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Status and Distribution of Wintering Waterfowl in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, 2005-2014
Citation:
Mckinney, Rick, K. Raposa, AND C. Trocki. Status and Distribution of Wintering Waterfowl in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, 2005-2014. NORTHEASTERN NATURALIST. Eagle Hill Publications, ME, 22(4):730-745, (2015).
Impact/Purpose:
This paper summarizes a long-term study of the abundance and habitat use by a guild of aquatic wildlife species in Narragansett Bay, RI, a moderate-sized estuary located in the northeast US. We present an assessment of changes in abundance and community dynamics in the Bay based on annual surveys of wintering waterfowl during a 10-year period from 2005 to 2014. We report changes in waterfowl abundance and species richness over time that could provide insight into changes in habitat suitability. These results could aid in both identifying estuarine habitats currently being used by species of conservation concern so that they can be targeted for protection and restoration, and providing a baseline assessment from which the effects of future changes in waterfowl habitat can be assessed. We also characterized waterfowl community composition: the upper Bay, a low-energy environment characterized by shallow coves, sheltered embayments, and salt marshes, supported mostly dabbling ducks, geese, and swans, while the lower Bay, a higher energy environment characterized by rocky shorelines and deeper open water habitats, supported mostly sea ducks and other diving duck species. Our results suggest that specific habitat characteristics, for example proximity to human disturbance, may be influencing habitat use by waterfowl in this urban estuary. These findings could have important implications for the management and conservation of coastal habitats, particularly in the context of increasing impacts from urbanization.
Description:
Estuaries on the east coast of the U.S. provide habitats used by a number of waterfowl species in winter. Aerial surveys of many of these wintering areas have been conducted over the past 50 plus years, but data from larger-scale surveys may not adequately capture local fluctuations in abundance or details of habitat use within specific areas of an estuary, particularly by solitary species. In an effort to better understand the local distribution of wintering waterfowl, we undertook a long-term study of waterfowl abundance and distribution in Narragansett Bay, RI, a moderate-sized estuary located in the northeast US within the Atlantic Flyway. Here we present a preliminary assessment of changes in abundance and community dynamics based on annual surveys of wintering waterfowl during a 10-year period from 2005 to 2014. Overall waterfowl abundance in the Bay ranged from 15,002 individuals in 2006 to 26,163 individuals in 2010 and averaged 20,062 ± 3,393 individuals over the ten year period. Species richness ranged from 1.80 to 10.8 species per site, with most of the sites with high species richness located in the upper Bay. The Narragansett Bay waterfowl community was dominated by Scaup Aythya spp., Brant Branta bernicla, and Canada Geese Branta canadensis over the ten year survey period. Waterfowl community composition indicated the upper Bay, a low-energy environment characterized by shallow coves, sheltered embayments, and salt marshes, supported mostly dabbling ducks, geese, and swans, while the lower Bay, a higher energy environment characterized by rocky shorelines and deeper open water habitats, supported mostly sea ducks and other diving duck species. Survey results can aid in both identifying estuarine habitats currently being used by species of conservation concern so that they can be targeted for protection and restoration, and providing a baseline assessment from which the effects of future changes in waterfowl habitat can be assessed.
