Long-term Population Study of Harlequin Ducks in British Columbia

Project Number: 11

Year Funded: 2005

Lead Institution(s): Simon Fraser University

Project Lead: Dan Esler

Email:

Collaborator(s): Sean Boyd (CWS)

Location: British Columbia

Focal Species: Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)

Project Description: Without knowledge of demographic processes it is impossible to identify causes of population change, the first prerequisite for effective management. For more than a decade, a large number of SFU and CWS researchers have been addressing demography of Harlequin Ducks, a species considered to be of continental conservation concern. By measuring survival, recruitment, and dispersal rates, we can understand the demographic mechanisms underlying population change. Further, we can use these data to consider environmental or human-caused factors related to variability in demographic attributes, which will be critical for formulating effective management strategies. Harlequin Ducks are the most suitable wintering Pacific coastal bird for such a demographic approach and provide a model for other sea duck populations.