Developmental Surveys for Breeding Scoters in Eastern North America

Project Number: 115

Year Funded: 2009

Lead Institution(s): Canadian Wildlife Service

Project Lead: Scott Gilliland

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Collaborator(s): Christine Lepage (CWS), Jean-Pierre Savard (ECCC) Daniel Bordage (CWS),Gregory Robertson (ECCC), Eric Reed (CWS)

Location: Atlantic Flyway

Focal Species: Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)

Project Description: Numbers of scoters appears to have declined greatly in western North America, whereas population size or trend data are not available for the more heavily hunted eastern populations. Further, little is known about the demography and ecology of Surf Scoters or breeding habitat characteristics in eastern North America. Despite greater anthropogenic threats to scoter populations in eastern North America, their status in this region remains highly uncertain. The May breeding pair surveys cover only a very small portion of their breeding range. Scoters are regularly encountered on Eastern Waterfowl Survey (EWS) in Labrador and northeastern Quebec but can only be identified to species with accuracy in the helicopter segment of the survey. These surveys are conducted at the end of scoter migration and only marginally overlap with the breeding period. It is not known whether the timing of the current survey introduces an important bias in estimates of breeding population size and trend, but it is generally agreed that surveys timed for the early nesting stages provide the most reliable estimates breeding pair numbers (SDJV 2005). The EWS is generally conducted too early in this regard. The aims of the project were to provide specific information on the distribution and abundance of scoters breeding within the proposed supersonic low-level training area in Labrador, and to provide the necessary data to properly develop a survey methodology for breeding scoters that will be more strategic, cost-effective and provide for future unbiased results.

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