| Summary: | We will aerially identify and enumerate ducks, geese, swans, and select other waterbirds at selected sites in the Illinois and central Mississippi river valleys of Illinois during autumn and early winter and summarize and distribute these data to conservation partners and the general public. Specifically, we will: • Identify and enumerate waterfowl and select other waterbirds along the Illinois and central Mississippi rivers of Illinois during autumn (≥40 sites) and spring migration (≥40 sites) using light aircraft, • Compute annual use-days and peak abundances for observed species and compare with long-term averages, • Provide general inference regarding the distribution of waterfowl in space and time relative to habitat conditions, and • Summarize and distribute these data to agency personnel, research collaborators, the scientific community, and the general public through popular articles, oral presentations, technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and other means. Illinois Department of Natural Resources Contract Number: RC09-13FWUIUC, W-43-R-68 unpublished not peer reviewed Open
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