Monitoring Beaufort Sea Waterfowl and Marine Birds
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OCS Study MMS 2003-037 Monitoring Beaufort Sea Waterfowl and Marine Birds Prepared for U.S. Department of Interior Minerals Management Service Alaska OCS Region 949 East 36th Street Anchorage, Alaska 99508 OCS Study MMS 2003-037 Monitoring Beaufort Sea Waterfowl and Marine Birds By Paul L. Flint1, John A. Reed1, J. Christian Franson2, Tuula E. Hollmén3, James B. Grand4, Mark D. Howell4, Richard B. Lanctot5, Deborah L. Lacroix1, and Christian P. Dau5 1U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Biological Science Office, 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 2U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711 3Alaska Sea Life Center, P.O. Box 1329, Seward, Alaska 99664 4Alabama Cooperative Fisheries and Wildlife Research Unit, 108 M. White Smith Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 5U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, Waterfowl Branch, 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503 Prepared for U.S. Department of Interior Minerals Management Service Alaska OCS Region 949 East 36th Street Anchorage, Alaska 99508 July 2003 This study was funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service (MMS), through Intra-agency Agreement No. 16950 with the U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, as part of the MMS Alaska Environmental Studies Program. The opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this report or product are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Minerals Management Service, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the Federal Government. 2 PROJECT ORGANIZATION PAGE Dirk V. Derksen, Project Manager, Chief, Wetlands and Terrestrial Ecology Branch, USGS, Alaska Science Center, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503 Paul L. Flint, Principal Investigator, Wildlife Biologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503 John Reed, Crew Leader, Wildlife Biologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503 J. Chris Franson, Co-Principal Investigator for Contaminants, National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53711 Tuula E. Hollmen, Co-Principal Investigator for Diseases, Alaska Sea Life Center, P.O. Box 1329, Seward, Alaska 99664 James B. Grand, Co-Principal Investigator for Body Composition of Long-tailed Ducks, Alabama Cooperative Fisheries and Wildlife Research Unit, 108 M. White Smith Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 Mark D. Howell, Graduate Student studying Body Composition of Long-tailed Ducks, Alabama Cooperative Fisheries and Wildlife Research Unit, 108 M. White Smith Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 Richard B. Lanctot, Co-Principal investigator for 2 years, Alaska Science Center, Biological Science Office, 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Deborah L. Lacroix, Crew Leader, Wildlife Biologist, Alaska Science Center, Biological Science Office, 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Christian P. Dau, Pilot/Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, Waterfowl Branch, 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503 REPORT AVAILABILITY U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center 1011 East Tudor Road Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Telephone (907)-786-3512 SUGGESTED CITATION Flint, P. L., J. A. Reed, J. C. Franson, T. E. Hollmén, J. B. Grand, M. D. Howell, R. B. Lanctot, D. L. Lacroix, and C. P. Dau. 2003. Monitoring Beaufort Sea Waterfowl and Marine Birds. U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska OCS Study MMS 2003-037 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... I LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................IV LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................................VI ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................VIII ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..................................................................................................X INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 SECTION I. MOLTING ECOLOGY OF LONG-TAILED DUCKS CHAPTER 1 EFFECTS OF DISTURBANCE ON CONDITION OF MOLTING LONG-TAILED DUCKS .................... 7 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 7 Methods ................................................................................................................... 7 Results ..................................................................................................................... 9 Discussion.............................................................................................................. 15 Management Implications ...................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 2 BODY MOLT OF MALE LONG-TAILED DUCKS .................................................................. 18 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 18 Methods ................................................................................................................. 18 Results ................................................................................................................... 19 Discussion.............................................................................................................. 22 CHAPTER 3 MASS DYNAMICS IN RELATION TO FLIGHT PARAMETERS FOLLOWING REMIGE MOLT OF MALE LONG-TAILED DUCKS ............................................................... 23 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 23 Methods ................................................................................................................. 24 Results ................................................................................................................... 25 Discussion.............................................................................................................. 31 CHAPTER 4 SITE TENACITY AND MOVEMENTS OF LONG-TAILED DUCKS .............................................. 33 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 33 Methods ................................................................................................................. 33 Results ................................................................................................................... 36 Discussion.............................................................................................................. 37 CHAPTER 5 EFFECT OF UNDERWATER SEISMIC SURVEYS ON MOLTING LONG-TAILED DUCKS.............. 39 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 39 Methods ................................................................................................................. 40 i Results ................................................................................................................... 44 Discussion.............................................................................................................. 55 CHAPTER 6 HABITAT USE AND FORAGING PATTERNS OF LONG-TAILED DUCKS..................................... 58 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 58 Methods ................................................................................................................. 58 Results ................................................................................................................... 60 Discussion.............................................................................................................. 69 CHAPTER 7 AN ADENOVIRUS LINKED TO MORTALITY AND DISEASE IN LONG-TAILED DUCKS ................. 71 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 71 Materials And Methods .......................................................................................... 71 Results ................................................................................................................... 74 Discussion.............................................................................................................. 75 CHAPTER 8 TRACE ELEMENTS IN LONG-TAILED DUCKS..................................................................... 78 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 78 Methods ................................................................................................................. 79 Results ................................................................................................................... 80 Discussion.............................................................................................................. 81 CHAPTER 9 SYNTHESIS OF AERIAL AND