Winter habitat use and selection of the Barrow’s goldeneye eastern population along the St. Lawrence River estuary, Quebec, Canada

Project Number: 44

Year Funded: 2006

Lead Institution(s): University of Quebec Rimouski

Project Lead: Magella Guillemette

Email:

Collaborator(s): SDJV, CWS, UQAR, FFQ, FQRNT

Location: Quebec

Focal Species: Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)

Project Description: The St. Lawrence River Estuary is the major wintering area for the Eastern North American population of Barrow’s Goldeneye, which is legally considered “at risk” by the Canadian and Quebec Governments. Six months a year, this estuary supports over 50% of the population, estimated at no more than 4,500 birds. Still, nothing is known about factors that may control the species distribution (e.g., macro- and micro-habitats, food preferences and depletion) along its main wintering area. Winter habitats are likely critical to this small population whose annual recruitment is dependent upon high adult survival. Project objectives include: 1) describing macrohabitats used by the population at the scale of the estuary, 2) describing microhabitats at the scale of the bay or foreshore flat itself, 3) describing winter diet and trophic level, and 4) quantifying time and energy budget to understand what may constrain winter survival of the population.