The regional, national, and international importance of Louisiana's coastal avifauna

Abstract

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Distribution, abundance, and vegetation associations of birds in Mississippi tidal marshes during the non‐breeding season

“…Our population estimate (17,000 [10,000–32,000]) is similar to the only other estimate based on breeding season data of the number of Clapper Rails in Mississippi (25,000 [11,000–39,000]; Remsen et al. 2019b). Our mean density estimate (0.74 ± 0.23 birds/ha) is also comparable to previous breeding season estimates in Mississippi's tidal marshes (Rush 2009: 0.22–1.44 birds/ha, Leggett 2014: 0.57–1.77 birds/ha).…”

“…Our non‐breeding population estimate with the mixing of subspecies was much higher (106,000) than the estimated abundance of the resident subspecies (2500; Remsen et al. 2019b), suggesting that the number of migrants outnumbers the number of residents during the non‐breeding period in Mississippi. Previous observations in Georgia and Florida have revealed that Marsh Wrens inhabit a wide variety of wetland types from freshwater to salt marshes during the non‐breeding period (Kale 1965, Stevenson and Anderson 1994, Kroodsma and Verner 2020).…”

“…Remsen et al. (2019a,b) suggested that the resident subspecies, restricted to the northern GoM, may occur at lower densities than those in other geographic regions. However, because these inland subspecies migrate south to overwinter and mix with the resident subspecies in the coastal wetlands of the northern GoM, we were unable to assess density relationships for these subspecies.…”

“…2020), but marshes of the northern GoM are believed to harbor a large proportion of their population during the non‐breeding period (Remsen et al. 2019a). Winter densities of Nelson's Sparrows in our study were positively associated with S. alterniflora , which is consistent with the results of studies along the Atlantic coast (Shriver et al.…”

Effects of barrier island salt marsh restoration on marsh bird occurrence in the northern Gulf of Mexico

“…Louisiana's barrier islands provide ecosystem services beyond protecting mainland communities and reducing erosion. These barrier island beaches and salt marshes are important wildlife habitat, supporting globally significant populations of breeding, overwintering, and migrating birds each year (Curtiss & Pierce 2016; Remsen et al 2019) and providing nursery habitat for many of the region's economically important fisheries species (Boesch & Turner 1984). Restoration of barrier island salt marsh has been largely successful in stalling land loss (Penland et al 2003; Byrnes et al 2017), but little follow‐up monitoring has been conducted to evaluate the use of these restoration sites by wildlife.…”