Stopover sites for migratory birds in the western Erie basin David Ewert The Nature Conservancy
Migratory birds
Anthropogenic threats to migrants Habitat loss, especially coastal Community composition/structure change: invasive species Water quality degradation Towers, buildings, light
...Apparent mortality rates were at least 15 times higher during migration compared to that in stationary periods...more than 85% of apparent adult mortality...occurred during migration. Sillett and Holmes (2002)
Forest Type Groups of the United States (US Forest Service)
Goal of western Erie basin stopover project Identify and protect stopover sites for all groups of migratory birds (waterfowl, shorebirds, landbirds,, raptors)
Objectives and strategies Objectives Identify attributes of stopover sites for all groups of birds Map and prioritize sites with these attributes Incorporate results into biodiversity plans Strategies Protection Management Coordinate at appropriate spatial scales
Stopover sites: general criteria Relative migrant abundance Percent of population using site Consistency of use (spring/fall; year) Presence of resources (food, water, shelter) Proximity to other sites
Landbirds & raptors: ranking sites Very high (5 points) Undeveloped cover <0.4 km from Erie High (4 points) Undeveloped cover >0.4 km and <1.6 km from Erie Medium (3 points) Undeveloped cover >1.6 km from Erie and <0.2 km of a river or wetland Low (2 points) Undeveloped cover >1.6 km from Erie and >0.2 km but <0.4 km of a river or wetland OR >4 km from other undeveloped cover Very low (1 point) Undeveloped cover >1.6 km from Erie and <4 km from other undeveloped cover
Landbird / Raptor Group Final Analysis St. Clair D et roi t R ive r Detroit Michigan Ontario, Canada Erie Toledo Cleveland Indiana Fort Wayne Habitat Score 5 Ohio 4 3 2 0 5 10 20 30 40 50 Miles 1
Landbird / Raptor Group St. Clair Washtenaw Wayne Detroit River Ontario, Canada Habitat Score Lenawee Monroe 5 4 3 Erie 0 5 10 Miles 2 1
Landbirds & raptors: other attributes Diverse, structurally complex plant communities Preferred plant species (oak,willow( oak,willow, hackberry) Spring: high aquatic insect productivity Fall: sites with high insect/fruit production (dogwood)
Golden-winged Warbler Betty Cottrille Henslow s Sparrow-Betty Cottrille Wood Thrush USFWS Kirtland s Warbler-Betty Cottrille
Stopover sites: waterfowl Very high Mixed emergent wetlands>40 ac with >2.5 ac open water Open water and/or mixed emergent wetlands>2.5 ac AND <400 ft of another wetland >2.5 ac High Ephemeral wetlands (mixed emergent)>2.5 ac Diving duck concentration areas (>1000/season) Medium Agricultural fields (>12.5 ac) with hydric soils within 15 miles of Erie or <1 mile from a permanent lake more than 15 miles from Erie Low Agricultural fields (>12.5 ac) with hydric soils >15 miles from Erie Hardwood forested wetlands >2.5 ac
Waterfowl Group Final Analysis Michigan Detroit Detroit River St. Clair Ontario, Canada Toledo Erie Cleveland Fort Wayne Indiana Ohio 0 5 10 20 30 40 50 Miles Habitat Score 5 4 3 2
American Black Duck Blue-winged Teal Canvasback Tundra Swan
Stopover sites: Shorebirds Very high Mixed emergent wetlands (>25 ac) with seasonally flooded wetlands (>5 ac) < 2 miles from Erie High Mixed emergent wetlands (>25 ac) with seasonally flooded wetlands (>5 ac) > 2 miles from Erie Ephemeral or temporarily flooded wetlands (including agricultural l fields) <10 miles from Erie Medium Ephemeral or temporarily flooded wetlands (including agricultural l fields) >10 miles from Erie Mixed emergent wetlands (<25 ac) or isolated wetlands (<10 ac) that t are <2 miles from Erie Low Mixed emergent wetlands (<25 ac) or isolated wetlands (<10 ac) that t are >2 miles from Erie
Shorebird Group Final Analysis Michigan Detroit Detroit River St. Clair Ontario, Canada Toledo Erie Cleveland Fort Wayne Indiana Ohio 0 5 10 20 30 40 50 Miles Habitat Score 5 4 3 2
All Bird Groups St. Clair Washtenaw Wayne Detroit River Ontario, Canada Habitat Score Lenawee Monroe 13-15 10-12 7-9 Erie 0 5 10 Miles 4-6 1-3
Stopover site protection is Planning collaborative Planning (Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, Upper Mississippi River/Great s Joint Venture) Fee title, easement Management agreement Focused outreach Monitoring Research (NAWCA, Michigan, Ohio) NRCS) (NRCS (governments, key landowners) (Black Swamp Bird Observatory) (Ohio State Univ., Illinois Natural Hist.. Survey)
All Bird Groups Washtenaw Western Wayne Service Center River Rouge Power Plant Wayne Detroit River St. Clair DTE Energy Headquarters, Detroit Ontario, Canada Trenton Channel Power Plant Lenawee Monroe Erie Fermi 2 Power Plant Monroe Power Plant 0 5 10 Miles Habitat Score 13-15 10-12 7-9 4-6 1-3
Collaborators Audubon Ohio Black Swamp Bird Observatory Ducks Unlimited Ohio and Michigan Bird Conservation Initiatives Ohio and Michigan Important Bird Area Projects TNC - Ohio, Michigan, Migratory Bird Program Wildlife Habitat Council Michigan DNR NRCS/Soil and Water Conservation Service Ohio Division of Wildlife U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The Ohio State University University of Michigan - Dearborn Consumers Energy DTE Energy Outside reviewers