Buffer‐Zone Distances to Protect Foraging and Loafing Waterbirds from Disturbance by Personal Watercraft and Outboard‐Powered Boats

Rodgers, James A.; Schwikert, Stephen T.

doi:10.1046/j.1523-1739.2002.00316.x

Cited by 120 publications

(96 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Birds typically exhibit a flight response when approached by humans. The distance at which the response occurs varies among species and various stimuli including pedestrians (Burger 1981, McLeod et al 2013, watercraft activities (Peters andOtis 2006, Rodgers andSchwikert 2002), and aircraft (Smit and Visser 1993). Previous research has shown that human activities can effectively degrade habitat quality by directly disturbing breeding, foraging, and roosting waterbirds (e.g., waterfowl, wading birds, and shorebirds), with shorebirds demonstrated to be particularly vulnerable to human disturbance (Brown et al 2001;Burger 1981Burger , 1986Pfister et al 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of Birds to Humans at a Coastal Barrier Beach: Napatree Point, Rhode Island

Mayo

Paton

August

2015

Northeastern Naturalist

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-Human activity is one of the most important factors affecting disturbance to birds that use coastal barrier beaches in southern New England. The barrier beach at Napatree Point, RI, provides important breeding habitat for several bird species, key stopover habitat for thousands of migrating shorebirds, and is also a popular destination for people. Anecdotal evidence suggested that walkers, joggers, dogs, and watercraft were disrupting birds that foraged and roosted at this site. Our objectives were to characterize the frequency and sources of disturbance to birds and use this information to develop management recommendations to minimize the frequency of human disturbances to birds at Napatree Point. We conducted 106 hours of observation from May through August in 2013. Of 211 flight responses, the most common sources of disturbance to birds were beach walkers (57.8%), motorboats (8.5%), kayaks (8.5%), bird watchers (7.6%), and anglers (6.2%). Birds typically flushed when pedestrians (e.g., walkers, bird watchers, and anglers) were within 39 ± 24 m (median ± inter-quartile range) and watercraft (e.g., motorboats and kayaks) were within 38 ± 33 m. Flight responses were positively correlated with the number of people on the beach and the number of boats in the area. Disturbances to birds peaked in July when human visitation was highest. Using a spatially explicit density map of flight-initiation distance vectors, we identified the most important area to set as a buffer zone for human access if managers seek to reduce the frequency of human disturbances to birds at Napatree Point.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of Birds to Humans at a Coastal Barrier Beach: Napatree Point, Rhode Island

Mayo

Paton

August

2015

Northeastern Naturalist

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“…However, little is known about the effect of vessel-based tourism on seabirds (Martínez-Abrain 2002, Rodgers et al 2002, Ronconi & Clair 2010, Velando & Munilla 2011. In an attempt to evaluate a few particular sources of human influence on seabirds´ colonies distribution along the Beagle Channel and birds at sea, we modelled both including 2 factors from anthropic source.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the preference for shallow waters influence the species in a different manner, in this case we presume that Rock Shags would be less affected by any vessel activity than Imperial Cormorants. Boats, watercraft and outboard power vessels are known to affect seabirds feeding (Rodgers et al 2002, Velando & Munilla 2011 and so Imperial Cormorant in the Beagle Channel could be potentially more affected. Velando & Munilla (2011) showed that European Shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) spend more time alerted than foraging when boat traffic increased in the areas where the birds aggregate to forage.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also flushing behaviour increases in response to distance approach and boat size and speed (Ronconi & Claire 2002), which may exclude the birds from their preferred foraging sites or cause stress (Whittaker & Knight 1998, Fernández-Juricic & Tellería 2000. Since marine birds are constrained to feed close to their colonies during the chick rearing period (Furness & Monaghan 1987) boat traffic within those areas could prevent them from using optimal foraging areas (Rodgers et al 2002, Velando & Munilla 2011. Thus, conflicts between seabird and tourism are likely to increase if boat traffic intensifies (cruise ships, tourist vessels, sailing ships and inflatable boats) in those scenarios.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Marine protected areas have been proposed as an essential tool for seabird conservation (Yorio 2009) and also the design of buffer areas to protect the places where birds usually feed to minimize the disturbance (Rodgers 2002, Velando & Munilla 2011. Additionally, it was suggested by Beale & Monaghan (2004) to periodically reassess the viewpoints used by tourists and if necessary, for example move them farther from nests if increasing visitor numbers have negative influence on nesting birds.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of anthropic activity on the Imperial Cormorants and Rock Shags colonies in the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego

Rosciano

Svagelj²,

Rey

2013

Rev. biol. mar. oceanogr.

