Movement patterns of wintering lesser scaup in Grand Calumet River - Indiana Harbor Canal, Indiana

Journal of Great Lakes Research
By: , and 

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Abstract

Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) winter in the Grand Calumet River—Indiana Harbor Canal (GCR-IHC) drainage into southern Lake Michigan, a polluted oasis in the highly urban and industrial corridor of northern Illinois and Indiana. The GCR-IHC is an important wintering area for lesser scaup in northwestern Indiana, especially after Lake Michigan freezes, because of the lack of other wildlife habitat in the area. We investigated the feeding and movement patterns of these wintering lesser scaup to better understand the ecological significance of this area to wintering waterfowl and to interpret contaminant levels in these lesser scaup. We implanted radio transmitters in 20 individuals in January 1994 and tracked them until early March 1994. Four lesser scaup disappeared and four died within the first 2 weeks after implantation; 12 lesser scaup remained in the GCR-IHC for the next 6–7 weeks. Individual radio-marked scaup (n = 12) were located in the GCR-IHC on an average of 62.2% (extreme values = 25–87%) of the searches. No radio-marked lesser scaup were located outside the GCR-IHC. Lesser scaup were feeding during 23% of the radio fixes.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Movement patterns of wintering lesser scaup in Grand Calumet River - Indiana Harbor Canal, Indiana
Series title Journal of Great Lakes Research
DOI 10.1016/S0380-1330(96)70939-5
Volume 22
Issue 1
Year Published 1996
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Contributing office(s) Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Description 5 p.
First page 95
Last page 99
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