Abstracts & Contact List
1 Great Lakes Waterfowl Symposium
Primary Organization & Logistic Coordination:
Long Point Waterfowl & Wetlands Research Fund
Primary Sponsors:
Canadian Wildlife Service - Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, & Ducks Unlimited Canada
Additional Sponsors:
Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Delta Waterfowl Foundation, Wildlife Habitat Canada / Wetland Habitat Fund, & Bird Studies Canada
GLWS Organizing Committee:
Long Point Waterfowl & Wetlands Research Fund
Scott Petrie Shannon Badzinski
Canadian Wildlife Service – Environment Canada
Gary McCullough Norm North Paul Ashley Danny Bernard James Vanos
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Michel Gendron
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Bruce Pollard
GLWS Student Awards Committee:
Michael Anderson Institute for Wetland & Waterfowl Research – DUC Ron Gatti Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Ken Ross Canadian Wildlife Service – Environment Canada 2
Purpose of the Symposium
The Great Lakes basin provides important staging, wintering, and breeding habitat for many species of ducks, geese and swans. The lakes and their associated habitats are not only spatially and temporally dynamic but are under constant threat from anthropogenic disturbances and introduction or proliferation of several exotic species. For these reasons, it is essential to increase our knowledge about the ecology, management, and threats facing waterfowl in the Great Lakes region.
Presently, there are several government agencies, private organizations, and university researchers monitoring and studying waterfowl in and around the Great Lakes basin. However, collaboration among these parties could be improved, particularly across political boundaries. To promote communication, coordination, collaboration, and idea sharing among interested parties, the Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Canadian Wildlife Service - Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Ducks Unlimited decided to organize this Great Lakes Waterfowl Symposium.
GLWS Participants List
Because one of the primary purposes of GLWS is to foster idea sharing and collaboration among agencies and individuals, the GLWS Organizing Committee will post a list of GLWS participants on the LPWWRF website
Abstracts of Oral Presentations
Plenary
Status of Waterfowl Science and Management Programs in United States and Canadian Universities
Kaminski, Richard M. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS 39762–9690, USA, [email protected]
Since the time of Aldo Leopold, significant changes have occurred in science, management, and education related to wildlife and other natural resources. Historically, wildlife management focused on game animals. However, over 50 years ago, Aldo Leopold advocated sustaining ecosystems in his classic words: “To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.” Although wildlife management today must focus on sustaining ecosystems, we should retain certain “cogs and wheels” that have been central and beneficial to wildlife science and conservation, human society, and the environment. In my opinion, these include waterfowl and the people who have helped sustain these valuable birds and their habitats. Because waterfowl are ecologically, environmentally, and economically important in North America, we should be aware of the possible impending decline in waterfowl scientists and educators in United States and Canadian universities. In 2000, I mailed a 2–page questionnaire to administrators in United States and Canadian universities (n = 76) to determine current and future status of waterfowl science and management programs in their institutions. Response rate was 93%, with 65% reporting they currently employed >1 faculty with expertise in waterfowl. Most (65%) of these faculty were >45 years of age (modal [24%] age class was 56–60 years). If these faculty would depart their positions, 63% of U.S. respondents but only 25% of Canadian respondents (53% combined) indicated they would seek another person with waterfowl expertise. Most would seek alternative specializations. I conclude that there is cause for concern regarding the possible waning of professionals with waterfowl expertise in North American universities. Professionals working with waterfowl and their habitats have significantly increased knowledge in the basic and applied sciences. As university faculty and administrators “tinker” with natural resource curricula and research programs, history has suggested that waterfowl professionals are “cogs and wheels” worth sustaining in North American universities. 4
Breeding Ecology Session
Mallard Duckling Survival in the Great Lakes Region: Relationships with Hatch Date and Habitat
Simpson, John W. University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, [email protected]
Yerkes, Tina. Ducks Unlimited Inc., 331 Metty Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, 48103, [email protected]
Habitat, in particular wetland habitat, may play a critical role in the growth, development, and survival of waterfowl young. Survival of waterfowl young is poorly understood, particularly in regions outside of the prairies, and little information exists regarding relationships between survival rates and habitat characteristics. We investigated the relationship between duckling survival rates, hatch date, and wetland and upland habitat covariates for 116 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) broods in the Great Lakes region from 2001 to 2003. Duckling survival rates increased rapidly with duckling age, and the probability, on hatch day, that a duckling will survive to 55 days tended to be higher for later hatched ducklings. The probability of survival to 55 days was also positively related to the proportion of vegetated wetland area, negatively related to the proportion of forest cover, and negatively related to the amount of wetland edge in the brood rearing area. Duckling survival rates were not correlated with the length of overland travel, the proportion of grassland, or the proportion seasonal wetlands in the brood rearing area. Conservation efforts aimed at improving mallard duckling survival rates in the Great Lakes region should focus on creating and maintaining wetlands with dense emergent vegetation and should avoid forested areas when protecting or creating wetland habitat. 5
Breeding Ecology Session
Mallard Breeding Ecology and Hydrophyte Communities in Managed Wetlands in New York Kaminski, Matthew R. SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210 USA; [email protected] Baldassarre, Guy A. SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210 USA; [email protected]
The Oneida Lake Plain is an important ecoregion in the Atlantic Flyway for waterfowl, especially mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). This region was identified by the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) as a focal region for wetland restoration and needing assessment of waterfowl use. Therefore, we initiated a 2-year field study (2003-2004) on NRCS’s Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) lands to (1) estimate survival and reproductive performance of female mallards, (2) contrast habitat use between females that did and did not survive and reproduce successfully, (3) evaluate effect of early summer drawdown of WRP impoundments as a strategy to stimulate production of moist-soil and emergent vegetation, and (4) estimate and compare waterbird use of hydrologically manipulated and unmanipulated WRP wetlands in fall 2003 and spring and fall 2004. In spring 2003, we fitted 32 hen mallards with prong and suture transmitters to monitor them throughout the season. Generally, females nested initially in forested and emergent wetlands perhaps as a consequence of little residual grass cover due to snow compaction. However, most renesting attempts were in grasslands in growing- season vegetation. Additionally, raptors (e.g., great-horned owls [Bubo virginanus] and red- tailed hawks [Buteo jamaicensis]) were important predators of early nesting mallards. We manipulated water levels on 4 WRP impoundments in summer 2003 and conducted plant and waterfowl surveys in fall 2003. Summer drawdown resulted in nearly complete re-vegetation in the drawdown areas of wetlands by 8-10 annual or perennial species beneficial to waterfowl as food and cover. We estimated 50.85 ducks/ha on the 4 managed wetlands compared to 4.09 ducks/ha on 6 unmanaged wetlands, implying the potential value of periodic drawdowns to improve habitat quality of WRP wetlands for migrating and breeding waterfowl. 6
Breeding Ecology Session
Furthering Our Understanding Mallard Breeding Ecology to Enhance DUC Conservation Programs in Southern Ontario
Gendron, Michel. Ducks Unlimited Canada, Unit 1-614 Norris Court, Kingston, ON K7P 2R9 [email protected]
Gabor, Shane T. Institute for wetland and waterfowl research, Ducks Unlimited Canada, PO Box 1160, Stonewall, MB R0C 2Z0 [email protected]
Ducks Unlimited Canada continually uses new knowledge to improve the performance of its conservation programs and to allow predictions of waterfowl response from other initiatives or programs that may influence the status of wetland habitats in southern Ontario. During an important recent science planning exercise among DUC staff, specific information needs were identified and prioritized to refine our conservation efforts. In particular, knowledge gaps specific to waterfowl habitat requirements during breeding were identified as a high priority – specifically, the relative importance of various wetland types in a spatial or landscape context. In this presentation, we will first elaborate on the nature of this important information need. Secondly, DUC conducted a mallard breeding ecology study from 1997 to 2000 to better understand factors limiting mallard populations in southern Ontario. We will provide an overview of the study and report on findings generated thus far. Lastly, we will document the next steps that we will undertake, in collaboration with partners, to further our understanding of breeding mallards. 7
Breeding Ecology Session
Evaluation of Blue-winged Teal Production on Private Lands in Wisconsin: Pilot Study Results
Gatti, Ronald C. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1350 Femrite Dr., Monona, WI 53716, [email protected]
Grunewald, Tim R. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707, [email protected]
The majority of Wisconsin’s blue-winged teal (Anas discors) are produced on private lands, yet we know little regarding their productivity except on public grasslands. The blue-winged teal population in southern Wisconsin has declined an average of 3.0%/year during 1973-2003, at the same time when the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) population has more than doubled. We captured 52 blue-winged teal hens on wetlands shortly after their spring arrival during 2001- 2003 in a pilot study of this declining duck species. Our objective was to evaluate research methods for a future study to determine if recruitment is adequate to maintain populations. The abundance of teal breeding pairs (mean=1.3/km2) among 12 study sites was positively related to the abundance of wetlands and grasslands. We used 3 radio transmitter designs: 2 sizes of subcutaneous implant and a prong-suture implant, all mounted dorsally. The larger subcutaneous design was retained the shortest; however, transmitter failures (8% confirmed, 33% suspected) limited comparisons of design and total recruitment data collection. We found 16 nests and followed 4 broods of radioed teal. Hens nested an average of 0.7 km (range=0.0-1.6 km) from the wetland trap site where they were marked and released, except 1 hen that nested 14.4 km from the trap site. Hens preferred to nest in blocks of idle grasslands (56% of nests) and alfalfa hay (19%), but nested in wetlands (25% of nests) in proportion to their availability (24%) in the study sites. Mayfield nests success was 24% (95% CI=10-54%). Three of the 4 surviving teal hens that lost their first nest renested, an average of 230 m from their first nest. Adult hen survival during April-July averaged 48%, which was 20% lower than that of mallards each year. A 3-year study is planned to determine the factors responsible for the blue-winged teal decline. 8
Breeding Ecology Session
Evaluation of Mallard Production on Private Lands in Wisconsin
Gatti, Ronald C. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1350 Femrite Dr., Monona, WI 53716, [email protected]
Grunewald, Tim R. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707, [email protected]
Yerkes, Tina. Ducks Unlimited Inc., Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office, 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, [email protected]
We captured 415 mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) hens on wetlands shortly after their spring arrival during 2000-2003 and used radio telemetry to estimate survival and recruitment parameters. Our objectives were to determine if recruitment is adequate to maintain populations, if recruitment is limited by the abundance of grasslands and wetlands, and to evaluate the benefits of the USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) for ducks in Wisconsin. The abundance of mallard breeding pairs (mean=1.7/km2) among the sites was positively related to the abundance of wetlands and grasslands. We found 356 nests and followed 80 broods of radioed mallards. Mallards nested an average of 1.1 km (range=0.0-4.6 km) from the wetland trap site where they were marked and released. Hens preferred to nest in blocks of idle grasslands (46% of nests) and wetlands (42%), but nested in alfalfa hay (8% of nests) in proportion to its availability (4-13%) in the study sites. Mayfield nests success ranged from 5-42% among the 12 site-years, and averaged 18%. We estimate 58% of the surviving hens that lost their first nest renested, and that 9%, 2%, and 1% of the hen population initiated 3, 4, and 5 nests, respectively. Renests were located 554 m from the prior nest, and 55% of the time in a different cover type. Mallards initiated an average of 1.5 nests/hen. Hen success to hatch a nest averaged 26-30%, depending on methods used. Brood and duckling survival through 30 days averaged 67% and 40%, respectively. Hen success at fledging a brood averaged 17-20%. Adult hen survival (April-July) averaged 70% and ranged from 62-79% among the sites. Mayfield nest success within CRP field grasslands ranged from 6-56% among years and averaged 30%, similar to concurrent nest success on public grasslands (23%). Preliminary population modeling for Wisconsin mallards will be presented. 9
Breeding Ecology Session
A Proposed Mechanism for Linking Nutrient Availability and Clutch Size in Waterfowl
Eichholz, Michael W. Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab., Mailcode 6504, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, 62901-6504, [email protected]
David Lack first hypothesized that clutch size in precocial birds was limited by the amount of nutrients available to females for egg production. Since then numerous studies of waterfowl have attempted to test this hypothesis. Although the conclusions drawn from this work are still controversial, most ecologists agree that some nutrient is the most likely proximate limiting factor of clutch size for waterfowl. The mechanism that would allow a female to determine when nutrients are becoming limited leading to the cessation of egg formation, however, is still unclear and unintuitive. For example with most Arctic nesting geese there is a 10 to 15 day period from the time of ovulation until the egg is fully developed and laid, while the entire clutch of 4 – 6 eggs is laid over a 4 – 7 day period. This egg formation and laying process indicates ovulation of new follicles stops and the clutch size is determined well before the first egg is laid. Understanding the underlying mechanism leading to the initiation and cessation of ovulation will allow ecologists to better understand how clutch size is limited, increasing our understanding of limitations to productivity. In this presentation I will propose leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells in mammals, as the potential mechanism and provide a model that describes how it may interact with other hormones to cease egg production. I will also compare predictions of this model with observed trends in clutch size variation and suggest ideas for future research that would test this hypothesis. 10
