HORNED GREBE (Podiceps Auritus) in Ontario
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Management Plan for the HORNED GREBE (Podiceps auritus) in Ontario Management plan prepared under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 September 2014 About the Ontario Management Plan Series This series presents the collection of management plans that are written for the Province of Ontario and contain possible approaches to manage species of special concern in Ontario. The Province ensures the preparation of the management plans meet its commitments to manage species of special concern under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA, 2007) and the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk in Canada. What is a species of What’s next? special concern? Nine months after the completion of a management A species is classified as special concern if it plan a government response statement will be lives in the wild in Ontario, is not endangered published which summarizes the actions that or threatened, but may become threatened or the Government of Ontario intends to take in endangered due to a combination of biological response to the plan and the government priorities characteristics and identified threats. in taking those actions. The implementation of the management plan depends on the continued What is a management plan? cooperation and actions of various sectors, government agencies, communities, conservation Under the ESA, 2007, a management plan identifies organisations, land owners, and individuals. actions that could be taken to ensure, at a minimum, that a species of special concern does not become For more information threatened or endangered. The plan provides detailed information about the current species population and To learn more about species of special concern distribution, their habitat requirements and areas of in Ontario, please visit the Ministry of Natural vulnerability. The plan also identifies threats to the Resources Species at Risk webpage at: species and sets a clear goal, possible strategies, www.ontario.ca/speciesatrisk and prioritized activities needed to address the threats. Management plans are required to be prepared for species of special concern within five years of the species being added to the Species at Risk in Ontario list as a special concern species. COVER PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Small Management Plan for the Horned Grebe in Ontario RECOMMENDED CITATION Kirk, D. A. 2014. Management Plan for the Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) in Ontario. Ontario Management Plan Series. Prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Ontario. viii + 32pp. Cover illustration: photo credit Brian Small © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2014 ISBN 978-1-4606-4435-5 (PDF) Content (excluding the cover illustration) may be used without permission, with appropriate credit to the source. Cette publication hautement spécialisée «Management plans prepared under the Endangered Species Act, 2007», n’est disponible qu’en anglais en vertu du Règlement 411/97 qui en exempte l’application de la Loi sur les services en français. Pour obtenir de l’aide en français, veuillez communiquer avec le ministère des Richesses naturelles au 1-800-667-1940. i Management Plan for the Horned Grebe in Ontario AUTHOR David Anthony Kirk ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author would like to thank the following who provided information on Horned Grebes in Ontario and elsewhere in their range: Karen Barry (Bird Studies Canada, British Columbia), Ron Bazin (Wildlife Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service), André Breault, (Wildlife Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service), Wendy Calvert (Wildlife Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service), Doug Campbell (University of Guelph), Jennifer Chipault (USGS National Wildlife Health Center), Dave Elder (Biologist, Michigan), Rob Foster (Northern Bioscience), Al Harris (Northern Bioscience), Craig Hebert (Canadian Wildlife Service), Leo Heyens (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry), Catherine Jardine (Bird Studies Canada), M. Lubeck (USGS, Colorado), Jon McCracken (Bird Studies Canada), Dave Moore (CWS, Ontario Region), Neal Niemuth (US Fish and Wildlife Service, North Dakota), Cynthia Paszkowski (University of Alberta), Dan Routhier (University of Saskatchewan), Bonita Sample (Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas), Candan Soykan (Christmas Bird Counts, National Audubon Society), Christopher Sharp (CWS, National Capital Region), Al Smith (retired Canadian Wildlife Service, Saskatoon), Ron Summers (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Scotland, UK), Donald Sutherland (Natural Heritage Information Centre, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry), John Van den Broeck (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry), Scott Wilson (Environment Canada), John Woodcock (Thunder Cape Bird Observatory) and Alan Wormington (Consultant, Leamington). ii Management Plan for the Horned Grebe in Ontario DECLARATION The management plan for the Horned Grebe was developed in accordance with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA). This management plan has been prepared for the Government of Ontario, other responsible jurisdictions and for the many different constituencies that may be involved in managing the species. The management plan does not necessarily represent the views of all of the individuals who contributed to its preparation, or the official positions of the organizations with which the individuals are associated. The goals, objectives and management approaches identified in the plan are based on the best available knowledge and are subject to revision as new information becomes available. Implementation of this plan is subject to appropriations, priorities and budgetary constraints of the participating jurisdictions and organizations. Success in the management of this species depends on the commitment and cooperation of many different constituencies that will be involved in implementing the directions set out in this plan. RESPONSIBLE JURISDICTIONS Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Environment Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Parks Canada Agency Department of Fisheries and Oceans iii Management Plan for the Horned Grebe in Ontario EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) is a small, duck-like, sometimes semi-colonial, waterbird. In breeding plumage it is unmistakable, with golden fan-shaped ‘horns’ behind the eyes contrasting with black facial feathers, chestnut neck and flanks, dirty white belly and dark-coloured back. It is a medium-distance migrant and returns to Ontario shortly after ice break-up in late March or early April (peaking in mid-April). Horned Grebes nest on small ponds, protected bays or larger lakes within wetlands of at least 0.05 ha in extent and usually of 1 to 10 ha. They nest in deeper (usually fishless) ponds with less dense emergent vegetation than does the Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps. Horned Grebes are influenced by water levels and are opportunistic in their selection of nest sites. They appear to be sensitive to disturbance by humans and will abandon nests where there is human activity nearby. Autumn migration occurs from early September to late December, peaking in late October to mid-November. In autumn, Horned Grebes migrate nocturnally southwards in small flocks over the continent and spend the winter offshore and on some inland waters. The Horned Grebe is listed as critically imperilled in Ontario by NatureServe. It is vulnerable in Manitoba and the disjunct eastern population, which breeds on the Magdalen Islands in Québec, is critically imperilled and designated by COSEWIC as endangered. The species has not been assessed in neighbouring states in the United States. Historically, the Horned Grebe was thought to breed throughout much of the province of Ontario. However, many observations were based on nest records. It was later discovered that many of these were, in fact, of Pied-billed Grebes, the eggs of which are hard to distinguish in the field from those of the Horned Grebe. The Horned Grebe is distributed widely throughout western Canada, but is on the edge of its eastern range in Ontario. Surveys done during the first Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (1981–1985) confirmed breeding in the Fort Severn area as well as possibly in the St. Clair marshes and Rondeau Provincial Park. Prior to this, no breeding had been confirmed since 1938. In the second atlas (2001–2005), three nesting locations were found, none of which were occupied during the first atlas. It has been suggested that the provincial population is comprised of less than 10 breeding pairs annually, though it is likely that other pairs breed undetected in remote locations. Although the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) has limitations for surveying waterbirds, it is the best source of standardized trend data for the species. Analyses show negative trends for most states, provinces and Bird Conservation Regions, and Canada overall (note: trend analyses specific to Ontario are not possible because of the very small numbers of sightings). Although long-term trends (1970–2011) demonstrate a significant decline in Canada, short-term trends (2001–2011) suggest that the declines may have levelled off. Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data suggest a long-term decline in the continental population, but this survey probably misses many of the wintering individuals in the Atlantic. Some Horned Grebes are counted at bird observatories during migration, but trend analyses have not been conducted; at Long Point there was a significant long-term decline, but the greatest rate of decrease was in the1980s. iv Management Plan for