Autumn waterbird migration over Lake Superior: Numbers, species, and timing
© 2017 International Association for Great Lakes Research The Great Lakes are used as a migratory corridor and for feeding by tens of thousands of waterbirds each spring and fall, yet little species-specific information is available regarding numbers, seasonal timing, and connectivity along the rout...
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2017
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ftmichigantuniv:oai:digitalcommons.mtu.edu:michigantech-p-26022 2023-05-15T15:34:48+02:00 Autumn waterbird migration over Lake Superior: Numbers, species, and timing Youngman, Joseph A. Flaspohler, David J. Knowlton, Jessie L. Dombroski, Louis J. 2017-12-01T08:00:00Z https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/6720 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2017.08.012 unknown Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/6720 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2017.08.012 Michigan Tech Publications Great Lakes Keweenaw Peninsula Loon Red-necked grebe Sea duck Whitefish Point text 2017 ftmichigantuniv https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2017.08.012 2022-01-23T10:13:50Z © 2017 International Association for Great Lakes Research The Great Lakes are used as a migratory corridor and for feeding by tens of thousands of waterbirds each spring and fall, yet little species-specific information is available regarding numbers, seasonal timing, and connectivity along the route. The objective of this study was to use land-based surveys to quantify fall migration at two important landmarks in Lake Superior for an assemblage of waterbirds from three orders (Anseriformes, Gaviiformes, and Podicipediformes). Both the Keweenaw Peninsula (KP) and Whitefish Point (WP) showed a temporal pattern of high numbers (peaking at 9000 and 16,000, respectively) in the first 3 h after dawn and a decline (dropping to 1000 and 5000, respectively) over the following 5 h, although the decline was far more abrupt at KP than at WP. Fall totals for WP were nearly 85,000 individual waterbirds, and for KP about 34,500. Species abundance rankings were generally similar for both locations, with the most common species being long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis), red-necked grebe (Podiceps grisegena), greater scaup (Aythya marila), and red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator). Most species were far more numerous at WP than at KP, with long-tailed ducks being 65 times more numerous. A notable exception was redhead (Aythya americana), which was 33% more numerous at KP than at WP. We suggest that during the fall, Lake Superior acts as a geographic funnel concentrating waterbirds from northwest to southeast and that details of the composition, timing and amplitude of this phenomenon are important considerations for any nearshore Great Lakes development. Text Aythya marila greater scaup Michigan Technological University: Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech Journal of Great Lakes Research 43 6 1186 1190 |
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Michigan Technological University: Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech |
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ftmichigantuniv |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Great Lakes Keweenaw Peninsula Loon Red-necked grebe Sea duck Whitefish Point |
spellingShingle |
Great Lakes Keweenaw Peninsula Loon Red-necked grebe Sea duck Whitefish Point Youngman, Joseph A. Flaspohler, David J. Knowlton, Jessie L. Dombroski, Louis J. Autumn waterbird migration over Lake Superior: Numbers, species, and timing |
topic_facet |
Great Lakes Keweenaw Peninsula Loon Red-necked grebe Sea duck Whitefish Point |
description |
© 2017 International Association for Great Lakes Research The Great Lakes are used as a migratory corridor and for feeding by tens of thousands of waterbirds each spring and fall, yet little species-specific information is available regarding numbers, seasonal timing, and connectivity along the route. The objective of this study was to use land-based surveys to quantify fall migration at two important landmarks in Lake Superior for an assemblage of waterbirds from three orders (Anseriformes, Gaviiformes, and Podicipediformes). Both the Keweenaw Peninsula (KP) and Whitefish Point (WP) showed a temporal pattern of high numbers (peaking at 9000 and 16,000, respectively) in the first 3 h after dawn and a decline (dropping to 1000 and 5000, respectively) over the following 5 h, although the decline was far more abrupt at KP than at WP. Fall totals for WP were nearly 85,000 individual waterbirds, and for KP about 34,500. Species abundance rankings were generally similar for both locations, with the most common species being long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis), red-necked grebe (Podiceps grisegena), greater scaup (Aythya marila), and red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator). Most species were far more numerous at WP than at KP, with long-tailed ducks being 65 times more numerous. A notable exception was redhead (Aythya americana), which was 33% more numerous at KP than at WP. We suggest that during the fall, Lake Superior acts as a geographic funnel concentrating waterbirds from northwest to southeast and that details of the composition, timing and amplitude of this phenomenon are important considerations for any nearshore Great Lakes development. |
format |
Text |
author |
Youngman, Joseph A. Flaspohler, David J. Knowlton, Jessie L. Dombroski, Louis J. |
author_facet |
Youngman, Joseph A. Flaspohler, David J. Knowlton, Jessie L. Dombroski, Louis J. |
author_sort |
Youngman, Joseph A. |
title |
Autumn waterbird migration over Lake Superior: Numbers, species, and timing |
title_short |
Autumn waterbird migration over Lake Superior: Numbers, species, and timing |
title_full |
Autumn waterbird migration over Lake Superior: Numbers, species, and timing |
title_fullStr |
Autumn waterbird migration over Lake Superior: Numbers, species, and timing |
title_full_unstemmed |
Autumn waterbird migration over Lake Superior: Numbers, species, and timing |
title_sort |
autumn waterbird migration over lake superior: numbers, species, and timing |
publisher |
Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/6720 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2017.08.012 |
genre |
Aythya marila greater scaup |
genre_facet |
Aythya marila greater scaup |
op_source |
Michigan Tech Publications |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/6720 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2017.08.012 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2017.08.012 |
container_title |
Journal of Great Lakes Research |
container_volume |
43 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
1186 |
op_container_end_page |
1190 |
_version_ |
1766365085439098880 |