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Resumen.-Las aves marinas son importantes componentes del ecosistema marino y para las economías locales a través del ecoturismo. Distintas fuentes de disturbio humano pueden afectar a estas aves, causando un decrecimiento en el éxito reproductivo o el tamaño poblacional. Las colonias de nidificación de Phalacrocorax atriceps y P. magellanicus constituyen un atractivo turístico importante para la ciudad de Ushuaia, donde el número de embarcaciones turísticas que las visitan ha incrementado en los últimos años. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar si hay influencia de las actividades humanas en la distribución y abundancia de las colonias de cormoranes y de los individuos en el mar, en el Canal Beagle, Tierra del Fuego. Se definieron variables explicatorias de origen antrópico, como distancia al recorrido del catamarán, y ambientales, como sustrato adecuado para anidar y batimetría, y se relacionaron con datos de tamaño de las colonias y la distribución de alimentación de los cormoranes. La distribución de las colonias y de los individuos en el mar de P. atriceps y P. magellanicus en el Canal Beagle no fueron afectadas por las actividades turísticas. La abundancia de P. magellanicus en las colonias estuvo asociada con islas de gran superficie de acantilados rocosos disponibles para anidar. La distribución de P. atriceps en el mar estuvo relacionada con aguas poco profundas. Aunque no se observó impacto antropogénico en nuestro estudio, dado el aumento del tráfico de embarcaciones y del turismo, se sugieren estudios más específicos y de largo plazo que permitan precisar pautas de manejo del turismo sustentable. Palabras clave: Canal Beagle, disturbio humano, Phalacrocorax atriceps, Phalacrocorax magellanicus, turismoAbstract.-Seabirds are important components of the marine ecosystem and provide an income for local economies through ecotourism. Human disturbance may affect colonial birds causing a decrease in reproductive success and population size. Breeding colonies of Phalacrocorax atriceps and P. magellanicus, are one of the major tourist attractions of Ushuaia city and the number of tourist vessels visiting colonies increased in recent years. We aim to evaluate if there is an influence of human activities on the distribution and abundance of Cormorants´ and Shags´ colonies and individuals at sea in the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego. Explanatory variables from anthropic source, such as distance to the vessels route, and environmental variables, as adequate substrate type to nest and bathymetry, for each species were defined and related to the data recorded of the size of both species colonies and the feeding distribution. Allocation of colonies and distribution at sea of P. atriceps and P. magellanicus in the Beagle Channel were not affected by tourism activities. Abundance of P. magellanicus at the colonies was associated to islands with a large surface of rocky cliffs available for nesting. Distribution of P. atriceps at sea was related to shallow waters. Although no anthropogenic impact was noticed in our study, ...

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Mapping bald eagle activity shadows around communal roosts

Watts

Turrin

2017

J Wildl Manag

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We assessed diurnal activity patterns associated with communal roosts (n ¼ 26) by tracking nonbreeding bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus; n ¼ 58) within the upper Chesapeake Bay, USA, 2008-2013. We used daytime locations (n ¼ 54,165) to map activity shadows (using home range analytics, 90% kernel) around communal roosts, to evaluate the spatial structure and to delineate diurnal activity centers. We overlaid a range (100-3,200 m) of buffers around the perimeter of each roost to estimate the benefits of management scenarios in extending protection to daytime activities. Activity shadows around roosts varied from 1.5 km 2 to 116 km 2 ( x ¼ 30.3 AE 5.48 [SE]), reflecting landscape context. Roosts with small (<10 km 2 ) activity shadows tended to have simple shapes with roosts centrally located and positioned along primary shorelines. Roosts supporting large (>50 km 2 ) activity shadows tended to have complex shapes with roosts not centrally located and set back from primary shorelines. Daytime locations were highly concentrated in areas near communal roosts (76% of locations within 2 km of roost perimeters). Diurnal activity centers (n ¼ 38) included areas surrounding roosts and secondary activity centers that were primarily located along prominent shorelines. Communal roosts play a more significant and multi-faceted role in the eagle life cycle than we previously understood. Many of the roosts positioned along the shoreline provided resting places during the night and day, served as social gathering places during the day, and functioned as feeding locations. Evaluation of management buffers supports current management guidelines that recommend the establishment of 800-m buffers. Establishment of 800-m buffers within the study area would enclose 54% of all daytime locations, 66.7% of the area enclosed within activity centers associated with roosts, and 12.1% of the area enclosed in secondary activity centers. Ó 2017 The Wildlife Society.

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Buffer‐Zone Distances to Protect Foraging and Loafing Waterbirds from Disturbance by Personal Watercraft and Outboard‐Powered Boats

Cited by 120 publications

References 29 publications

Responses of Birds to Humans at a Coastal Barrier Beach: Napatree Point, Rhode Island

Responses of Birds to Humans at a Coastal Barrier Beach: Napatree Point, Rhode Island

Effect of anthropic activity on the Imperial Cormorants and Rock Shags colonies in the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego

Mapping bald eagle activity shadows around communal roosts

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