Seasonal Habitat Requirements of Surf and White-winged Scoters in Puget Sound
Project Number: 72
Year Funded: 2006
Lead Institution(s): University of Wyoming
Project Lead: Eric Anderson
Collaborator(s): James Lovvorn (UW), David Nysewander (WDFW), Joseph Evenson (WDFW), Dan Esler (SFU), Sean Boyd (CWS), John Bower (WWU)
Location: Salish Sea
Focal Species: Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata), White-winged Scoter (Melanitta delgandi)
Project Description: Like many sea ducks, scoters have experienced population declines both on breeding areas in Canada and Alaska and on primary wintering areas, including a 57% decline since the late 1970s for all three species combined in Puget Sound (Hodges et al. 1996, Nysewander et al. 2002). It is unclear whether the limiting factors are exerted mainly on wintering, migration, or breeding areas.
Project Reports: https://seaduckjv.org/pdf/studies/pr72.pdf