Breeding Ecology Session
Nesting Success, Gosling Growth, and Adult Body Condition of Giant Canada Geese in Southern Illinois
Sertle, Michael R. Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University -- Carbondale, Life Science II, Room 251, Carbondale, IL, USA, 62901, [email protected]
Eichholz, Michael W. Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University - - Carbondale, Life Science II, Room 251, Carbondale, IL, USA, 62901, [email protected]
Giant Canada Geese (Branta canadensis maxima) are widespread across the Great Lakes states, but their nesting densities appear to decline in more southern latitudes. Understanding the cause of the relationship between nesting density and latitude will increase our ability to manage resident Canada goose populations. We located nests across southern Illinois and trapped goslings and adults during 2003-2004 to estimate nesting parameters, gosling growth, and adult body condition during brood rearing. The overall nest success for all study sites was 53%. Preliminary results suggest that the morphological measurements of adult male giant Canada geese did not vary between the northern 2/3 and southern 1/3 of Illinois, but the body condition of adult male giant Canada geese was lower in the southern 1/3 of the state. Our results indicate quality of brood rearing habitat may be limiting productivity of resident Canada geese in more southern latitudes. 11
Breeding Ecology Session
Developing a Method to Estimate Breeding Probability of Mallards Using Postovulatory Follicles
Lindstrom, Eric B. Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab, Dept. of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901-6504, [email protected]
Eichholz, Michael W. Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab, Dept. of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901-6504, [email protected]
Eadie, John M. Dept. of Wildlife Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, 95616, [email protected]
Breeding probability (the proportion of sexually mature hens within a population that lay ≥ 1 eggs during a given breeding season) is a vital component of waterfowl recruitment. Currently, the ability to derive an unbiased estimate of breeding probability in waterfowl populations is limited due to a lack of an effective technique. Our research attempts to develop and validate a method to estimate breeding probability of wild mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) populations by examining postovulatory follicles (POFs). We removed ovaries from 24 captive, wild strain mallard hens with known laying histories to determine if POFs remained identifiable via macro- or microscopic examination up to 90 days post-laying (DPL). We found POFs (≥ 1) remained macroscopically identifiable for all hens ≤ 60 DPL. Further examination of cross-sectioned ovaries revealed POFs remained microscopically discernable up to 90 DPL. We also collected 24 radio-marked, free-ranging mallard hens breeding within the Sacramento Valley of California at times ranging from 34-90 DPL. Macro- or microscopic examination demonstrated POFs (≥ 1) remained conspicuous for all free-ranging hens up to 90 DPL. Blind tests with ovaries from non- breeding hens confirmed we able to differentiate breeding vs. non-breeding hens 100% of the time ≤ 60 DPL. These results suggest POF examination following the breeding season may provide an unbiased technique to estimate breeding probability of mallard populations. The success of this research may lead to future studies addressing breeding probability estimates in prairie and Great Lakes nesting mallards. 12
Breeding Ecology Session
HEN: Turning Science into Habitat in the Great Lakes States
Yerkes, Tina. Ducks Unlimited, Ann Arbor MI 48103, [email protected]
Macleod, Robb. Ducks Unlimited, Ann Arbor MI 48103, [email protected]
Paige, Rob. Ducks Unlimited, Ann Arbor MI 48103, [email protected]
Conservation targeting tools for waterfowl habitat program development do not exist on a landscape level within the 5 Great Lakes States. Habitat specific reproductive data for mallards were collected and combined with derived GIS layers to model and develop a decision support system, HEN or Habitat Evaluation Network, for focus area identification as well as site-specific conservation planning. A landscape level study was conducted to document habitat specific reproductive parameters of mallards. Data from the landscape level mallard study were used to model the Great Lakes mallard population and predict lambda over various landscape classes. Compiled and derived GIS layers, such as land cover, NWI (National Wetlands Inventory) and SMI (Soil Moisture Index), were used to assess current landscape conditions as well as potential restoration and protection strategies. This talk will focus on data and model development as well as habitat program implementation. 13
Population Ecology Session
Assessing the Importance of the Great Lakes States to Waterfowl Populations in the Southern Atlantic Flyway
Rhodes, Walter E. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 37, McClellanville, SC, 29458, [email protected]
Malecki, Richard A. U.S. Geological Survey, New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, [email protected]
Sheaffer, Susan E. New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, [email protected]
Strange, Tommy H. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 37, McClellanville, SC, 29458, [email protected]
Waterfowl managers widely believe that the Great Lakes States (GLS) are an important breeding and staging area for waterfowl wintering in the Southern Atlantic Flyway (SAF). Within the SAF, South Carolina has historically been a major winter terminus for waterfowl. We used preseason band distribution of mallards recovered in South Carolina, 1960-2001, recovery distribution of mallards banded postseason in South Carolina, 1960-2002, and satellite-telemetry data for mallards and Northern pintails marked in South Carolina, 2003-04, to assess the importance of the GLS to SAF. Over 70% of the preseason-banded mallards recovered in South Carolina were banded in the GLS. Similarly, the recovery distribution of mallards banded postseason in South Carolina demonstrated the importance of the GLS to the SAF. Northern pintails marked in South Carolina with satellite transmitters used the GLS for both spring and fall staging areas. Satellite data for mallards originating in the SAF indicated a GLS breeding affiliation. Given the importance of the GLS to the SAF, waterfowl managers should be aware of potential differential regulations and regional harvest distributions under Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM). 14
Population Ecology Session
Derivation of the Mallard Harvest in Wisconsin
Gatti, Ronald C. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1350 Femrite Dr., Monona, WI 53716, [email protected]
Bergquist, Jon R. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707, [email protected]
The origin of waterfowl harvests is important for basing harvest regulations and habitat management. Past analyses (1961-84) of the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) harvest in Wisconsin found that 55-63% came from the Great Lakes (GL) reference area. Mallard breeding populations in Wisconsin doubled since past harvest derivation analyses, suggesting changes in the harvest derivation pattern. We used data on banding, band recoveries, and breeding populations to estimate the origin of the mallard harvest in Wisconsin for 1985-95, using a reordered Petersen-Lincoln index. We were unable to use harvest data with banding data to generate reasonable pre-season sex and age ratios, as done in past analyses; instead we estimated constant ratios in a revised analysis. Over 70% of the Wisconsin mallard harvest was derived from the GL, with 16% coming from the north-central boreal forest (BF) and only 13% from all prairie (PR) reference areas during 1985-95. Analysis of 1961-84 data using revised methods found that despite larger breeding populations, the GL contribution to harvest has not changed from 1975-84 due to lower harvest rates in 1985-95. During weeks of the fall hunting season, GL contribution to harvest declined 39%, while contributions from the BF and PR increased from 15% and 23%, respectively. However, even late in the season nearly half of the mallard harvest in Wisconsin came from GL production. During very wet years on the prairies the contribution of mallards from the GL decreased 19%, while the contribution from the BF and PR increased from 14% and from 6%, respectively, compared to dry prairie years. We believe that the high contribution from the GL and minor contribution from the PR to the Wisconsin mallard harvest, along with the lack of synchrony between GL and PR wetlands, questions the current strategy to link the GL and PR under adaptive harvest management. 15
Population Ecology Session
Past and Present Management of Giant Canada Geese in the Great Lakes Watershed of Southern Ontario
North, Norm R. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, 465 Gideon Drive, London, ON, N6P 1R1, [email protected]
The giant Canada goose (Branta canadensis maxima) has rapidly expanded throughout the Great Lakes watershed in southern Ontario. The August numbers of Ontario geese in this region have expanded from approximately 30,000 in the late seventies to in excess of 400,000 by 2003. Many management techniques are employed to try to reduce or stabilize their numbers both in the general watershed and in local areas. Such techniques as special goose hunting seasons, increased bag limits, egg oiling, habitat modification and translocations are being utilized to accomplish what seems at times, an impossible task. Currently, the number of temperate- breeding geese appears to be still increasing. Moult migrants are continuing to increase in numbers where they are not managed and where no habitat modification has taken place. Egg oiling has reduced the production of goslings in many areas. Increased hunting opportunities due to hunting regulation adjustment have increased the harvest of geese in many areas. Continued breeding range expansion of temperate-breeding Canada geese into the interior regions of the Great Lakes watershed is causing new nuisance problems for many waterfront property owners and cottagers. 16
Population Ecology Session
Modeling the Great Lakes Mallard Population
Coluccy, John M. Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Great Lakes/Atlantic Region, 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, [email protected]
Yerkes, Tina. Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Great Lakes/Atlantic Region, 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, tyerkes@ducks .org
Walling, Rebecca J. Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Great Lakes/Atlantic Region, 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, rwalling@ducks .org
Understanding relationships between vital rates and population growth rate (λ) are key to managing waterfowl populations. We developed a stage-based model of female Great Lakes mallards using vital rates generated from a landscape level study documenting habitat specific reproductive parameters for mallards during 2001-2003. We conducted perturbation analyses (i.e., sensitivity analyses) to identify vital rates that most influence λ. We conducted variance decomposition analyses to determine the proportion of variation in λ explained by variation in each vital rate. Results of sensitivity and variance decomposition analyses will be discussed in the context of developing a decision support system tool for habitat conservation programs in the 5 Great Lakes states. 17
Waterfowl Surveys Session
Waterfowl Surveys during Spring and Fall Migration Along the Lower Great Lakes Coast: A Summary of Recent and Historical Counts.
Ross, R. Kenyon. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, 49 Camelot Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A OH3, [email protected]
Gendron, Michel. Ducks Unlimited Canada, Unit 1-614 Norris Court, Kingston, ON K7P 2R9, [email protected]
Canadian Wildlife Service biologists have been conducting staging waterfowl surveys since the early 1970s along on coastal areas of the Great Lakes. During this period, this ecosystem has changed considerably due to a variety of stressors. Changes in waterfowl populations have also been observed locally (e.g., resident Canada Goose [Branta canadensis]) and continentally (e.g., Lesser Scaup [Aythya affinis]). Survey results have been regularly summarized over the years except for the last survey starting in 1999. This paper will present results of the most recent series of counts and compare them to those of previous surveys. Patterns in waterfowl densities in relation to general habitat characteristics such as lake depth and coastal wetland area, will be examined. Trends within lakes, species and season (spring and fall) will be discussed in relationship to recent habitat changes including zebra mussel impact, and local water quality issues. This exercise supports one of Ducks Unlimited Canada’s recently identified research objectives which is to gain a better understanding of the nutritional and spatial needs of waterfowl during spring and fall in coastal areas. An important first step is to better understand the current patterns in waterfowl abundance and distribution during the non-breeding period. 18
Waterfowl Surveys Session
Breeding Waterfowl Surveys in Southern Ontario, 1971 – 2003
McCullough, Gary B. Canadian Wildlife Service, 465 Gideon Drive, London, ON N6P 1R1, [email protected]
Dennis, Darrell G. Canadian Wildlife Service (retired), St. Thomas, ON
North, Norm R. Canadian Wildlife Service, 465 Gideon Drive, London ON N6P 1R1, [email protected]
Ross, Kenyon R. Canadian Wildlife Service, 49 Camelot Drive, Nepean, ON K1A 0H3, [email protected]
The Canadian Wildlife Service began operational ground surveys of breeding waterfowl in southern Ontario (132,000 km2) in 1971. These surveys of 349 (.8x.8 km) plots were designed to produce a system to assess long-term population trends and measure the abundance and distribution of common breeding species, as well as a means of monitoring habitat availability and change. Data from 1971 to 1987 indicated increasing trends for Mallards (Anas platyrynchos), Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) and Canada Geese (Branta canadensis maxima) with populations doubling in 43, 17 and 13 years, respectively. Decreasing trends were observed for Black Ducks (Anas rubripes) and Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca), with populations declining by one half every 11 and 19 years respectively. Preliminary analyses of trends from 1987 to 2003 indicate that the populations of Mallards, Wood Ducks and Black Ducks have remained stable, while the Canada goose population continues to grow exponentially. The trend in declining numbers of Green-winged Teal and Blue-winged Teal continues. Density of indicated breeding pairs (IBP) in 1998 was 140 Mallards and 50 Wood Ducks per 100 km2. Distribution of IBP density, illustrated using SPANS potential mapping, indicates the importance of wooded habitats, especially beaver floods, for Wood Ducks, Mallards and Black Ducks. Use of the survey data and future plans will also be discussed. 19
Waterfowl Surveys Session
Postseason Banding of American Black Ducks
Ashley, Paul E. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, RR #3 Port Rowan, ON, N0E 1M0, [email protected]
North, Norm R. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, 465 Gideon Dr. London, ON, N6P 1R1, [email protected]
Petrie, Scott A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160 Port Rowan ON, N0E 1M0, [email protected].
