Management Implications of Molt Migration by the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population of Canada Geese, Branta canadensis
We used satellite-tracked transmitters in 2001 and 2003 to document the timing, location, and extent of molt migrations by female Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) affiliated with the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population (AFRP) of Canada Geese that breed in the temperate region of eastern North Americ...
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The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club
2007
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Online Access: | https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/481 https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v121i3.481 |
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ftjcfn:oai:canadianfieldnaturalist.ca:article/481 2023-05-15T15:46:16+02:00 Management Implications of Molt Migration by the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population of Canada Geese, Branta canadensis Sheaffer, Susan E. Malecki, Richard A. Swift, Bryan L. Dunn, John Scribner, Kim 2007-07-01 application/pdf https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/481 https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v121i3.481 eng eng The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/481/481 https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/481 doi:10.22621/cfn.v121i3.481 The Canadian Field-Naturalist; Vol. 121 No. 3 (2007); 313-320 0008-3550 Branta canadensis Canada Geese molt migration temperate-nesting Resident Population Atlantic Flyway info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2007 ftjcfn https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v121i3.481 2021-09-02T18:53:52Z We used satellite-tracked transmitters in 2001 and 2003 to document the timing, location, and extent of molt migrations by female Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) affiliated with the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population (AFRP) of Canada Geese that breed in the temperate region of eastern North America. Twenty-seven adult females were captured during the nesting period in late May and fitted with a satellite transmitter mounted either on a plastic neck collar or backpack harness. Nests of 24 birds were destroyed late in incubation to prevent renesting and ensure nest failure; three females did not have nests. Twelve of the 27 birds (44%) made a northward migration to molt in northern Quebec, Canada: seven to the eastern coast of Hudson Bay (58°12'N, 76°60'W), three to lowland areas east of James Bay (53°30'N, 79°02'W), and two to interior locations south of Ungava Bay (55°54'N, 68°24'W). Molt migrants were present in northern Quebec from June to September, a period that coincides with breeding ground aerial surveys and banding operations conducted for Atlantic Population (AP) Canada Geese that breed in this same region of northern Quebec. With >1 million AFRP geese estimated in the Atlantic Flyway, the potential exists for substantial numbers of yearling, sub-adult, and nest-failed or non-breeding adults to molt migrate to northern breeding areas and bias efforts to survey and mark AP geese. Within AFRP breeding areas, many local flocks have reached nuisance levels. We hypothesized that by inducing molt migration in breeding adults, through destruction of nests late in incubation, we would lessen recruitment, reduce numbers of summer resident adults with young, and increase adult mortality from hunting. However, molt migration behavior was not uniform throughout our study area. Molt migrants were from rural areas in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, whereas marked birds that did not make molt migrations were from more coastal regions of the flyway. The 14 birds that did not make a molt migration remained within 60 km of their banding site. A genetic comparison of these two groups revealed no detectable differences. We conclude that failure to undergo a molt migration is likely attributed to the historical origin of captive-reared birds of mixed subspecies that comprise AFRP flocks in the eastern regions of the flyway and the availability of quality local habitat, distinct from brood-rearing areas, for molting. Article in Journal/Newspaper Branta canadensis Hudson Bay Ungava Bay James Bay The Canadian Field-Naturalist (E-Journal) Canada Hudson Hudson Bay Ungava Bay ENVELOPE(-67.489,-67.489,59.498,59.498) The Canadian Field-Naturalist 121 3 313 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The Canadian Field-Naturalist (E-Journal) |
op_collection_id |
ftjcfn |
language |
English |
topic |
Branta canadensis Canada Geese molt migration temperate-nesting Resident Population Atlantic Flyway |
spellingShingle |
