Military jet over-flight activities pose a potential threat to staging waterfowl and pilots. The migration period is important for nutrient acquisition and courtship as these waterfowl enter the breeding season. Using a focal animal (continuous) technique for five-minute intervals, diurnal Time/Activity (TA) budgets for Canada Geese (Branta canadensis canadensis) (n=751), American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) (n=474) and Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) (n=1274) were compiled during 216 hours of behavioural observation. The study was conducted from 26 April to 27 May, 2002 at the outlet of Lac Fourmont, Labrador (52° 03' 30"N, 60° 31' 01" W), in an ashkui or area of open water in an otherwise frozen landscape, which is known historically as a place to hunt waterfowl. These staging grounds are within the 130 000 km2 Low-level Training Area (LLTA) of the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula. Generalized Linear Modeling (GLM) of ranked variables was used to analyze behaviour by: observer, sex, pair status, time of day, date, and each weather parameter. Male Common Goldeneye spent more time in courtship behaviours (2.7%) than females (1.1%) and they spent most of the daylight hours feeding (males 53.3% and females 54.5%), with little time resting (4.8% and 5.2%, respectively). In contrast, Black Ducks and Canada Geese spent relatively little time feeding (12.4% and 5% respectively) and most of their time sleeping (35% and 38% respectively) and locomotion (37.8% and 11% respectively). Ashkui are important to Common Goldeneyes for foraging, and to Canada Geese and Black Ducks for resting prior to the breeding season. / Ninety-one low-level jet over-flights occurred and sound levels (n=336 h) at the study site were measured. Effects of low-level jet over-flights were analyzed using GLM of ranked variables in order to analyze a number of variables simultaneously. All behavioural observations that occurred in the quarter hour periods up to 165 minutes after an over-flight were analyzed. Alert and courtship behaviours of Canada Geese increased after over-flights. Other behaviours were negatively affected to a lesser degree. Locomotor activities by Black Ducks increased significantly immediately following over-flights with a stronger movement response with increased noise. Increases in agonistic and comfort behaviours of Common Goldeneye were detected following over-flights with few other significant affects on their behaviour. / Key words. Anas rubripes, Branta canadensis, Bucephala clangula, disturbance, jet aircraft, Labrador, low-level flying, military activity, noise, spring staging, time-activity budgets, waterfowl
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.99192 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Newbury, Tina L. |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Natural Resource Sciences.) |
| Rights | © Tina L. Newbury, 2006 |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002573369, proquestno: AAIMR28515, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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