Historically, few American black ducks (Anas rubripes) have been banded postseason in Ontario. We developed a pilot project on the north shore of Lake Erie to determine if sufficient numbers of black ducks could be caught to warrant a postseason banding program. In the process we discovered that despite the fact that nearly 40 percent of all black ducks bandings have occurred postseason (January 16 to June 30) there is no definitive technique to age birds at that time of year. This has resulted in the vast majority of postseason banded black ducks being simply aged as either after hatch year or unknown, when a substantial number should have been aged as after second year or second year. The ability to discriminate ages postseason allows the determination of age-specific productivity and nesting success, geographic distributions of age- classes and through postseason banding studies age-specific survival rates, and extent of non- hunting mortality. All of these issues may have management implications. Herein, we describe our pilot banding project, methods to accurately age black ducks postseason and suggest management implications based on our findings. 20
Waterfowl Surveys Session
The WILDSPACE(TM) Decision Support System: A Geo-Spatial Integration of Diverse Wildlife Survey Data
McNicol, Donald K. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, 49 Camelot Drive, Nepean, ON K1A 0H3, [email protected]
Russell, Richard B. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, 49 Camelot Drive, Nepean, ON K1A 0H3, [email protected]
Over the past 30 years, the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) has undertaken numerous wildlife surveys and research projects in Ontario, some spanning decades and covering large parts of the province. To maintain the integrity of this information and facilitate its use, Project WILDSPACE was initiated in 1996. Its goal is to integrate and link existing and on-going wildlife research, survey, and habitat data into a versatile and powerful data query and analysis application, the WILDSPACE Decision Support System (DSS). Users are able to discover, filter, summarize, analyze, and map geo-referenced data from a variety of databases, in concert with a variety of map layers. Results, and/or resulting data, may be exported for reporting needs and/or further analysis in other applications. Data standards and analytical routines have been integrated for several CWS waterfowl survey programs, to meet analytical requirements specific to waterfowl ecology, for example, species-specific occurrence values (Indicated Pairs), species- specific productivity values (e.g., duckling-days), or habitat use indices (e.g., waterfowl-days). Survey data from a variety of CWS waterfowl survey programs will be highlighted, to demonstrate recent developments in functionality for customized analysis, and visualization of results. 21
Waterfowl Surveys Session
Three Years of the Lower Great Lakes January Waterfowl Inventory – Preliminary Results and Suggestions
Schummer, Michael L. Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5B7, [email protected]
Petrie, Scott A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, ON, Canada N0E 1M0, [email protected]
The Lower Great Lakes (St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario; LGL) and associated rivers (Detroit, Niagara, and St. Lawrence) provide important staging and wintering areas for large congregations of waterfowl. Recent increases in food resources and winter temperatures appear to have resulted in a substantial increase in the number of some waterfowl species wintering on the LGL. Unfortunately, waterfowl surveys used to record population changes on the LGL have traditionally been divided among several agencies. Waterfowl surveys are traditionally flown throughout the LGL during the first week of January. A standard protocol for compiling these data would enable managers to accurately track long-term changes in waterfowl use of the LGL. To determine the number of waterfowl using the LGL during January we collected ground and aerial survey data from state, federal, and provincial agencies (US and Canada sides) from 2002 – 04. Survey areas were divided by body of water: St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario and Niagara River (combined due to flight strata), Lake Erie, Detroit River, and Lake St. Clair. Total waterfowl averaged 541,700.00 (±60,112.64) birds. Waterfowl use differed between areas: Lake Ontario/Niagara River (195,195.67 ± 1,648.69), Lake Erie (132,085.67 ± 16,287.42), Lake St. Clair (131,496 ± 28,025.36), Detroit River (57,180.67; ± 27,840.38) and St. Lawrence River (25,894 ± 3,823.12). Diving ducks were the most abundant group (66.47% of total). Dabbling ducks (mostly black ducks and mallards) represented 18.98%. Geese and swans made up the difference (14.55%). Long-term collection of these data by a standard protocol will allow waterfowl managers to determine areas important to waterfowl during January and track changes in LGL populations. We will discuss waterfowl use of the LGL during winter, the utility of the current surveys and suggestions for improvement. 22
Plenary
Foods of Ducks, Ducks as Food: A Trophic Community Ecological Perspective on the Question of Population Limitation in Ducks
Nudds, Thomas D. Department of Organismal Biology, Ecology and Evolution, University of Guelph, Guelph ON N1G 2W1 Canada, [email protected]
Wildlife science and management, by and large, follow a long tradition of foci on single-species in studies of population dynamics. Also, in that context, the effects of single factors, like the abundance of food, or the abundance of predators, on the abundance of particular species are often considered separately. This has had two principal effects. On the one hand, particularly in the field of waterfowl biology, this tradition has resulted in an empirical base of knowledge about the food habits of many individual species of ducks, and of their predators, that is hard to surpass for many other groups of organisms. On this basis, waterfowl lend well to tests of foodweb, or trophodynamic, theory. On the other hand, the relative contributions of food (“bottom-up”) versus predators (“top-down”) to the dynamics of duck populations remain unresolved, so uncertainty persists as to the most efficacious means for managers to affect population change in ducks. This talk summarizes the results of field experiments in different types of communities in which ducks are significant consumer species. In intertidal habitat, common eiders were the dominant predators of blue mussels. Eiders significantly suppressed blue mussels, implying no strong top-down effect of predators on eiders. However, no trophic cascade was observed because the effect of eider removal on blue mussels was attentuated by strong compensatory predation by dogwhelks. Similarly, in prairie potholes, ducks strongly suppressed invertebrates, implying no strong top-down effect of predators on ducks there either. However, trophic cascades were observed, except in the presence of compensatory predation by tiger salamanders. Together, these experiments suggest that ducks are less limited by top-down (predators) than by bottom-up (food) effects in trophic communities. 23
Threats Session
Invasive Species in the Great Lakes Basin
MacDonald, Francine. Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Box 2800, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8L5, Tel: 705-748-6324, [email protected]
Invasive species are widely considered to be the greatest threat to the biodiversity, and long-term health and function of the Great Lakes basin. The introduction and establishment of more than 160 non-indigenous species over the last 200 years have already caused fundamental changes to many Great Lakes ecosystems. These introductions have occurred via a variety of pathways including ship ballast discharge, aquarium and horticultural releases/escapes, live food fish trade, aquaculture and baitfish releases. The movement of these species to new waters has been further facilitated through recreational activities such as angling and boating. To address this serious problem, numerous activities have been undertaken on an international, national and regional basis to prevent new introductions to the Great Lakes and the secondary transfer of invasive species to inland waters. These activities have been undertaken by a variety of governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions. This presentation will provide an overview of the current state of the Great Lakes with respect to invasive species, and will highlight recent activities to address this threat and opportunities for action. 24
Threats Session
Rapid Increase in the Lower Great Lakes Population of Feral Mute Swans: A Review and a Recommendation
Petrie, Scott A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Francis, Charles M. National Wildlife Research Centre, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, [email protected]
Mute swans (Cygnus olor) are an exotic species whose population has increased throughout the lower Great Lakes since their introduction during the mid-twentieth century. We used 3 independent data sources to estimate the rate of increase of mute swans on the lower Great Lakes: aerial surveys in spring and autumn at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario, Canada 1971– 2000; mid-winter waterfowl inventory of the north shore of Lake Ontario, 1980–2000; and Christmas Bird Counts on both the United States and Canadian shores of the lakes, 1980–2000. The average estimated population growth rate varied from 10–18% per year. The most conservative growth rate estimate of 10% per year indicates a doubling of the mute swan population every 7–8 years. These high growth rates indicate that mute swans have found a favorable environment in the lower Great Lakes. It is climatically somewhat similar to their native range in Europe, with low natural predation rates and minimal human interference (they are legally protected in Canada and the United States Under the Migratory Birds Convention, 1916). If the carrying capacity of the lower Great Lakes for mute swans is similar to portions of the species’ native European range and growth rates continue, the Canadian population could reach as many as 30,000 birds within 30 years. Given that the species is non-native, and its ecological impact potentially could be large, we suggest control measures be implemented before the population grows much larger. 25
Threats Session
Historical Distribution and Abundance of Phragmites australis at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario
Wilcox, Kerrie L. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, PO Box 160, Port Rowan Ontario N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Petrie, Scott A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, PO Box 160, Port Rowan Ontario N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Maynard, Laurie A. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, Lambeth Station, London, Ontario N6P 1R1, [email protected]
Meyer, Shawn W.1 Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, [email protected]
1 Present address: Canadian Wildlife Service - Ontario Region, Environment Canada 4905 Dufferin Street, Downsview, Ontario, M3H 5T4, [email protected]
Recent expansion of Phragmites australis throughout many Great Lakes wetlands has caused concern among resource managers because it is thought to degrade waterfowl habitat and reduce biodiversity. Wetlands at Long Point, Lake Erie, have some of the most important habitats for staging waterfowl on the Great Lakes and anecdotal evidence suggests that Phragmites has been expanding rapidly into some of these wetlands. To make informed management decisions, a better understanding of historical changes in distribution and abundance of this species is needed, as well as the ability to identify which plant species/communities Phragmites is replacing. Long Point’s wetlands were digitally mapped from aerial photographs from 1945 to 1999. Aerial extent of Phragmites stands was measured by digitizing vegetation boundaries, ground-truthing, and analyzing the data using GIS. A geometric growth formula was used to determine the rate of change of Phragmites over time. Phragmites abundance fluctuated during the period (1945: 4 ha; 1955: 7.7 ha; 1964: 69 ha; 1968: 3.6 ha; 1972: 15.1 ha; 1978: 17.7 ha; 1985: < 4ha; 1995: 18 ha; 1999: 137 ha), but its abundance increased exponentially between 1995 and 1999 (137 ha: growth rate = +0.50/yr). The species/communities that were most often replaced by Phragmites between 1995 and 1999 were Typha (33.8%), marsh meadow (31%), sedge/grass hummock (10.8%), and other mixed emergents (9.6%). Of 31 stands analyzed with the study area, 28 (90%) were of a non-native strain of Phragmites australis (haplotype M) that has been rapidly expanding throughout the Atlantic region of the United States. We suggest that the recent rapid expansion of Phragmites at Long Point is the direct result of this exotic invasion, and that it has been facilitated by both declines in Great Lakes water levels and increases in ambient air temperatures; anthropogenic and natural disturbances have possibly also contributed. Given the invasive nature of the exotic genotype, combined with future global warming prediction, Phragmites probably will continue to rapidly expand throughout the lower Great Lakes coastal wetlands. 26
Threats Session
Annual Lake Erie Water Bird Die-offs at Long Point Ontario: Will These Botulism Events Continue?
Timmermans, Steven T. A. Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Craigie, Eoin G. Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0
Robinson, Jeff. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, 465 Gideon Drive, P.O. Box 490, Lambeth Station, London, Ontario, N6P 1R1, [email protected]
Each autumn from 1999 through 2002, many fish- and mollusk- eating water birds died from Type E botulism poisoning in Lake Erie’s near shore and pelagic waters. Dead and/or dying individuals of several species have accumulated annually on extensive beaches Long Point, located on the north central shore of Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada. Daily autumn counts were done in 2002 along approximately 2500 m of beach at Long Point’s southeastern tip, which comprises a proportionally small length of Long Point’s total available beaches. From 14 October to 2 November 2002, 1098 dead or dying individual birds (representing 16 different water bird species) accumulated on this 2.5 km stretch of beach. Ninety-five percent of 377 beached Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) ducks found in a two-day period were adults. Data from counts done along 25.5 km of Long Point’s south beach were extrapolated to estimate that 1065 dead Common loons (Gavia immer) accumulated on its total 38.8 km stretch of available beach during early November of 2002. Increasing predictability of such annual recurring events are discussed in context of a great need to coordinate research efforts and gain a better understanding of temporal, spatial and numerical extents, and sources of this pathogen. 27
Threats Session
Oil Spills: A Threat to Waterfowl and the Benefits of Pre-Planning
Dunbar, Thomas E. Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Inc. 36 Kingston Street, Goderich, ON, N7A 3K5, CA, [email protected]
Gilbert, Eileen P. Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Inc, 110 Possum Hollow Road, Newark, DE, 19711, USA, [email protected]
Stout, Heidi B. Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Inc, 110 Possum Hollow Road, Newark, DE, 19711, USA, [email protected]
The Great Lakes basin provides critical habitat for waterfowl populations throughout their life stages. These populations continue to be under increasing threat from the socioeconomic development of the region and are vulnerable to the specific threat of oil spills. Response to wildlife following an oil spill is a complex, crisis-oriented endeavor that requires multiple agencies and organizations to work together to mitigate the environmental impact, to minimize the direct effect on individual animals or local populations and to document or evaluate the damages to natural resources. The potentially large concentrations of waterfowl due to seasonal distributions and the unique jurisdictional considerations for the region compound the challenges of an effective and efficient wildlife response. The discussion will provide insight into the initial priorities of wildlife resource managers during an incident and potential strategies to facilitate coordination of response efforts. 28
Threats Session
Changing Scaup Populations on the Great Lakes and Northeast Atlantic Coast, ~1980-2002
Barclay, John S. Wildlife Conservation Research Center, University of Connecticut, 1376 Storrs Rd., Storrs, CT 06269-4087, [email protected]
Hollay, Patricia S. 88 Buckley Highway, Stafford Springs, CT 06076, [email protected]
Significant portions of continental populations of Greater Scaup (GS, Aythya marila) and Lesser Scaup (LS, A. affinis) use the Great Lakes (GL) region en route to northern breeding habitats or winter feeding grounds on the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Coast. North American scaup breeding populations, especially LS in interior Canada and Alaska, have declined to record low levels. Most North American GS breed in western Alaska and 70% winter in the Long Island Sound bioregion (LIS, i.e. NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA) where numbers have dropped > 90%. Concerns over declines in LIS GS and their food resources were heightened with appearance (~1986) of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in the lower GL. Zebra mussels are a contaminated food for GS in Europe and quickly attracted scaup and other ducks on Lakes St. Claire, Erie and Ontario. We compared traditional mid-winter waterfowl survey data (MWS "scaup") with Audubon Christmas Counts (CBC, 176 counts, by species) on each GL and the LIS states to assess changes, if any, in seasonal scaup numbers and distribution ~1980-2002. The lower two (of five) lakes consistently yielded most scaup. The total GL CBC estimate of <10,000 GS (’83-‘88) increased dramatically to ~115,000 in '99, dropping to ~30,000 by ‘00. The combined five NE Atlantic state CBC GS numbers dropped steadily (-2,084 /y, R²=0.44) to lowest ever (24,218) in 2001. MWS and CBC showed similar negative trends but CBC data were progressively lower (- 2,887/y, R² =.60) and more consistent. Zebra mussels, possibly along with liberalized AHM seasons, appear to have altered scaup distribution, numbers and harvests. 29
Threats Session
Contaminant Burdens in Lesser and Greater Scaup Staging on the Lower Great Lakes
Petrie, Scott A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Since the mid-1980s the combined continental population of lesser and greater scaup (hereafter scaup) has declined substantially. It has been hypothesized that increased contaminant uptake on staging/wintering areas is contributing to the population decline. Thus, I am presently studying contaminant burdens in scaup staging on the lower Great Lakes (LGL). One cause for concern has been the substantial increase in number of scaup staging on portions of the LGL and the fact that these birds have switched to a diet dominated by zebra mussels. Scaup were collected on lakes Ontario, Erie and St. Clair during fall 1999 and spring 2000. PCB and DDE levels were generally found to be below Lowest Observed Effect Levels (LOEL) established for other bird species. In contrast, 77% of the spring-collected lesser scaup and 100% of the greater scaup analyzed had selenium burdens above the LOEL established for mallards (10 ppm/dry weight); lesser scaup, mean = 18 ppm, range = 1.8-56.4 ppm, n = 30; greater scaup, mean = 28.4 ppm, range = 19.0-59.7, n = 13. Only 17% of fall-collected lesser scaup and 40% of greater scaup had elevated Se burdens; mean Se burdens were 8.6 ppm (range = < detection limit to 13.2 ppm) for lesser scaup and 12.0 ppm (range = 4.6-26.3 ppm) for greater scaup. I suggest that seasonal differences in Se burdens may be due to differences in dietary intake because spring collected lesser and greater scaup consumed larger quantities of zebra mussels. Zebra mussels concentrate Se because mussels removed from the proventriculus of birds collected in 2000 had a mean Se concentration of 8.1 ppm. Ultimately, further research will need to be conducted to determine if high Se burdens in spring staging scaup are compromising reproductive output or survival. 30
Threats Session
Post-ban incidence of lead shot ingestion by waterfowl on the lower Great Lakes.
