Impact of a major forest blowdown event on breeding of Ancient Murrelets, Synthliboramphus antiquus, at a colony in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia

Authors

  • Anthony J. Gaston Environment Canada, Science and Technology Branch, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3
  • Jake Pattison Laskeek Bay Conservation Society, Box 867, Queen Charlotte, British Columbia V0T 1S0
  • Ainsley Brown Laskeek Bay Conservation Society, Box 867, Queen Charlotte, British Columbia V0T 1S0

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v129i3.1730

Keywords:

Ancient Murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus, Haida Gwaii, Queen Charlotte Islands, chick departure, blowdown, breeding success

Abstract

In the winter of 2010–2011 a large storm blew down an area of about 18 ha of mature coastal rainforest on East Limestone Island, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. The area supported part of a breeding colony of Ancient Murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus). Observations of the timing of chick departures from this section of the colony in 2012 and 2013 suggested that daily timing of chick departures were delayed, on average, by about 30 min, compared with earlier years. This delay may have been caused by debris from the blowdown impeding the progress of chicks over the ground. A sharp decrease in the number of chicks leaving the blowdown area in 2014 may signify that some breeding pairs left the area following reduced breeding success.

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Published

2015-10-28

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