Branta canadensis Canada Geese molt migration temperate-nesting Resident Population Atlantic Flyway Sheaffer, Susan E. Malecki, Richard A. Swift, Bryan L. Dunn, John Scribner, Kim Management Implications of Molt Migration by the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population of Canada Geese, Branta canadensis |
topic_facet |
Branta canadensis Canada Geese molt migration temperate-nesting Resident Population Atlantic Flyway |
description |
We used satellite-tracked transmitters in 2001 and 2003 to document the timing, location, and extent of molt migrations by female Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) affiliated with the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population (AFRP) of Canada Geese that breed in the temperate region of eastern North America. Twenty-seven adult females were captured during the nesting period in late May and fitted with a satellite transmitter mounted either on a plastic neck collar or backpack harness. Nests of 24 birds were destroyed late in incubation to prevent renesting and ensure nest failure; three females did not have nests. Twelve of the 27 birds (44%) made a northward migration to molt in northern Quebec, Canada: seven to the eastern coast of Hudson Bay (58°12'N, 76°60'W), three to lowland areas east of James Bay (53°30'N, 79°02'W), and two to interior locations south of Ungava Bay (55°54'N, 68°24'W). Molt migrants were present in northern Quebec from June to September, a period that coincides with breeding ground aerial surveys and banding operations conducted for Atlantic Population (AP) Canada Geese that breed in this same region of northern Quebec. With >1 million AFRP geese estimated in the Atlantic Flyway, the potential exists for substantial numbers of yearling, sub-adult, and nest-failed or non-breeding adults to molt migrate to northern breeding areas and bias efforts to survey and mark AP geese. Within AFRP breeding areas, many local flocks have reached nuisance levels. We hypothesized that by inducing molt migration in breeding adults, through destruction of nests late in incubation, we would lessen recruitment, reduce numbers of summer resident adults with young, and increase adult mortality from hunting. However, molt migration behavior was not uniform throughout our study area. Molt migrants were from rural areas in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, whereas marked birds that did not make molt migrations were from more coastal regions of the flyway. The 14 birds that did not make a molt migration remained within 60 km of their banding site. A genetic comparison of these two groups revealed no detectable differences. We conclude that failure to undergo a molt migration is likely attributed to the historical origin of captive-reared birds of mixed subspecies that comprise AFRP flocks in the eastern regions of the flyway and the availability of quality local habitat, distinct from brood-rearing areas, for molting. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Sheaffer, Susan E. Malecki, Richard A. Swift, Bryan L. Dunn, John Scribner, Kim |
author_facet |
Sheaffer, Susan E. Malecki, Richard A. Swift, Bryan L. Dunn, John Scribner, Kim |
author_sort |
Sheaffer, Susan E. |
title |
Management Implications of Molt Migration by the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population of Canada Geese, Branta canadensis |
title_short |
Management Implications of Molt Migration by the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population of Canada Geese, Branta canadensis |
title_full |
Management Implications of Molt Migration by the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population of Canada Geese, Branta canadensis |
title_fullStr |
Management Implications of Molt Migration by the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population of Canada Geese, Branta canadensis |
title_full_unstemmed |
Management Implications of Molt Migration by the Atlantic Flyway Resident Population of Canada Geese, Branta canadensis |
title_sort |
management implications of molt migration by the atlantic flyway resident population of canada geese, branta canadensis |
publisher |
The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/481 https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v121i3.481 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-67.489,-67.489,59.498,59.498) |
geographic |
Canada Hudson Hudson Bay Ungava Bay |
geographic_facet |
Canada Hudson Hudson Bay Ungava Bay |
genre |
Branta canadensis Hudson Bay Ungava Bay James Bay |
genre_facet |
Branta canadensis Hudson Bay Ungava Bay James Bay |
op_source |
The Canadian Field-Naturalist; Vol. 121 No. 3 (2007); 313-320 0008-3550 |
op_relation |
https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/481/481 https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/481 doi:10.22621/cfn.v121i3.481 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v121i3.481 |
container_title |
The Canadian Field-Naturalist |
container_volume |
121 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
313 |
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1766380963409952768 |