Bowen, Bowen, J.E. Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7
Demendi, Melinda, Department of Zoology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7
Petrie, Scott. A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Use of toxic shot for waterfowl hunting was banned in the United States in1991 and Canada in 1999 to reduce lead toxicosis in waterfowl. We studied the incidence of shot and other artifact ingestion in Mute Swans (Cygnus olor)(n = 243), Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) (n = 393), and Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) (n = 322) on the lower Great Lakes (LGL) after the toxic shot ban in Canada. Since Mute Swans are resident on the LGL and feed only in aquatic habitats, they are an excellent sentinel species for assessing present availability of lead artifacts within palustrine wetlands. Further, numerous European studies have shown that Mute Swans are very susceptible to artifact ingestion. In our study, adult Mute Swans (22.2% of 198 birds) contained more artifacts than cygnets (8.9% of 45), but there were no sex or site-related (Lake St. Clair vs. Long Point, Lake Erie) differences in ingestion frequency. Mute Swans ingested higher proportions of non-toxic shot (13.9% of birds) than both toxic shot (6.2%) and other artifacts (2.5%, primarily fishing tackle). Given the overall frequency of artifact ingestion (20% of birds), lead toxicosis was likely a significant mortality factor for Mute Swans prior to the toxic shot ban. Presently, lead toxicosis is likely having a low to moderate effect on Mute Swans on the LGL. There were no lake (St. Clair, Erie, Ontario), season, sex, or age related differences in proportion of Greater and Lesser Scaup that had ingested shot or any interspecific differences. Overall, 0.6% of scaup spp. contained toxic shot and 3.1% contained non-toxic shot; no birds contained other artifacts. Extremely low levels of lead shot ingestion (0.6% of birds) one year after the ban suggests that shot quickly becomes inaccessible to scaup spp. on lacustrine areas of the LGL and that toxic shot ingestion is not presently affecting scaup migrating through the LGL. Large pre-ban (8- 11%, CWS and LPWWRF unpublished data) and post ban (3.7%) differences in overall ingestion rates suggests that pre-ban rates may have been biased high because lead shot ingestion increases susceptibility to harvest. Low post-ban rates of lead shot ingestion are also indicative of hunter compliance with non-toxic shot regulations. 31
Staging and Wintering Ecology Session
Spring Migration, the Redheaded Stepchild of the Annual Cycle
Eichholz, Michael W. Mailcode 6504, Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab., Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901-6504, [email protected]
Research and management of waterfowl first focused on nesting ecology and habitat management on the breeding grounds. As it became clear in the late 1970s and 80s that resource availability outside the breeding season may play a role in productivity, a stronger research and management focus was placed on the winter period. In addition, likely because habitat managers are often interested in maximizing recreational value of habitat, a considerable amount of resources have been expended on understanding and supplying resources needed by waterfowl during fall migration. To date, although nutrient limitations that impact productivity are most likely to occur during late winter or spring, little effort has been made to understand the nutritional requirements and availability for ducks migrating during spring. Lack of a management or research focus on this period of the annual cycle is most likely due to the current paradigm that nutrient availability only impacts clutch size; where as, productivity of ducks is most limited by success of nesting hens, and is affected little by clutch size. In this presentation I will review previous research conducted during the spring migratory period, identify areas where more information is needed, and propose breeding probability as a possible factor limiting productivity of waterfowl, even under current conditions of very low nest success. 32
Staging and Wintering Ecology Session
Mallard and Lesser Scaup Food Selection during Spring Migration on Swan Lake, Illinois
Smith, Randolph V. Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab, LSII, Rm 251, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-6504, [email protected]
Eichholz, Michael W. Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab, LSII, Rm 251, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-6504, [email protected]
Current wetland management practices throughout the Mississippi Flyway focus primarily on providing large amounts of high carbohydrate food sources for fall migrating and over-wintering waterfowl. This may maximize the recreational value on many managed areas, but may not provide for the nutritional needs of waterfowl during spring migration, a critical period of their annual cycle. Food habit studies have shown that ducks primarily feed on high energy plant food sources during fall and winter, and primarily high protein animal matter food sources during the breeding season. Waterfowl begin to switch from high energy foods to high protein foods sometime near the end of winter or during spring migration. Without food availability data it is unclear if this switch is because of changing dietary needs or because of depletion of high energy food sources. To address this question we collected feeding female mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) (n = 17) and lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) (n = 30) during the spring of 2004 while simultaneously collecting food availability data. Food availability data was collected at waterfowl collection points, random points, and in areas of high waterfowl use. In this presentation I will present results of our first year of data collection. This study will help determine if managers are adequately providing for the nutritional needs of waterfowl during all phases of the annual cycle, or if changes in management practices are needed to meet these needs. 33
Staging and Wintering Ecology Session
Nutrient Reserve Dynamics of Lesser Scaup during Spring Migration on the Canadian Lower Great Lakes
Badzinski, Shannon S. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Petrie, Scott A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, [email protected]
The nutrient reserve dynamics of spring staging Lesser Scaup were studied on the Canadian side of the lower Great Lakes (LGL) (Lake St. Clair: n = 60; Lake Erie; n = 95; and Lake Ontario: n = 64) during spring 2000. Body mass of females at Lakes Erie and St. Clair increased throughout spring by about 2.2 and 3.9 g/day, which was due to increases in both protein (Erie: 0.1 & St. Clair: 0.5 g/day) and fat (Erie: 1.3 & St. Clair: 1.0 g/day). Males at Lakes Erie and St. Clair, however, showed no change in body mass or protein during spring; fat reserves of males did increase at Lake St. Clair (1.0 g/day), but not at Lake Erie. Lesser Scaup staging on Lake Ontario showed no measurable change in body mass, fat, or protein which may be attributed to the fact that birds were all collected over a two week period during mid-season. Mineral content of males and females at all three locations also did not change throughout spring. Our results suggest that the LGL are important for Lesser Scaup, especially females, to accumulate fat and protein (but not mineral) during spring. Fat gained while on the LGL were likely used mainly to fuel migration to the next stopover site. The lack of seasonal gains in fat (or protein) in males at some locations may be the result of energetic costs or trade-offs associated with pair-bond maintenance and mate defense or possibly to timing of collections and sample size. Migration chronology, social status, and other factors that affect foraging activities may account for some of the large amounts of unexplained variation in nutrient-reserve dynamics observed in this study. Comparison of mid-season fat reserves of LGL females with those reported in lesser scaup nutrient reserve studies conducted in the 1980’s and early 2000’s illustrates how variable fat levels can be among mid-latitude staging areas. For instance, females staging on the Mississippi River in Illinois had much larger fat reserves than birds on the LGL, but LGL females had about 20% higher fat reserves than did females in Minnesota (northern staging) and Manitoba (breeding) during the early 2000’s. Notably, LGL females also had similar fat reserve levels as did wintering, spring-staging, pre-breeding, and breeding females during the late 1970’s and 1980’s (when scaup populations were relatively higher than in 2000), suggesting that LGL females in 2000 were in relatively good energetic condition. However, given there presently are few temporally and spatially comprehensive data for nutrient reserve dynamics of scaup, we suggest that events that occur on the Atlantic Flyway wintering and staging areas should not be discounted as potential contributing factors for nutrient limitation later during spring migration or for affecting reproduction on breeding areas. 34
Staging and Wintering Ecology Session
Availability of Benthic Food to Diving Ducks during Winter on Northeastern Lake Ontario
Schummer, Michael L. Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5B7
Petrie, Scott A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Port Rowan, ON, Canada N0E 1M0.
Bailey, Robert C. Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5B7
Dreissenid mussels (zebra and quagga mussels) were introduced to the Great Lakes and represent a major change to the benthic community. Studies suggest that most indigenous molluscivorous waterfowl now incorporate dreissenid mussels in their diet. The combination of this novel food resource and increased winter temperatures has caused a substantial increase in the number of diving ducks over-wintering on the Lower Great Lakes. Unfortunately, we know little about pochard/seaduck (Tribe Aythyani and Mergani, respectively) ecology during winter on the Lower Great Lakes. Increases in over-wintering diving ducks on Lake Ontario could now be causing seasonal declines in local mussel densities similar to those observed in Europe. To determine changes in food available to diving ducks during winter within the vicinity of Prince Edward Bay, Lake Ontario we conducted benthic surveys at four locations at various depths during fall (late-Oct) and spring (late-April), 2002-04. Furthermore, it was observed that winds causing nearshore currents could be regenerating food along ice banks that form during winter. Large congregations of mixed species flocks fed within the zone where waves and currents deposited food. To determine the level of food availability at the ice-water interface, we designed two hand launched sampling units (one nektonic and one benthic) used during winter 2003-04. Results are not presently available because benthic samples are still being analyzed from the 2003-04 season. We will determine and present if decreases in benthic invertebrates occur throughout winter and what affect food availability has on distributions of diving ducks during winter on northeastern Lake Ontario. 35
Staging and Wintering Ecology Session
Migration Chronology of Eastern Population Tundra Swans
Petrie, Scott A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Wilcox, Kerrie L. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, [email protected]
We used satellite transmitters (PTTs) to track spring and fall migratory movements of Tundra Swans (1998-2000) captured at Long Point, Ontario. Migration corridors reported here corroborated those identified in previous studies using alpha-numerically coded neck collars. However, PTTs provided additional information on duration of spring and fall migration, duration of stay in different staging regions, time spent on breeding and wintering areas, and migration speed. Birds migrated between the Atlantic coast and northern prairies along a narrow geographic corridor through portions of the southern Great Lakes. From the northern prairies, swans followed 3 corridors to breeding areas on the west coast of Hudson Bay, central high arctic and Mackenzie River Delta. Whereas swans spent considerable time on Great Lakes (27% of spring migration) and northern prairie (40%) staging areas in spring, the northern boreal forest was an important fall staging area (48% of fall migration). Tundra Swans spent 20% of the annual cycle on wintering, 28% on spring staging, 29% on breeding, and 23% on fall staging areas. Length of migration and the fact that birds spend half their lives on staging areas, underscores the importance of conserving Tundra Swan migratory habitats. Thirty-gram neck- collar-attached PTTs were more suitable than 95-gram teflon-harness-attached backpack PTTs for tracking Tundra Swans. 36
Staging and Wintering Ecology Session
Feeding Activity of Tundra Swans and Effects on Aquatic Vegetation at Long Point, Ontario
Badzinski, Shannon S.1 Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, [email protected]
Ankney, C. Davison. Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, [email protected]
Petrie, Scott A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, [email protected]
1Present address: Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Numerous studies have shown that large, herbivorous waterfowl can reduce quantity of aquatic plants during the breeding or wintering season, but relatively few document herbivory effects at staging areas. This study was done to determine if feeding activities of tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus columbianus) had a measurable additive influence on the amount of aquatic plants, primarily muskgrass (Chara vulgaris), wild celery (Vallisneria americana), and sago pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus), removed during the fall migration period at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario. Exclosure experiments done in fall 1998 and 1999 showed that, as compared to ducks and abiotic factors, these large herbivorous waterfowl did not have any noticeable additional impact on above or below ground biomass of those aquatic plants. As expected, however, there were substantial seasonal reductions in above-ground and below-ground biomass of aquatic plants in wetlands that were heavily used by all waterfowl. We suggest that differences in large- and small-scale habitat use, feeding activity, and food preferences between tundra swans and other smaller waterfowl as well as compensatory herbivory contributed to our main finding that large waterfowl did not increase fall reductions of Chara spp, V. Americana, and P. pectinatus biomass. Our results and observations further suggest that although large numbers of Tundra Swans feed with ducks in aquatic habitats at Long Point, they likely are not directly limiting food available for ducks. Evidence from another aspect of our research showed that swan feeding activity may benefit ducks in the short-term by allowing them to obtain food that normally is buried too deep in the substrate, thus not available to them. 37
Staging and Wintering Ecology Session
Diel Wetland Use Patterns for Waterfowl during Autumn and Spring Migration in Ohio
Brasher, Michael G. Ohio State University, School of Natural Resources, 210 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Rd, Columbus, OH 43210 USA, [email protected]
Gates, Robert J. Ohio State University, School of Natural Resources, 210 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Rd, Columbus, OH 43210 USA, [email protected]
Steckel, Jason D. Ohio State University, School of Natural Resources, 210 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Rd, Columbus, OH 43210 USA, [email protected]
