Second North American Sea Duck Conference - Patuxent Wildlife ...

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SECOND NORTH AMERICAN SEA DUCK CONFERENCE HABITAT USE OF THE HARLEQUIN DUCK (HISTRIONICUS HISTRIONICUS) ALONG THE GASPÉ PENINSULA, QUÉBEC (CANADA) Annie Langlois, G. Gathier, M. Robert, Jean-Pierre Savard MSc Candidate, Laval University, Quebec, Canada: annie.langlois.2@ulaval.ca The eastern <strong>North</strong>-<strong>American</strong> population of the Harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) is in a precarious state. In this two-year study, we determined the importance of the Gaspé Peninsula (Québec) as a molting and fall staging area for this population, and examined features of the coastal habitat influencing its use by ducks. We conducted regular boat counts of ducks from early July to mid December, determined the population’s numbers and sampled the habitat. More ducks used the area during the fall migration than during the molt (on average,157 vs. 65, respectively). During the molting period, ducks were most likely present in sites with higher numbers of 1-3m3 boulders, a higher slope and depth, a low anthropic presence and linearity, the presence of a cobble/gravel beach with a freshwater source and the presence of certain flora and fauna species (Polysporina/Gammarus/ Ulva and Rhodomela/Zostera/Littorina). The number of ducks present within a site during the molt was higher with a low algi substrate cover and with a high number of ledges. During the fall migration, ducks were most likely present in sites with a high algi substrate cover, a high number of ledges and no cliffs. More ducks were present, during fall migration, when the anthropic presence and linearity was low. 94 ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, USA NOV. 7-11, 2005
SECOND NORTH AMERICAN SEA DUCK CONFERENCE IS FLIGHT BEHAVIOR OF COMMON EIDER AFFECTED BY OPERATING WIND TURBINES? - AN ON-OFF EXPERIMENT Jesper Larsen and Magella Guillemette National Environnemental Research Institute, Division of Coastal Zone Ecology, Grenåvej 12, DK- 8410 Rønde, Denmark; jesper.kyed@mail.dk Offshore wind parks are erected in shallow waters (< 20 m) exactly where sea ducks feed and rest. We studied the effect of wind turbines on flight behavior of wintering common eiders (Somateria mollissima) to discriminate the effect of the revolving wind turbine rotors from the standing structures. The presence of the wind turbines may influence two behavioral decisions: where to fly (flight path) and whether to land (landing willingness). To address the willingness to land (reacting birds), groups of decoys were positioned within (100 and 300 m) and outside (100, 300, and 500 m) the wind park. Flight paths (flying birds) were assigned to one of the five corridors centered on a decoy group using a laser binocular. The operational state of the wind turbines were manipulated (from a remote control center) in an alternating manner during ten trials conducted during the morning flights of common eiders. Irrespective of the operational state of the turbines, the number of flying and reacting birds was significantly related to corridor location and position of the decoy group with much reduced activity close to the wind park. However, the operational state of the turbines (on and off) did neither affect the number of common eiders flying within corridors nor the number of birds reacting to decoys. These results imply that the avoidance behavior observed was caused by the presence of the wind turbines structures as such. Following from this, the indifference of common eiders to the noise (mostly aerodynamic) and movements generated by the operating turbines should increase the probability of collision during poor visibility conditions (darkness, fog, rain and snow). This was observed for common eiders during a Scottish study. When visibility is good, on the other hand, the disturbance caused by the wind turbines structures will decrease the probability of collision. NOV. 7-11, 2005 ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, USA 95
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