are most likely biased?

[willard]

I assume from the lack of reply that my question either has an answer somewhere I am not looking or is an off the wall question that should not even be asked. Being new to statistical analysis and occupancy modeling I would be very greatful if someone could point me in the right direction!

[darryl]

Are the birds (at the species level) already on the stopover locations prior to your first survey, or are they likely to arrive after the start of the survey and leave before the end? If it's the later, there's a new model extension in PRESENCE that relaxes the closure assumption allowing the species 1 entrance and 1 exit. I've never tried it so couldn't help you anymore than that, sorry.