Conservation planning and management for North American waterfowl during non-breeding periods has traditionally made little distinction between resource needs during autumn and spring. For example, wetland plant food availability is recognized as the greatest resource limitation to which waterfowl are exposed during autumn and spring. Although waterfowl experience unique physiological and behavioral events between autumn and spring, habitat objectives needed to satisfy energetic requirements of waterfowl during autumn are assumed also sufficient to meet energetic demands of waterfowl during spring. During autumns and springs 2001-2004, we documented nocturnal and diurnal waterfowl use of intensively managed (n = 16) and private, restored (n = 85) wetlands in central and northern Ohio. We examined use patterns in relation to wetland- and landscape-level habitat variables to elucidate seasonal differences in habitat use and their relevance to conservation planning for waterfowl. Wetlands were occupied at greater frequencies during spring than autumn (85% vs. 44%), and during diurnal than nocturnal periods (autumn: 55% vs. 30%; spring: 85% vs. 16%). Duck use of private, restored wetlands was influenced by vegetation cover class during spring (P = 0.011), but not during autumn (P = 0.524), while wetland size affected use during autumn (P = 0.07) but not spring (P = 0.70). Wetland type (i.e., moist-soil, emergent marsh, submergent marsh, open water) did not affect duck use during autumn or spring (P > 0.19). Energetic carrying capacity (duck use- days/ha) of wetlands varied among years, but was approximately equal to or greater than the Upper Mississippi River & Great Lakes Region Joint Venture assumption of 1,236 DUD/ha during each year (P = 0.06; 4,345 in 2001, 1,191 in 2002, 3,618 in 2003). Duck use of wetlands during autumn was positively correlated with energetic carrying capacity, but this relationship was weak (Rs = 0.28, P < 0.007). Our results suggest factors other than food availability may influence waterfowl use of intensively managed and private, restored wetlands, and that these factors may differ between autumn and spring and diurnal and nocturnal periods. We examine additional variables and discuss our results in the context of landscape-level conservation planning for waterfowl during nonbreeding periods. 38
Habitat Conservation and Management Session
Ducks Unlimited’s Great Lakes Wetland Conservation Programs
Maher, Ron. Ducks Unlimited Canada, Ontario Provincial Office, Kingston K7P 2R9, [email protected]
Yerkes, Tina. Ducks Unlimited Inc., Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office, Ann Arbor MI 48103, [email protected]
The conservation programs delivered by Ducks Unlimited Inc. and Ducks Unlimited Canada (Ontario) in the Great Lakes basin are designed to meet the life cycle requirements of waterfowl in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central flyways. Programs address both breeding and migration needs and are planned using the best available science. Breeding programs focus on pair, nesting and brood rearing requirements within landscapes, while migration habitat efforts are designed to protect habitats for both spring and fall use. Delivery at both the landscape and site-specific levels is strategically targeted to habitats of greatest value to waterfowl, and or where threats to habitat extent or function are high. Programs range from direct intervention to secure threatened wetlands or restore lost or degraded functions, to broad scale landowner stewardship efforts designed to secure and enhance habitats through the provision of technical and financial support. Public policy programs aligned with federal, provincial/state, and municipal legislation and policies broaden the scope of DU efforts by promoting wetland conservation through public agendas such as water conservation, natural heritage protection, and/or Farm Bill programs in the US. Where possible, DU programs are marketed to increase public support for wetland and wildlife conservation. 39
Habitat Conservation and Management Session
Waterfowl Habitat Management: Accommodating for Shorebirds in the Southwest Lake Erie Marsh Region
VanWyck, Tara E. School of Natural Resources, Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd., Columbus, OH USA 43210, [email protected]
Gates, Robert J. School of Natural Resources, Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd., Columbus, OH USA 43210, [email protected]
The Lake Erie marsh region has long been known as a significant waterfowl staging area and was recently designated as a significant stopover site for shorebirds (Charadriiformes). Waterfowl and shorebirds were censused weekly during spring (March-June) and autumn (July- November) using a stratified random sample of lake-influenced, managed marsh and agricultural plots (0.06 - 0.25 km2). Plots contained various wetland and upland habitat types, but were classified according to their dominant water regime (i.e. lake-level influenced, controlled, precipitation-driven). All habitat types were surveyed within 90 plots (30 plots per stratum). We estimated a total of 115,990 and 117,481 shorebird use-days in 2002 and 2003 respectively and a total of 126,147 and 158,319 duck use-days. Lake-influenced plots supported the most shorebird use-days followed by managed marsh plots (lake: 58%, managed: 35%, agriculture: 7%). Waterfowl use-days were highest in managed plots followed by lake-influenced plots (lake: 39%, managed: 58%, agriculture: 3%). The positive response of shorebirds to waterfowl habitat management techniques such as marsh drawdowns and fall-flooded cropland was evident in this study and has also been well documented by others. Although shorebirds generally are not managed for in the region they benefit from waterfowl habitat management nonetheless. We discuss wetland management strategies that accommodate both waterfowl and migrating shorebirds. 40
Habitat Conservation and Management Session
Hydrologic Associations of Marsh Bird Abundance in Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands
Timmermans, Steven T. A. Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Badzinski, Shannon S. Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0, [email protected]
Ingram, Joel W. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4, [email protected]
We used Great Lakes hydrologic data and bird monitoring data collected by Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program volunteer participants from 1995 – 2002 to: 1) evaluate trends and patterns of annual change in May-July water levels for Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron-Michigan, 2) report on relative abundance trends of wetland dependent birds breeding in coastal marshes associated with those lakes, and 3) correlate basin-wide and lake-specific annual bird abundance indices with annual Great Lakes water levels. From 1995 – 2002, average May, June, and July water levels in all lake basins showed some degree of annual variation, but Lakes Erie and Huron-Michigan showed virtually identical annual fluctuation patterns and a general decline in water levels; no general trend was found in Lake Ontario water levels during this period. Relative abundance indices of five of seven (71%) marsh bird species in Lake Ontario wetlands showed no increasing or decreasing trend from 1995-2002, but relative numbers of black tern (Chlidonias niger) and pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) declined. Abundance of American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), American coot (Fulica americana), black tern, common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), least bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), pied-billed grebe, sora (Porzana carolina), and Virginia rail (Rallus limicola) all declined from 1995 - 2002 within Lakes Erie and Huron-Michigan coastal marshes. Annual changes in abundances of nearly all birds examined showed positive associations with annual water level changes of the lakes where they resided, but these relationships were due mainly to results from Lakes Erie and Huron- Michigan. Overall, our results suggest that long-term changes and annual water level fluctuations are important abiotic factors influencing behaviour and/or abundance of some wetland-dependent birds in Great Lakes coastal wetlands. 41
Habitat Conservation and Management Session Lake Smith Marsh Project: Rebuilding an Important Wildlife Resource
Russell, John L. Lake Smith Marsh Project, P.O. Box 542, Grand Bend, On. N0M 1T0, [email protected], [email protected]
Lake Smith, south of Grand Bend, Ontario was one of three inland marsh lakes left behind when massive sand dunes formed in what is now Pinery Provincial Park on Southern Lake Huron. For thousands of years, these inland lakes were part of the migratory flyway for tens of thousands of birds, including many species of ducks, geese and Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus columbianus). Lake Smith was drained in 1955 to allow production of vegetable crops in the rich organic soil. Area farmers and the municipality have co-operated with the migrating birds by allowing their lands to remain flooded until the birds have left when the pumping stations are turned on. Many of these farm families and friends have hunted, fished and trapped in and on the lake for generations. Twelve years ago, they formed a group called the Lake Smith Conservationists , who promote habitat enhancement and education programs for children through the County Museum, the school systems, the Conservation authority and the Provincial Park. This group, along with other area residents has recognized the need to create a more permanent marsh ecosystem for migrating birds and other wildlife. In partnership with the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority, the Lake Smith Marsh Project is an attempt to reclaim some of the lake bed, and recreate a marshland in phases as land becomes available. Given recent research on the importance of staging areas for Tundra Swans, the need for a reclamation project in the Lake Smith area could become an important southwestern Ontario goal for Great Lakes habitat management. 42
Habitat Conservation and Management Session
Use of Phragmites Australis, Typha, and Marsh Meadow by Marsh Birds at Long Point, Ontario
Meyer, Shawn W.1 Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada, [email protected]
Petrie, Scott A. Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0, Canada, [email protected]
Ankney, C. Davison. Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada, [email protected]
1Present address: Canadian Wildlife Service - Ontario Region, Environment Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Downsview, Ontario, M3H 5T4, [email protected]
The recent expansion of an exotic genotype of Phragmites australis throughout many coastal wetlands of the lower Great Lakes has caused concern that it will reduce floral and faunal biodiversity. Few studies, however, have documented use of exotic Phragmites stands by wildlife. We surveyed birds in various stand sizes of Phragmites, Typha spp., and marsh meadow at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario during 2001 and 2002. Avian point counts showed that stands of exotic Phragmites had fewer rails, waterfowl, and breeding swamp sparrows (Melospiza georgiana) than did stands of Typha or marsh meadow. Large stands of exotic Phragmites, however, had a high abundance of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas) and provided habitat for least bitterns (Ixobrychus exilis), swallows (Family Hirundinidae), juvenile swamp sparrows, and marsh wrens (Cistothorus palustris). Use of exotic Phragmites by Virginia (Rallus limicola) and sora rails (Porzana carolina) was limited to stand edges. Stand interiors of exotic Phragmites were used by red-winged blackbirds, common yellowthroats, and tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Stands of exotic Phragmites did not affect migrating birds and may provide winter shelter for black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), American tree sparrows (Spizella arborea), and dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis). Continued expansion of large stands of exotic Phragmites in coastal marshes at Long Point may negatively affect swamp sparrows, rails, and waterfowl, but may benefit least bitterns, red-winged blackbirds, and warblers (Family Parulidae). However, given the current distribution of exotic Phragmites stands at Long Point and its current rate of expansion (50 % per year), management options may be warranted to preserve habitat heterogeneity. Because this study was conducted during low water levels, we recommend that studies continue to investigate use of Phragmites by waterfowl, rails, and bitterns during higher water levels. These studies, in conjunction with a management strategy focused on interspersion of habitats, will maintain wetland integrity at Long Point and increase understanding of the effects of Phragmites expansion on these birds. 43
Habitat Conservation and Management Session
Association of Habitat and Macroinvertebrate Productivity in a Restored Illinois River Backwater during Spring Migration
Grulkowski, Darin P. Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Dept. of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, LS II 251, Carbondale, IL 62901-6504, [email protected]
Eichholz, Mike W. Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Dept. of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, LS II 251, Carbondale, IL 62901-6504, [email protected]
Whiles, Matt R. Dept. of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, LS II 351, Carbondale, IL 62901-6501, [email protected]
Functionally, macroinvertebrates are vital for the break down of organic material, but they also play a major role in the food base and nutritional health of many wildlife species. The focus of this paper/presentation will be the effects of different habitat types on macroinvertebrate productivity in relation to spring waterbird migration. This study was conducted on a restored backwater of the Illinois River, known as Swan Lake, located in Calhoun County, Illinois. In the spring of 2004 we conducted randomized samples of various habitats within this restored backwater. This paper/presentation will describe how macroinvertebrate productivity and diversity varied within the available habitat types found in this restored backwater. We will also provide preliminary estimates of macroinvertebrate and seed availability for migratory waterbirds during the 2004 spring migration period. Another aspect of this paper/presentation will be the discussion of plans for future experimental manipulations in different vegetative habitats. This study will determine how macroinvertebrate productivity is linked to plant habitat heterogeneity and density, and may allow for the development of habitat management strategies to increase macroinvertebrate availability for spring waterbird migration. 44
Habitat Conservation and Management Session
Waterfowl Habitat Restoration, as if Prothonotary Warblers Mattered: Assessing and Adjusting Wetland Enhancement Projects to Benefit an Endangered Species
Stabb, Mark A. Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund/Wildlife Habitat Canada. 1750 Courtwood Crescent, Suite 310, Ottawa, ON K2C 3H5, [email protected]
McCracken, Jon D. Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0 [email protected]
The Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund (WHF) -- a project of the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan -- has supported more than 100 small-scale, waterfowl-based wetland enhancement and creation projects on private land in southwestern Ontario. This region is home to Canada’s highest number of endangered species. To contribute to the National Recovery Plan for the Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)(PROW), and recommendations to investigate and implement habitat restoration options in critical nesting areas, project partners assessed how well existing WHF projects met the habitat needs of this endangered bird. A field protocol was developed to assess how well small, restored wetlands met PROW habitat requirements. Habitat parameters assessed included proximity to known nesting sites and mature flooded swamp habitat, adjacent canopy closure, wetland area and depth, and availability of nesting materials of suitable natural cavities. The assessment protocol was applied to 35 properties, all on private land. Many sites ranked highly, in part due to strategic positioning of projects next to existing flooded swamp forests and floodplains. Project funding criteria, however, limited project size and hence the potential for PROW recovery. Stage two projects are now directed at PROW habitat enhancement with the cooperation of private landowners. Recommendation for field assessment and habitat restoration will be presented. This project is an example of a planned approach to multi-species benefits from waterfowl-based projects. 45
