Status and Ecoloe of Kittliv's Muelel in Prince William Sound 1996-1998
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Status and Ecoloe of Kittliv's Muelel in Prince William Sound 1996-1998 Restoration Project 98142 Final Repolt Robelt H. Day Debora A. Nigro ABR. Inc. P.O. Box 80410 Fairbanks. AK 99708-04 IO Status and Ecology of Kittlitz's Murrelet in Prince William Sound, 1996-1998 Restoration Project 98142 Final Report Study History: This project, which was initiated in 1996, investigated aspects of the ecology of Kittlitz's murrelet (Brachyramphus hrevirostris), a rare seabird of some conservation concern, in four glaciated fjords in northern Prince William Sound during 3-week cruisesin early (May- June), mid-(late June-early July; 1998 only), and late summer (July-August). This was the third year of a 3-year project. Abstract: We studied populations, habitat use, reproduction, and feeding of Kittlitz's murrelets in four bays in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in 1996-1998. Kittlitz's murrelets were common on nearshore and offshore surveys and rare on pelagic surveys. In early summer, the arrivalof murrelets was delayed by extensive ice cover and/or cold temperatures in some bays and years; in late summer, birds penetrated throughout bays,with numbers decreasing rapidlyas birds abandoned bays. Populations collectively totaled -1,300 birds in all 3 yr. Glacial-affected and glacial-stream-affected habitats were most preferred, and marine-sill-affected habitats were least preferred, by Kittlitz's murrelets. Murrelet abundance was strongly related to ice cover, water clarity, and sea-surface temperatures. The low reproductive output in all years and the occurrence of mixed-species "pairs" are sourcesof conservation concern. The percentage of breeding-plumaged birds and the percentage of single-birds groups exhibited seasonal patterns, although neither helped to understand reproductive performance. Feeding frequency varied significantly by survey type, season, year, habitat type, ice cover, distance from shore, depth, and shoreline substrate. Kittlitz's murrelets ate fishes, primarily sandlance and unidentified fishes, and Kittlitz's and marbled murrelets overlapped extensively in prey type, prey size, dive times, and many other aspects of feeding ecology. Kev Words: Bruchyrumphus brevirosrris, conservation, Exxon Vddez, feeding, habitat use, Kittlitz's murrelet, population size, reproduction. Proiect Data: The data from this study are archived at ABR, Inc., in Fairbanks, AK, under project 846. The data files consist of (I) a data file for all nearshore surveys; (2) a data file for all offshore surveys; (3) a data file for all pelagic surveys; (4)a data file for the limited feeding data; and (5) digitized locations of birds. All of these data files except (5) are keypunched in the software Microsoft Excel. The file of digitized locations of birds in the nearshore zone is in the software ARCVIEW. Robert H. Day (ABR. Inc., P.O. Box 80410; Fairbanks, AK 99708-0410; [email protected]; PH 907-455-6777) of ABR is the custodian of these data, and all questions and requests for use should be directed to him. After publication of these results, these data will be available for external use. Citation: Day, R. H., and D. A. Nigro. 1999. Status and ecology of Kittlitz's murrelet in Prince William Sound, 1996-1998, E.won Vuldr; Oil Spill Restoration Project Annual Report (Restoration Project 98142), ABR, Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska. I Food Habits ............................................................................................................................ 38 Mixed-species Feeding Flocks ............................................................................................... 38 Dive Times............................................................................................................................. 39 Other Aspects of Feeding ....................................................................................................... 39 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................................ 40 ... Abundance and Dlstrlbutlon ...................................................................................................... 40 Population Size ...................................................................................................................... 43 Evaluation of Sampling Protocol........................................................................................... 46 Habitat Use ................................................................................................................................. 46 Reproduction .............................................................................................................................. 48 Production .............................................................................................................................. 48 Plumage as an Indicator of Reproduction .............................................................................. 51 Trophics andFeeding ................................................................................................................. 52 Food Habits ............................................................................................................................ 54 Mixed-species Feeding Flocks............................................................................................... 56 Depth of Feeding .................................................................................................................... 56 Dive ............................................................................................................................. Times 56 CO NCL USION S AND RECOMMENDATIONS 57 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................ ... Abundance and Dlstrlbutlon ...................................................................................................... 58 Habitat Use................................................................................................................................. 59 Reproduction .............................................................................................................................. 59 Feeding ....................................................................................................................................... 60 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. 62 LITERATURE CITED.................................................................................................................. 63 .. II LIST OF FIGURES Fig. I. Locations of study bays and pelagic survey lines sampled in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in 1996-1998. ...................................................................................... 70 Fig. 2. Locations of nearshore and offshore survey segmentsand the extent of the offshore zone that was used to estimate the population sizeof Kittlitz’s murrelets in Unakwik Inlet, Alaska, in 1996-1998. ..................................................................... 71 Fig. 3. Locations of nearshore and offshore survey segmentsand the extent of the offshore zone that was used to estimate the population sizeof Kittlitz’s murrelets in College Fjord, Alaska, in 1996-1998. ...................................................................... 72 Fig. 4 Locations of nearshore and offshore survey segments and the extentof the offshore zone that was used to estimatethe population size of Kittlitz’s murrelets in Harriman Fjord, Alaska, in 1996-1998. ................................................................... 73 Fig. 5 Locations of nearshoreand offshore survey segmentsand the extent of the offshore zone that was used to estimate the population sizeof Kittlitz’s murrelets in Blackstone Bay, Alaska, in 1996-1998. ................................................................... 74 Fig. 6. Relative height of tide (top) and relative strength of tidal current (bottom) during one tidal cycle,by hour after low tide ........................................................................... 75 Fig. 7. Mean densities (birdskm’) of Kittlitz’s murrelets on nearshore surveys in four study bays in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in early, mid-, and late summer 1996-1998 ..................................................................................................................... 76 Fig. 8. Mean densities (birdskm’) of Kittlitz’s murrelets on offshore surveys in four study bays in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in early, mid-, and late summer 1996-1998 ...77 Fig. 9. R4ean densities (birds/km’) of Kittlitz’s murrelets on pelagic surveys on four survey lines in Prince William Sound, Alaska, in early, mid-, and late summer 1996-1998 ..................................................................................................................... 78 Fig. IO. Distribution and abundance of Kittlitz’s murrelets on nearshore and offshore surveys in Unakwik Inlet in early (left) and late (right) summer 1996......................... 79 Fig. 11. Distribution and abundance of Kittlitz’s murrelets on nearshore and offshore surveys in College Fjord in early (left) and late (right) summer 1996.......................... 80 Fig. 12. Distribution and abundance of Kittlitz’s murrelets on nearshore and offshore surveys in Harriman Fjord in early (left) and late (right) summer 1996....................... X 1 Fig. 13. Distribution and abundance of Gttlitz’s murrelets on nearshore and offshore surveys