Winter Diets and Nutrition of Midcontinental Lesser Snow Geese

Alisauskas, Ray T.; Ankney, C. Davison; Klaas, Erwin E.

doi:10.2307/3801581

Cited by 62 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Several goose species feed on spilled grains, which may have a significant impact on their energy intake and consequently on population dynamics (Alisauskas et al 1988, Hill and Frederick 1997, Gauthier et al 2005. During our study, geese were more likely to be in contact with hunters when using agricultural rather than natural habitats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Movements and Habitat Use by Temperate-Nesting Canada Geese During the Postbreeding Period in Southern Québec

Beaumont¹,

Rodrigue²,

Giroux³

2013

ACE

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ABSTRACT. Individual behavior that reduces vulnerability to predation can affect population dynamics of animals. Temperatenesting Canada Geese (Branta canadensis maxima) have increased steadily throughout the Atlantic flyway and have become a nuisance in some parts of their range. The objective of our study was to describe movements and habitat use during the postbreeding period of Canada Geese recently established in southern Québec. More specifically, we wanted to determine whether geese were using areas where hunting was allowed to assess the potential of harvest to control the number of geese. We tracked a sample of geese fitted with radio or conventional alphanumeric collars throughout the fall in three zones characterized by different habitats and hunting pressure. Before the hunting season, geese left the breeding area where hunting was allowed to reach suburban areas where firearm discharge was prohibited or hunters' numbers were low. These postbreeding movements occurred when juveniles were approximately three months old. We observed few local movements among zones once migrant geese from northern breeding populations reached the study area. Radio-collared geese used mainly natural habitats (75.4 ± 2.6%), followed by urban (14.4 ± 2.7%), and agricultural habitats (10.3 ± 0.8%). They were located 73.8 ± 6.2% of the time in areas where hunting was prohibited. Geese that attended their juveniles during brood rearing were more prone to use areas where firearm discharge was restricted than geese that had abandoned or lost their brood. This study shows that under the prevailing regulations, the potential of hunting to manage the increasing breeding population of Canada Geese in southern Québec is limited.RÉSUMÉ. Le comportement que les individus adoptent pour réduire leur vulnérabilité face à la prédation peut affecter la dynamique des populations. La population résidente de Bernaches du Canada (Branta canadensis maxima) a considérablement augmenté dans le corridor de migration de l'Atlantique, à un point tel qu'elles sont devenues nuisibles à certains endroits. L'objectif de notre étude était de décrire les déplacements et l'utilisation des milieux durant la période post-reproductive des Bernaches du Canada récemment établies dans le sud du Québec. Afin d'évaluer le potentiel de la chasse pour contrôler le nombre de bernaches, nous voulions déterminer si les bernaches utilisaient les zones dans lesquelles la chasse est permise. Au cours de l'automne, nous avons suivi des bernaches munies d'un collier avec émetteur ou d'un collier conventionnel alphanumérique dans trois zones caractérisées par différents habitats et pressions de chasse. Bien avant l'ouverture de la chasse, les bernaches ont délaissé le secteur où elles avaient niché et qui était accessible aux chasseurs pour se déplacer vers des sites périurbains où les chasseurs étaient peu nombreux ou encore absents en raison de l'interdiction de décharger des armes à feu. Ces déplacements post-reproductifs se sont effectués lorsque les jeunes étaient âgés ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Movements and Habitat Use by Temperate-Nesting Canada Geese During the Postbreeding Period in Southern Québec

Beaumont¹,

Rodrigue²,

Giroux³

2013

ACE

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“…Leaves, stems and roots of emerging rice and natural plants are consumed by some waterbirds, especially geese (Hobaugh 1984;Alisauskas et al 1988;Day 1997), American Coots (van Way 1986, and blackbirds (Avery 1989). Although this vegetation provides high-protein forage, few studies have estimated its abundance in harvested rice fields.…”

Section: Green Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hobaugh (1984) developed an index of availability of green forage in Texas rice fields, and reported use by geese correlated positively with index values during January to March. Similarly, Alisauskas et al (1988) estimated Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens) feeding in harvested Texas rice fields consumed 98% green forage (comprised of 28% graminoids and 70% forbs) during three of four winter months.…”

Section: Green Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Avian Foods, Foraging and Habitat Conservation in World Rice Fields

2010

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“…(Lynch et at. 1947, Alisauskas et al 1988, and we speculate that geese are attracted to burned marshes because the absence of above-ground vegetation facilitates access to subterranean plant parts, regardless of plant species.…”

Section: Winter Burningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of winter burning and structural marsh management on vegetation and winter bird abundance in the Gulf Coast Chenier Plain, USA

Gabrey¹,

Afton

Wilson

1999

Wetlands

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Marshes in the Gulf Coast Chenier Plain provide important winter habitats for many species of birds. Many of these marshes are managed intensively through a combination of fall/winter burning and construction of impoundments to improve wintering waterfowl habitat, reduce wedand loss, and create emergent wetlands. Little information is available on effects of this management on wintering birds, particularly passerines. We conducted experimental burns in impounded and unimpounded marshes on Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge in southwest Louisiana and recorded species composition and abundance of birds during the 1996 and 1997 winters. We found that burning and impoundment influenced vegetation structure, which in turn influenced bird abundance and species composition. Blackbirds (lcteridae) preferred recently burned plots. Sparrows (Emberizidae) and wrens (Troglodytidae) avoided recently burned plots but recolonized these plots after one year of vegetation recovery. Sparrows and wrens present in burned plots during the first winter following burning generally were observed in scattered patches of unburned vegetation. Suitability of Chenier Plain marshes as winter habitat for several bird species was reduced during the winter in which burning was conducted, particularly if a high proportion of the plot was burned. We recommend that patchy burns be used, at both the landscape level and within specific burned areas, to achieve management objectives and still provide suitable winter habitat for non-target species. Although many groups of birds depend on Chenier Plain marshes for winter habitat, these groups differ in their specific habitat requirements. We recommend that a diverse wetland complex (e.g., impoundments managed for waterfowl foraging habitat interspersed with those managed for passerine winter cover) be maintained.

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Winter Diets and Nutrition of Midcontinental Lesser Snow Geese

Cited by 62 publications

References 19 publications

Movements and Habitat Use by Temperate-Nesting Canada Geese During the Postbreeding Period in Southern Québec

Movements and Habitat Use by Temperate-Nesting Canada Geese During the Postbreeding Period in Southern Québec

Avian Foods, Foraging and Habitat Conservation in World Rice Fields

Effects of winter burning and structural marsh management on vegetation and winter bird abundance in the Gulf Coast Chenier Plain, USA

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Winter Diets and Nutrition of Midcontinental Lesser Snow Geese

Cited by 62 publications

References 19 publications

Movements and Habitat Use by Temperate-Nesting Canada Geese During the Postbreeding Period in Southern Qu&#233;bec

Movements and Habitat Use by Temperate-Nesting Canada Geese During the Postbreeding Period in Southern Qu&#233;bec

Avian Foods, Foraging and Habitat Conservation in World Rice Fields

Effects of winter burning and structural marsh management on vegetation and winter bird abundance in the Gulf Coast Chenier Plain, USA

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Product

Resources

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Movements and Habitat Use by Temperate-Nesting Canada Geese During the Postbreeding Period in Southern Québec

Movements and Habitat Use by Temperate-Nesting Canada Geese During the Postbreeding Period in Southern Québec