Habitat Conservation and Management Session
Hunter Contributions to Conservation and Waterfowl in Ontario
Pineo, Robert. Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Box 2800, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8L5, Tel: 705-748-6324, [email protected]
The hunter has been recognized as the first true conservationist. Ontario hunters have contributed $65.8 million to habitat conservation projects from 1984 to 1999. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) promotes waterfowl conservation in many ways including, providing annual research grants, contributing to habitat conservation through the provincial O.F.A.H. Fish and Wildlife Fund, administration of public hunting areas, and participating in advisory committees pertaining to waterfowl conservation and management. In addition, O.F.A.H. zones and clubs are regularly involved in habitat restoration and waterfowl conservation projects across Ontario. It is becoming increasingly more difficult to become a waterfowl hunter and costs are soaring to participate in this activity which generates direct revenue for waterfowl conservation. In Ontario, Migratory Game Bird Hunting permit sales are down from around 160,000 in 1978 to 57,000 in 2003. The lack of waterfowl hunter participation is having serious fiduciary repercussions for waterfowl research, management and conservation. We must act swiftly to promote waterfowl hunting to the stature it once held. Waterfowl hunters are the front line conservationists and they are an invaluable resource for waterfowl conservation. 46
Conservation Program Planning and Public Policy Session
A Bioenergetics Approach for Establishing Habitat Objectives in the Mid-migratory Region of the Great Lakes
Eichholz, Michael W. Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab., Mailcode 6504, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, 62901-6504, [email protected]
To solidify the scientific foundation on which habitat restoration and enhancement objectives are based, most wildlife biologists believe it is necessary to establish a link between wildlife population objectives, where they exist, and habitat objectives. Most NAWMP Habitat Joint Ventures established in areas consisting of primarily non-breeding habitat, have used a bioenergetics approach to link those objectives. In this presentation I will review the assumptions on which the bioenergetics approach of developing habitat objectives are based upon, review the biological inputs for (TRUMET), a bioenergetics model often used in this approach, and discuss how this approach could be used to set habitat objectives for the mid- migratory region surrounding the great lakes and the biological information needed. 47
Conservation Program Planning and Public Policy Session
Using a NABCI Framework to Guide Waterfowl Habitat Program Delivery: The BCR 13 Experience
Pollard, J. Bruce. Fish & Wildlife Branch, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 7000, Peterborough, ON K9J 8M5, [email protected]
Odell, David E. New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation, 6274 East Avon - Lima Road, Avon, New York 14414, [email protected]
Collins, Brigitte D. Eastern Habitat Joint Venture - Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, 49 Camelot Dr., Nepean, ON K1A 0H3, [email protected]
Hayes, Chuck. Atlantic Coast Joint Venture, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Centre Drive, Hadley, MA 01035-9589, [email protected]
Bélanger, Luc. Conservation de l’environnement, Quebec, Service canadien de la Faune, C.P. 10100 Sainte-Foy, QC G1V 4H5, [email protected]
McCullough, Gary B. Canadian Wildlife Service, 465 Gideon Drive, London, ON N6P 1R1, [email protected]
Loftus, Kevin. Fish & Wildlife Branch, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 7000, Peterborough, ON K9J 8M5, [email protected]
Milliken, Andrew. Atlantic Coast Joint Venture, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Centre Drive, Hadley, MA 01035-9589, [email protected]
The Eastern Habitat and Atlantic Coast Joint Ventures (EHJV and ACJV) have been extremely successful in the delivery of wetland habitat conservation programs on thousands of acres throughout eastern Canada and United States. More recently, the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) has gained support across the continent to integrate migratory bird conservation efforts for “all bird” initiatives. In 2001, EHJV and ACJV partners brought together a diverse group of individuals with the intent of enhancing migratory bird conservation across the Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain Bird Conservation Region (BCR 13). By expanding partnerships internationally and into other bird initiatives, we hoped to broaden the scope of our collective conservation efforts, and deliver more efficient and effective bird conservation programs. Specific objectives set out in advance of our sessions included identification of priority migratory bird species and habitats in BCR 13, development of population and habitat objectives for the priority bird species and identification of the most significant areas within the BCR for each group of migratory birds. Further, the group was charged with prioritization of these areas within the BCR, and to identify areas for potential landscape-level projects between the U.S. and Canada. To date, these results have yet to specifically enhance waterfowl habitat progam delivery across the BCR, however increased communications between partners is leading to continued discussion on meeting this objective. One useful product resulting from our sessions was the development of an integrated landcover map for the entire BCR. Ultimately, the improved communication as a result of our planning efforts should allow more effective coordination of habitat enhancement and securement activities across geopolitical boundaries to the benefit of waterfowl and other bird populations. 48
Conservation Program Planning and Public Policy Session
Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS): The Farmer’s Conservation Plan
Bailey, Robert O. Delta Waterfowl Foundation, 125 Otter Lake Road, Lombardy, On. K0G 1L0, [email protected]
Reid, David J. Norfolk Land Stewardship Council, P.O. Box 587, Simcoe, On. N3Y 4N5, [email protected]
Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) is the first landscape- based conservation plan to be developed by the farm community in Canada. It is a voluntary- incentive plan, based on the concept of paying farmers to produce public environmental benefits from private farmlands. ALUS will protect existing ecological features, while expanding conservation land uses on marginal farmland. Payments to farmers would be made by governments, conservation organizations and other beneficiaries of healthy environments and abundant wildlife. Ecological service delivery is used worldwide to restore ecosystems under WTO rules. ALUS is also an economic development plan, to increase farm income and promote rural growth. ALUS would transform environmental liabilities into business opportunities for producers. ALUS differs from other conservation plans in three fundamental ways: 1) it is a “farmer- driven” conservation plan: the concept was developed by Keystone Agricultural Producers in Manitoba, with assistance from Delta Waterfowl, 2) it will be delivered by agricultural organizations and institutions such as crop insurance agencies, which have producer confidence and the capability to monitor the program, and 3) ALUS is landscape- focused, using a “whole farm - rural community” ecosystem approach. It is not a traditional “set- aside” program or limited to wetlands, wildlife or cover. ALUS pilot projects have been developed in Ontario, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island. Planning is underway in Saskatchewan and elsewhere. Copies of the ALUS concept and pilot project proposals are available from the authors. ALUS is an enormous opportunity to work with agricultural producers to conserve waterfowl habitats. 49
Conservation Program Planning and Public Policy Session
The Public Policy Liaison Program in Ontario of Ducks Unlimited Canada
Anderson, James S. Policy and Program Advisor, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Ontario, 42 Barton Lane, Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1V5, [email protected]
In the late 1990’s Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) Ontario, prompted in part by strategic continental conservation planning and program concepts, re-examined and revised their strategic approach to habitat conservation nationally and within the province. One of the changes that resulted from this change was the adoption of a program oriented to influencing public policy related to wetland habitat protection and restoration. The Public Policy Liaison Program of DUC has been developed over the past 5 years at the national and provincial levels. The program seeks to broaden the publics’ and the public policy makers’ understanding and opinion of the values of wetlands and to encourage the more comprehensive knowledge on the extent and location of wetlands within the province. The program is guided by four strategic and highly interrelated elements:
1) Monitoring: Ascertaining the policies/programs of all relevant public policy tables
2) Assessing: Assessing the impact of these policies/programs/issues/ opportunities on DUC’s Vision and prioritizing them against the achievement of the DUC Vision
3) Building Strategic Relationships: Developing strategic partnerships/alliances with relevant organizations that will result in enhanced policies/programs to the benefit of DUC’s Vision
4) Developing Science-based Justifications: Creating science-based justifications to support the change/creation of “Vision beneficial” policies/programs of others.
In Ontario the Public Policy Liaison Program operates as part of the coordinated national effort concentrating on the Agricultural Policy Framework, Species At Risk, watershed and water management, and habitat stewardship. Within the province, areas of concentration include the Walkerton Inquiry and subsequent Provincial Source Protection Policy Committees, Nutrient Management Planning, and the land use planning system. At the community level activities orient to application of land use planning polices and local government policies. 50
Abstracts of Poster Presentations
Poster Session
Response by Waterfowl to Wetland Restoration at the Atocas Bay Project
Armson, Erling. Ducks Unlimited Canada, Unit 1, 614 Norris Court, Kingston, Ont, K7P 2R9, 613-389-0418, [email protected]
The Atocas Bay conservation project is a large multi-partner initiative that has resulted in the securement and restoration of a 2,000 acre land parcel in Eastern Ontario. Historical land use in the area consisted of agriculture and peat mining and as a result virtually all of the wetland basins had been drained for agriculture with little value to waterfowl. C.W.S. waterfowl pair surveys have shown this area to have very low breeding densities. Subsequent to the acquisition of the land by DUC and other NAWCA partners over 150 wetland basins were restored using a variety of water structures. Uplands surrounding the wetlands are also managed for high quality nesting cover as well as demonstrating conservation oriented agricultural operations. Spring waterfowl pair surveys were conducted the year prior to wetland restoration and during the years following with a dramatic increase in waterfowl breeding densities being seen. This project has shown how appropriate wetland restoration can have immediate and significant positive impacts on waterfowl production. 51
Poster Session
Automated Doors for Waterfowl Banding Traps
Ashley, Paul E. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, RR #3 Port Rowan, ON, N0E 1M0, [email protected]
North, Norm R. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, 465 Gideon Drive, P.O. Box 490, London, ON, N6P 1R1, [email protected]
We developed an automated door to reduce depredation of trapped waterfowl, and allow for greater flexibility of banding times. To reduce depredation banders often capture and remove predators near trap sites, erect electric fencing to discourage predators, check traps in the evening to process captured waterfowl or block the entrances to the traps after the morning banding period and reopen them once the birds have left the area in the evening. This significantly increases the time and expense required to operate a banding station. Automated doors prevent birds from being held in the trap overnight by opening during the pre-dawn hours and closing a few hours later, reducing the time birds are held in the trap and reducing their vulnerability to predators. Automated doors also allow for greater flexibility of work schedules. Sometimes a trap can not be operated on a particular day and the entrance must be sealed or the top removed to prevent birds from being trapped for extended periods. Consequently, no birds can be caught the next banding day because the trap must be reset. By programming the door to open the morning of the first working day, no days are lost to resetting the trap. Automated doors may also increase catches by closing the trap before birds attempt to exit. We operated the door for 3 banding seasons, and it proved to be effective. We found the door to be nearly silent in operation and it took less than one second to open or close. After these initial observations our evening visits to check the traps ceased, reducing our per-season nightly traveling and checking time by > 40 hours. 52
Poster Session
AVIAN ENERGETICS LAB, Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, Ontario
Wilcox, Kerrie L. Avian Energetics Lab Coordinator, Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON, [email protected]
Dr. C. Davison Ankney's AVIAN ENERGETICS LAB, formerly located at the University of Western Ontario, has been relocated to Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, Ontario. We invite you to look into our services and book your work in advance. Our services, specializing in, but not limited to birds, include: composition of carcass or specific tissue (i.e., breast, leg, liver), custom necropsies, upper digestive tract contents, molt scoring, reproductive tissue analysis, data entry and calculations. 53
Poster Session
Grain Yield and Patch Use: Predicting Foraging of Canada Geese from Corn Yield
Barney, Ted S. 1 Department of Organismal Biology, Ecology and Evolution, University of Guelph, Guelph ON N1G 2W1 Canada, [email protected]
Nudds, Thomas D. Department of Organismal Biology, Ecology and Evolution, University of Guelph, Guelph ON N1G 2W1 Canada, [email protected]
1Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7. Phone (519) 661-2111 ext. 86798, [email protected]
The objective of this study was to determine if patch selection in Canada geese (Branta canadensis sp.) could be determined from grain yield data. Patch selection by geese was predicted to occur in high yield areas. Five cornfields located near the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, were used in this study. Corn yield was placed in ten categories, 1 representing low yield and 10 representing high yield respectively. For the purposes of this study it was assumed that yield represented the patch dynamics of waste corn left on fields. Canada goose flock position was taken in each of the five fields over a 35 day period with a G.P.S. These locations were referenced with yield contour maps recorded by the harvesting machinery at time of harvest using GIS. Probability of geese foraging in a given patch was then determined by taking the total number of days geese were found in a patch and dividing by the total number of days geese were present in the field. Linear least squares and polynomial curvefit regressions were applied to determine the relationship between the probability of goose presence and corn yield. Only three of the five fields were used for analysis due to lack of use by geese. The probability of geese foraging in high yield patches was greater than that of low yield patches. The R2 values determined for the three fields were represented by one linear least squares and two polynomial curvefit of 0.5425, 0.7271, and 0.9623 respectively. The use of corn yield as a tool to predict patch selection by Canada geese does appears to work. Further studies are needed to resolve the interactions between grain yield, waste grain, and patch selection by geese. 54
