Waterbird Responses to Hydrological Management of Wetlands Reserve Program Habitats in New York

Abstract

The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) has restored nearly 600,000 ha of wetlands in the United States since inception of the program in 1996. However, no research has evaluated postrestoration management of WRP wetlands in relation to waterfowl and waterbird use. Therefore, we conducted an experiment to compare waterfowl and waterbird abundance and diversity between hydrologically managed (i.e., spring‐summer drawdown for vegetation regeneration) and nonmanaged WRP wetlands in central New York, USA, in 2004. We surveyed waterfowl and other waterbirds on 5 managed and 5 nonmanaged wetlands over 3 10‐week periods (i.e., spring: 7 Mar‐15 May; summer: 16 May‐24 Jul; autumn: 25 Jul‐30 Sep). We detected a total of 36 taxa of these birds across the 3 periods and both types of wetlands but observed 1.4–2.3 times more taxa on managed than on nonmanaged wetlands among periods. Additionally, we recorded 0.8–13.2 times greater relative abundances (n birds/ha of wetland) of waterfowl and other waterbirds on managed than on nonmanaged wetlands during spring through autumn. We recommend regular postrestoration hydrological management of WRP wetlands to regenerate moist‐soil and other emergent plants and promote waterfowl and waterbird use of these restored habitats.

Bird Species Abundance and Their Correlationship with Microclimate and Habitat Variables at Natural Wetland Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia

“…International Journal of Zoology Distance sampling point count method is widely used to examine the avian species abundance in different habitats and the association of bird species with habitats characteristics and microclimates [21][22][23]. This method involves the visual and auditory detection of birds within fixed-or variable-radius plots [24].…”

Assessment of Bird Response to the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative Using Weather-Surveillance Radar

“…Not sur prisingly, the intensity of moist soil management had an important effect on wintering waterfowl response, as others have found for birds during spring and summer (Kaminski et al 2006, O'Neal et al 2008. WRP sites with the greatest increases in site soil wetness after resto ration had the greatest post-restoration waterfowl use.…”

Density and diversity of birds in the wetlands of Yankari Game Reserve Bauchi Nigeria

“…Increasing pressure on wetland resource due to anthropogenic activities, climatic and edaphic factors has caused a serious decline to wetland fauna especially waterbirds throughout the world (Greenwood et al 1995;Laurence 1999). Monitoring accurate population size and population changes of bird species in wetlands is an important factor in the understanding of bird population status, community structure and quality of wetlands existing in a given area (Thompson 2002;De Sanete et al 2005;Kaminski et al 2006).…”