Poster Session
Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol in Ontario: Past, Present and Future
MacKenzie, Donna L. Ontario Beetles, P.O. Box 458 Paris, ON, N3L 3T5, [email protected]
MacKay, Beth. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Conservation and Planning Section, 300 Water St., P.O. Box 7000, Peterborough, ON, K9J 8M5, [email protected]
MacDonald, Francine. Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, P.O. Box 2800, 4601 Guthrie Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9J 8L5, [email protected]
Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is an invasive exotic wetland plant that has had well- documented, widespread impacts on the biodiversity of North American wetlands. Two classical biocontrol agents, leaf-feeding beetles Galerucella calmariensis and G. pusilla, were approved for release in 1992 by both the Canadian and US governments, and are now being used successfully in 9 Canadian provinces and 33 US States to control the spread and impact of purple loosestrife populations. Since the first beetles were released in Ontario, this large-scale biocontrol initiative has involved many partners with the beetles being released at more than 300 sites throughout the province. This year, through a partnership initiative between the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, the Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund, Ducks Unlimited Canada and Ontario Beetles, the program has increased in vitality. This poster will discuss the history of these biocontrol efforts in Ontario, the present programs and initiatives involving partners throughout Ontario, and future goals for seeding the major watersheds of Ontario with these highly successful biocontrol agents. 55
Poster Session
Seasonal Waterfowl Use of the Lower Big Creek Flood Plain
McLachlin, David J. Ducks Unlimited Canada, 566 Welham Road, Barrie, ON L4N 8Z7, [email protected]
Though floodplain habitats near Great Lakes coastal areas are generally thought to be important for staging waterfowl during spring, information on waterfowl use is scarce and the relatively importance of various types of habitats to waterfowl within a floodplain remains poorly understood. Female breeding condition of some waterfowl species may be dependent on the quality of the habitat they use during migration. Access to high quality habitats for feeding by migrating hens may increase their fitness as breeders later that season. At the Long Point wetland complex, migrating waterfowl are regularly observed using seasonally flooded agricultural fields, pasture fields and flooded forested alluvial floodplains of Big Creek. The lower Big Creek floodplains may be in important seasonal migration habitat for waterfowl. In this study, we will quantify the relative use by waterfowl on various spring-flooded habitats. A combination of ground-based roadside surveys and fixed-winged aerial counts were completed from early March to mid-April 2004. Waterfowl observations will be summarized by species, over time, and by habitat types, in relation to the availability of habitats flooded. Ducks Unlimited Canada has invested over 25 years in wetland conservation and enhancement in the Long Point area. DUC is evaluating waterfowl use in the lower Big Creek floodplain as a means of assessing relative values of waterfowl habitats for potential future conservation and enhancement initiatives. 56
Poster Session
Establishing Priority Waterfowl Staging Areas in Southern Ontario for Conservation
Muir, Scott D. Ducks Unlimited Canada, 1-614 Norris Court, Kingston, ON K7P 2R9, [email protected]
Gendron, Michel. Ducks Unlimited Canada, 1-614 Norris Court, Kingston, ON K7P 2R9, [email protected]
Coastal wetlands throughout the Great Lakes Basin are recognized as a high priority for conservation in Ducks Unlimited’s Conservation Plan. In 2001, DUC developed a 25-year coastal wetland securement strategy for southern Ontario, which established a framework and program goals to assure the protection of all remaining coastal habitats. Conservation efforts relating to the habitat needs of migrating waterfowl will focus on securing important existing coastal and inland wetland complexes using a variety of land securement options, including acquisition, conservation easements, conservation agreements and public policy. DUC is presently targeting habitat securement efforts in four coastal and two inland areas within the Lower Great Lakes region of Ontario. These areas include the Long Point Bay Wetland Complex of Lake Erie, the Lake St. Clair/Detroit River wetlands, the marshes at the eastern end of Lake Ontario including the Bay of Quinte and Wolfe Island, the Lower Grand River marshes, the Lower Big Creek floodplain and the shallow lakes of the Rankin River System along the Lower Bruce Peninsula. 57
Poster Session
Movements of Long-tailed Ducks Wintering in Western Lake Ontario and the Niagara River to Their Breeding Grounds in Nunavut
North, Norm R. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, 465 Gideon Drive, London, ON, N6P 1R1, [email protected]
Mallory, Mark L. Canadian Wildlife Service, Prairie and Northern Region, P.O. Box 1714, Iqaluit, NU, X0A 0H0, [email protected]
McCullough, Gary B. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Region, 465 Gideon Drive, London, ON, N6P 1R1, [email protected]
Lair, Stéphane. Faculté de médecine veterinaire, Université de Montreal, C.P. 5000, St- Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7C6, [email protected]
Long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis; formerly called Oldsquaw) are a common wintering seaduck in the Great Lakes, but little is known about their migratory patterns, or the relationship between wintering and breeding locations. In March 2003 and 2004, we captured long-tailed ducks surgically implanted 9 satellite transmitters in males and females, to track their movements to their breeding areas, and to identify important migration stopover points along their route. Implanted birds did not survive well, which may have been influenced by severe winter weather in southern Ontario in 2003. Two males implanted on 27 March 2003 moved from the lower Niagara River capture site, north to Georgian Bay, James Bay, and finally appeared to accompany mates at nest sites inland from western Hudson Bay. In August, both birds moved to moult along the western Hudson Bay, and in September and October they migrated south along eastern Hudson Bay, with stops near the Ottawa and Belcher Islands before the transmitters died. One female implanted on 30 March 2004 moved to eastern Georgian Bay by 1 May, and will continue to be tracked through the summer. The movements of these birds have important implications for the identification of key marine sites required for migration or moulting, as well as for identifying pathways of contaminant transport from the Great Lakes to Arctic Canada. 58
Poster Session
Waterfowl Breeding Population Surveys in Wisconsin
Gatti, Ronald C. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1350 Femrite Dr., Monona, WI 53716, [email protected]
Van Horn, Kent Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707, [email protected]
Bergquist, Jon R. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707, [email protected]
Waterfowl breeding populations in Wisconsin have been surveyed annually statewide since 1973 and more intensively in a broad area (HRA) in southeast Wisconsin since 1990. The statewide survey was patterned after the North American waterfowl population survey, being a double sampling scheme within 4 strata of wetland density. Waterfowl within 66 strip transects (48 km x 0.4 km) are counted from an airplane by two observers during late April through early May. Aerial visibility is estimated from ground counts of waterfowl along segments (16-24 km) of 26 aerial transects. In recent years Wisconsin has an average of 600,000 breeding ducks: 50% mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), 21% wood duck (Aix sponsa), 15% blue-winged teal (A. discors), 6% ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris), and 8% of 11 other species. Mallard populations increased dramatically in the late 1980s; their populations now average 2.9 times those in 1973- 87. Blue-winged teal were the most abundant duck 1973-84 but their populations have declined 3%/year for the last 32 years. Wood duck populations have increased 6%/year for 32 years. Black ducks (Anas rubripes) are extremely rare in the state. Although the survey was designed for ducks, Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are also counted; their population has increased at 13%/year since 1986. Current waterfowl densities (breeding pairs/km2) among the 4 strata in Wisconsin range from 0.5-1.6 for mallards, 0.1-0.5 for blue-winged teal, 0.2-0.6 for wood ducks, and 0.1-1.0 for geese. The HRA survey covers 10% of a 3,400-km2 area, counting waterfowl from a helicopter in 800 km of aerial transects. This intensive survey also found increases over time in mallards (+3%/year) and geese (+11%/year), but no trend for blue-winged teal. Breeding pair densities (uncorrected for visibility) average 1.3 mallards, 0.6 blue-winged teal, 0.4 other ducks, and 0.5 geese per km2 for this area in the heart of Wisconsin’s duck range. 59
Poster Session
“Healthy Wetlands for the Upper Grand” – An Extension Model to Conserve and Enhance Wetlands
Williams, Michael J. Ducks Unlimited Canada, 566 Welham Road, Barrie, ON L4N 8Z7, [email protected]
An innovative extension-based project called “Healthy Wetlands for the Upper Grand” spearheaded by Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Grand River Conservation Authority and the Dufferin/South Simcoe Land Stewardship Network is encouraging landowners in the upper Grand River watershed to conserve and enhance wetlands for waterfowl and agricultural benefits. This headwaters region, known as the “Rooftop of Ontario”, is an important groundwater recharge area and still has a relatively intact wetland base. The objective of this project is to raise wetland awareness using a strategic three-year work plan that includes on-site consultations, wetland enhancement demonstration sites, educational programs and policy input. This project will enable and assist landowners to adopt sustainable wetland stewardship practices that will result in secure waterfowl habitat, improved rural water quality and quantity as well as other benefits to rural communities. Landowner response to the project has been very positive. Follow up contacts made to landowners indicate that approximately 60% (35 of 59) of landowners have followed at least one recommendation made during the on-site consultations. To date, actions taken by landowners have impacted approximately 160 hectares of wetlands through small-scale wetland restorations, nest box installation and buffer application. Main reasons for wetland projects include waterfowl/wildlife benefits and water quality improvement. Local municipalities have also been supportive of this project and welcome the input into draft official plans. Recommendations that will help protect existing wetlands were submitted to the four municipalities undergoing reviews of their official plans. So far, one municipality has decided to include many of the amendments, which may translate into several hundred more hectares of wetlands protected through land use planning. A second phase is for this project in the planning stage and will include a more strategic wetland securement component that will target significant waterfowl breeding and staging habitat. 60
Poster Session
Modeling Breeding Mallard Distribution in the Great Lakes Watershed of the US
Yerkes, Tina. Ducks Unlimited, Ann Arbor MI 48103, [email protected]
Macleod, Robb, and Ducks Unlimited, Ann Arbor MI 48103, [email protected]
Paige, Rob. Ducks Unlimited, Ann Arbor MI 48103, [email protected]
Armstrong, Llwellyn. Ducks Unlimited Canada, Winnipeg MB. [email protected]
Understanding the relationship between wetland types/distribution and waterfowl distribution in the Great Lakes States is complicated because basin specific waterfowl survey data do not exist. We used Breeding Waterfowl Survey data from WI, MI and NY and NWI data buffered around transect routes or plot surveys to develop a predictive model of mallard distribution within the watershed. The best-fit model based on AIC was used to map distributions based on the predictive equations. An illustration of the usefulness of this approach for targeting waterfowl habitat conservation programs will be highlighted. 61
Poster Session
Mid-Latitude Spring Staging Research Program: Great Lakes States
Yerkes, Tina. Ducks Unlimited, Ann Arbor MI 48103, [email protected]
Coluccy, John. Ducks Unlimited, Ann Arbor MI 48103, [email protected]
Eichholz, Mike. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale IL, [email protected]
Gates, Bob. Ohio State University, Columbus OH, [email protected]
The importance of spring staging habitats to ducks is becoming more apparent as new research points to this life cycle stage as potentially limiting. Unfortunately, little is know about spring staging habitats and their ability to meets the energetic requirements of staging ducks in the mid- latitude states of WI, MI, IL, IN and OH. We designed a landscape level research program to derive the input parameters necessary for TME modeling to determine potential habitat deficits based on population goals of the NAWMP for this area. This poster will outline the research design and early steps in implementation. 62
GLWS Contact List – August 2004
Anderson, Jim Badzinski, Shannon Policy and Program Advisor Research Scientist Ducks Unlimited Canada Long Point Waterfowl & Wetlands 42 Barton Lane Research Fund Uxbridge, Ontario L9P 1V5 Canada P.O. Box 160 905-852-2827, Fax 705-721-4999 Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0 Canada [email protected] 519-586-3531 ext. 220, Fax 519-586-3532 [email protected]
Anderson, Michael Bailey, Robert Director Delta Waterfowl Foundation Institute for Wetland & Waterfowl Research / 125 Otter Lake Road Ducks Unlimited Canada Lombardy, Ontario K0G 1L0 Canada Oak Hammock Marsh Conservation Centre [email protected] 1 Mallard Way at Hwy. 220, P.O. Box 1160 Stonewall, Manitoba R0C 2Z0 Canada 204-467-3231, Fax 204-467-9426 [email protected] Anderson, Brian Barker, Mike Board Member Program Representative Lake Smith Marsh Project Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund P.O. Box 54 266 Charlotte Street, Box 436 Grand Bend Ontario N0M 1T0 Canada Peterbourough, Ontario K9H 6N1 Canada [email protected] 705-743-5327 Fax 705-743-3372 [email protected] Armson, Erling Barney, Ted Program Delivery Leader Graduate Student Ducks Unlimited Canada University of Western Ontario Unit 1 - 614 Norris Court UWO, Department of Biology Kingston, Ontario K7P 2R9 Canada London, Ontario N6A 5B7 Canada 613-389-0418 ext. 123, Fax 613-389-0239 519-661-2111 ext. 86798 [email protected] [email protected] Ashley, Paul Beamer, David NWA Manager, Big Creek / Long Point Director NWA Friends of Hullett Environment Canada – 173 Canboro Road, Rural Route 1 Canadian Wildlife Service Ridgeville, Ontario L0S 1M0 Canada Long Point, Ontario N0E 1M0 905-892-6920, Fax 905-758-0248 519-586-2704, Fax 519-586-2183 [email protected] [email protected] 63
Berman, Leora Brasher, Michael Program Representative Graduate Student Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund Ohio State University P.O. Box 729 2021 Coffey Road, 210 Kottman Hall Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5W6 Canada Columbus, Ohio 43210-1085 USA 519-621-2763 ext. 270, Fax 519-621-4844 614-292-9825, Fax 614-292-7432 [email protected] [email protected]
Bernard, Danny Braun, Heather Wildlife Technician Regional Biologist Environment Canada – Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Canadian Wildlife Service 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4 Long Point, Ontario N0E 1M0 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 USA 519-586-2703, Fax 519-586-2183 734-623-2000, Fax 734-623-2035 [email protected] [email protected]
Boos, John Campbell, Barb Senior Avian Biologist Wildlife Technician Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Environment Canada – 300 Water Street, P.O. Box 7000 Canadian Wildlife Service Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8M5 49 Camelot Drive 705-755-1819, Fax 705-755-1900 Nepean, Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada [email protected] 613-952-2407, Fax 613-952-9027 [email protected]
Bouvier, Jacques Collins, Brigitte Program Representative Program Development Biologist Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund Environment Canada – 1750 Courtwood Cresent, Suite 310 Canadian Wildlife Service Ottawa, Ontario K2C 2B5 Canada 49 Camelot Drive 613-722-2090 ext. 405, Fax 613-722-3318 Nepean, Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada [email protected] 613-952-2405Fax 613-952-9027 [email protected]
Brakhage, David Coluccy, John Director of Conservation Programs Regional Biologist Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Ducks Unlimited, Inc. 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 USA Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 USA 734-623-2000, Fax 734-623-2035 734-623-2000, Fax 734-623-2035 [email protected] [email protected]
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Drouin, Rich Foster, Richard Canada-Ontario Agreement Coordinator Erie Marsh Conservation Intern Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources The Nature Conservancy 659 Exeter Road c/o The Erie Shooting and Fishing Club London, Ontario N6A 1L3 3419 East Dean Road 519-873-4712, Fax 519-873-4645 Erie, Michigan 48133 USA [email protected] 734-848-9288 [email protected]
Dunbar, Tom Gates, Robert Canadian Coordinator Associate Professor Tri State Bird Rescue and Research Inc. Ohio State University 36 Kingston Street 2021 Coffey Road, 210 Kottman Hall Goderich, Ontario N7A 3K5 Canada Columbus, Ohio 43210-1085 USA 519-524-6446, Fax 519-575-7299 614-292-7432, Fax 614-292-7432 [email protected] [email protected]
Eichholz, Mike Gatti, Ron Assistant Professor Waterfowl Biologist Southern Illinois University Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Mail Code 6504 1350 Femrite Drive Carbondale, Illinois 62901 USA Monona, Wisconsin 53716 USA 618-453-6951, Fax 618-453-6944 608-221-6348, Fax 608-221-6353 [email protected] [email protected]
Fillman, Don Gendron, Michel Wildlife Technician Regional Conservation Biologist Environment Canada – Ducks Unlimited Canada Canadian Wildlife Service Unit 1 - 614 Norris Court 49 Camelot Drive Kingston, Ontario K7P 2R9 Canada Nepean, Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada 613-389-0418, Fax 613-389-0239 613-952-2114, Fax 613-952-9027 [email protected] [email protected]
Fleming, Sarah Grulkowski, Darin Student Graduate Student University of Western Ontario Southern Illinois University UWO, Department of Biology CWRL, LSII1 251, SIU London, Ontario N6A 5B7 Canada Carbondale, Illinois 62901-6504 USA 618-453-6947, Fax 618-453-6944 [email protected]
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Haggeman, John Johnson, Kennon NWA Manager, St. Clair NWA Resource Protection Supervisor Environment Canada – Walpole Island First Nation Canadian Wildlife Service Rural Route 3 Rural Route 1, Pain Court Wallaceburg, Ontario N8A 4K9 Canada Chatham, Ontario N0P 1Z0 Canada 519-627-8822, Fax 519-627-0440 519-354-1418 [email protected]
Hill, Jason Kalamaras, Marie- Melissa Regional Biologist Ornithological Technician Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Hullett Provincial Wildlife Area 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4 P.O. Box 1520 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 USA Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0 Canada 734-623-2000, Fax 734-623-2035 519-482-7011, Fax 519-482-7415 [email protected] [email protected]
Hughes, Jack Kaminski, Rick Waterfowl Biologist Professor Environment Canada – Mississippi State University Canadian Wildlife Service Thompson Hall, Rm. 249, Box 9690 49 Camelot Drive MSU, Starkville, Mississippi 39762 USA Nepean, Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada 662-325-2623 613-952-2405, Fax 613-952-9027 [email protected] [email protected]
Jacobs, Kevin Kaminski, Matt Wildlife Biologist Graduate Student Pennsylvania Game Commission State University of New York - College of 11910 State Hwy. 285 Environmental Science & Forestry Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania 16316 USA 1 Forestry Drive, 205 Illick Hall 814-382-3061, Fax 814-382-3061 Syracuse, New York 13210 USA [email protected] 315-470-4772 [email protected]
Jobes, Andrew Kraus, David Avian Intern Program Representative Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund 300 Water Street, P.O. Box 7000 1515 Concession 7, Rural Route 3 Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8M5 Wheatley, Ontario N0P 2P0 Canada 705-755-5133, Fax 705-755-1559 519-825-7491, Fax 613-722-3318 [email protected] [email protected]
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Krete, Jeff Maher, Ron Habitat Specialist Manager, Provincial Operations Ducks Unlimited Canada Ducks Unlimited Canada P.O. Box 729, 400 Clyde Road Unit 1 - 614 Norris Court Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5W6 Canada Kingston, Ontario K7P 2R9 Canada 519-621-2763 ext. 297, Fax 519-621-4844 613-389-0418 ext. 129, Fax 613-389-0239 [email protected] [email protected]
Laman, Katherine-Ann Mailloux, Phil Program Representative Wildlife Control Specialist Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund Windsor Airport 1750 Courtwood Cresent, Suite 310 3200 County Road 42, Rural Route 1 Ottawa, Ontario K2C 2B5 Canada Windsor, Ontario N9A 6J3 Canada 613-772-2090 ext. 248, Fax 613-722-3318 519-969-9096 ext. 437, Fax 519-969-8827 [email protected]
Lindstrom, Eric Margetson, Andy Graduate Student Program Representative Southern Illinois University Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund CWRL, LSII1 251, SIU Rural Route 2, 2061 Old Highway 2 Carbondale, Illinois 62901-6504 USA Bellville, Ontario K8N 4Z2 Canada 618-453-6947, Fax 618-453-6944 613-968-3434 ext. 102, Fax 613-968-8240 [email protected] [email protected]
Llewellyn, Simon Maynard, Laurie Regional Director Habitat Biologist Environment Canada Environment Canada – 4905 Dufferin Street Canadian Wildlife Service Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4 Canada 465 Gideon Dr., P.O. Box 490, Lambeth Stn. 416-739-5840, Fax 416-739-4408 London, Ontario N6P 1R1 Canada [email protected] 519-472-3745, Fax 519-472-3062 [email protected]
MacDonald, Francine McCullough, Gary Invading Species Biologist Head, Habitat Section Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Environment Canada – P.O. Box 2800 Canadian Wildlife Service Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8L5 Canada 465 Gideon Dr., P.O. Box 490, Lambeth Stn. 705-748-6324 London, Ontario N6P 1R1 Canada [email protected] 519-472-5750, Fax 519-472-3160 [email protected]
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McLachlin, David Norman, Angus Biologist Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Ducks Unlimited Canada 659 Exeter Road 566 Welham Road London, Ontario N6A 1L3 Barrie, Ontario L4N 8Z7 Canada 519-873-4623, Fax 519-873-4645 705-721-4444 ext. 231, Fax 705-721-4999 [email protected] [email protected]
McNicol, Don North, Norm Head, Integrated Programs Wildlife Specialist Environment Canada – Environment Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service Canadian Wildlife Service 49 Camelot Drive 465 Gideon Drive, P.O. Box 490 Nepean, Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada Lambeth Stn., London, Ontario N6P 1R1 613-952-2409, Fax 613-952-9027 Canada 519-472-8022, Fax 519-472-3062 [email protected] [email protected]
Nudds, Tom Messier, Robert Professor Program Representative University of Guelph - Department of Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund Zoology P.O. Box 729 50 Stone Road East Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5W6 Canada Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 Canada 519-621-2763 ext. 270, Fax 519-621-4844 519-824-4120 ext 53074, Fax 519-767-1656 [email protected] [email protected]
Meyer, Shawn Pella Keen, Deb Biologist EHJV Coordinator Environment Canada – Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Canadian Wildlife Service Rural Route 2, 1350 High Falls Road 4905 Dufferin Street Bracebridge, Ontario P1H 1T6 Canada Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4 Canada 705-646-5543, Fax 705-645-8372 416-739-5845 [email protected] [email protected]
Muir, Scott Petrie, Scott Coastal Wetlands Biologist Research Director Ducks Unlimited Canada Long Point Waterfowl & Wetlands Unit 1 - 614 Norris Court Research Fund Kingston, Ontario K7P 2R9 Canada P.O. Box 160 613-389-0418 ext. 151, Fax 613-389-0239 Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0 Canada [email protected] 519-586-3531 ext. 220, Fax 519-586-3532 [email protected] 68
Pineo, Robert Reid, Dave Forestry & Wildlife Specialist/Biologist Stewardship Coordinator Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Norfolk Land Stewardship Council P.O. Box 2800 c/o OMAF, P.O. Box 587 Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8L5 Canada Simcoe, Ontario N3Y 4N5 Canada 705-748-6324, Fax 705-748-9577 519-426-4259, Fax 519-428-1142 [email protected] [email protected]
Pollard, Bruce Rhodes, Walt Senior Waterfowl Biologist Biologist Migratory Birds Conservation South Carolina Department of Natural Canadian Wildlife Service Resources 351 St. Joseph Blvd. P.O. Box 37 Gatineau, QC K1A 0H3 McClellanville, South Carolina 29458 USA 819- 994-1545, Fax 819-994-4445 843-546-8665, Fax 843-527-0255 [email protected] (or contact at) [email protected] [email protected]
Pratt, Richard Ritchie, Jason Manager, Species at Risk Program Chatham Area Biologist Environment Canada – Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Canadian Wildlife Service 870 Richmond Street West, P.O. Box 1168 49 Camelot Drive Chatham, Ontario N7M 5L8 Canada Nepean, Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada 519-354-8210, Fax 519-354-0313 613-952-0932, Fax 613-952-9027 [email protected] [email protected]
Pritchard, Bryden Roberts, Phil Assistant Stewardship Co-ordinator Wildlife Control Specialist Rural Lambton Stewardship Network Windsor Airport 870 Richmond Street West, P.O. Box 1168 3200 County Road 42, Rural Route 1 Chatham, Ontario N7M 5L8 Canada Windsor, Ontario N9A 6J3 Canada 519-354-8769, Fax 519-354-0313 519-969-9096 ext. 439, Fax 519-969-8827 [email protected] [email protected]
Randell, Darrell Roberts, Peter Habitat Specialist Ministry of Agriculture and Food Ducks Unlimited Canada Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2 Canada 566 Welham Road 519-826-3259 Barrie, Ontario L4N 8Z2 Canada [email protected] 705-721-4444, Fax 705-721-4999 [email protected]
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Ross, Ken Schummer, Mike Senior Waterfowl Biologist Graduate Student Environment Canada – University of Western Ontario Canadian Wildlife Service Department of Biology 49 Camelot Drive London, Ontario N6A 5B7 Canada Nepean, Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada 519-661-2111 ext. 86798 613-952-2415, Fax 613-952-9027 [email protected] [email protected]
Royal, Brian Selby, Cale Habitat Conservation Programs Manager Lands Intern Ducks Unlimited Canada Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources 566 Welham Road 870 Richmond Street West, P.O. Box 1168 Barrie, Ontario L4N 8Z2 Canada Chatham, Ontario N7M 5L8 Canada 705-721-4444 ext. 227, Fax 705-721-4999 519-354-4209, Fax 519-354-0313 [email protected] [email protected]
Russell, Rich Sertle, Michael Environment Canada – Graduate Student Canadian Wildlife Service Southern Illinois University 49 Camelot Drive CWRL, LSII1 251, SIU Nepean, Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada Carbondale, Illinois 62901-6504 USA 613-941-8376, Fax 613-952-9027 618-453-6988, Fax 618-453-6944 [email protected] [email protected]
Russell, John Sherman, Dave Board Chairperson Wildlife Biologist Lake Smith Marsh Project Ohio Division of Wildlife P.O. Box 542 13229 West State Route 2 Grand Bend Ontario N0M 1T0 Canada Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449 USA [email protected] 419-898-0963, Fax 419-898-4017 [email protected]
Sadowski, Carrie Simard, Julie Field Research Biologist Habitat Conservation Biologist Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources 300 Water Street, P.O. Box 7000 5th Floor, Wildlife Section, 300 Water St. Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8M5 Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8M5 Canada 705-755-1545, Fax 705-755-1559 705-755-1980, Fax 705-755-1900 [email protected] [email protected]
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Simpson, John Steele, Owen Graduate Student - University of Guelph Program Delivery Leader Ducks Unlimited Inc. Ducks Unlimited Canada 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4, Ann Arbor, 566 Welham Road Michigan 48103 USA Barrie, Ontario L4N 8Z7 Canada 734-623-2000, Fax 734-623-2035 705-721-4444 ext. 229, Fax 705-721-4999 [email protected] [email protected]
Smith, Randy Terry, Russel Graduate Student Regional Biologist Southern Illinois University Ducks Unlimited, Inc. CWRL, LSII1 251, SIU 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4 Carbondale, Illinois 62901-6504 USA Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 USA 618-453-6947, Fax 618-453-6944 734-623-2000, Fax 734-623-2035 [email protected] [email protected]
Soulliere, Greg Tibbels, Andrea Joint Venture Science Coordinator Wildlife Biologist U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Ohio Division of Wildlife 2651 Coolidge Road, Suite 101 13229 West State Route 2 East Lansing, Michigan 48823 USA Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449 USA 517-351-4214, Fax 517-351-5419 419-898-0961 ext. 25, Fax 419-898-4017 [email protected] [email protected]
Stabb, Mark Timmermans, Steve Program Manager Aquatic Surveys Scientist Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund Bird Studies Canada 1750 Courtwood Cresent, Suite 310 P.O. Box 160 Ottawa, Ontario K2C 2B5 Canada Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0 Canada 613-772-2090 ext. 252, Fax 613-722-3317 519-586-3531 ext. 220, Fax 519-586-3532 [email protected] [email protected]
Stechishen, Olissia Van Hemessen, Doug Program Representative Program Representative Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund 1750 Courtwood Cresent, Suite 310 P.O. Box 751 Ottawa, Ontario K2C 2B5 Canada Owen Sound, Ontario N0H 1G0 Canada 613-722-2090 ext. 404, Fax 613-722-3319 519-794-9966, Fax 613-722-3318 [email protected] [email protected]
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Van Horn, Kent Williams, Mike Migratory Game Bird Ecologist Habitat Specialist Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Ducks Unlimited Canada 101 South Webster Street, P.O. Box 7921 566 Welham Road Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7921 Barrie, Ontario L4N 8Z7 Canada 608-266-8841, Fax 608-267-7857 705-721-4444 ext. 247, Fax 705-721-4999 [email protected] [email protected]
Vanos, James Witt, Mark Migratory Bird Technician Wildlife Biologist Environment Canada – Ohio Division of Wildlife Canadian Wildlife Service 13229 West State Route 2 465 Gideon Drive, P.O. Box 490 Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449 USA Lambeth Stn, London, Ontario N6P 1R1 419-898-0962 ext. 26, Fax 419-898-4017 Canada [email protected] [email protected]
Wernaart, Martin Yerkes, Tina President Director of Conservation Planning Nature's Advantage Inc. Ducks Unlimited, Inc. 25 Lake View Crescent, Rural Route 1, St. 331 Metty Drive, Suite 4 Williams, Ontario N0E 1P0 Canada Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 USA 519-586-9545, Fax 519-586-9546 734-623-2000, Fax 734-623-2035 [email protected] [email protected]
White, April Wildlife Education Officer Environment Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service 4905 Dufferin Street Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4 Canada 416-739-5954, Fax 416-739-5845 [email protected]
Wilcox, Kerrie Avian Energetics Lab Coordinator Bird Studies Canada P.O. Box 160 Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0 Canada 519-586-3531 ext. 220, Fax 519-586-3532 [email protected]