Evaluation of Suitable Habitats for Birds Based on MaxEnt and Google Earth Engine—A Case Study of Baer’s Pochard (Aythya baeri) in Baiyangdian, China

Abstract

The combined impacts of rapid urbanization and climate change pose significant threats to global biodiversity. To counter these threats, the establishment of appropriate habitats is becoming pivotal for species preservation. Due to positive ecological interventions, Baer’s Pochard (Aythya baeri), a critically endangered avian species per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classification, has made a remarkable resurgence in the wetlands of Baiyangdian (BYD). BYD, located in Xiong’an New Area, central North China, is the largest wetland and an ideal habitat for rare bird species. Our study focuses on identifying ideal habitats within BYD to further its conservation. To this end, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) integrated with GPS functionalities were utilized to collect occurrence data for the species. Furthermore, the Google Earth Engine (GEE) provided access to high-resolution, real-time satellite imagery. Our model exhibited substantial reliability, reflected by area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.917 and 0.934 for breeding and migration periods, respectively. During the breeding phase, the prime habitat for Baer’s Pochard spans 162 km2, predominantly encompassing regions like Xiaobaiyangdian (XBYD), Zhaozadian (ZZD), Damaidian (DMD), and Shaochedian (SCD). Factors such as Distance to towns and Landcover predominantly influence breeding habitat selection. In the migration phase, ideal regions covered an expanse of 124 km2, highlighting areas like northern and eastern SCD, the northwestern side of Datian Village (DTV) and Beitian Village (BTV) Fuhe Wetland (FHW), and Xiaoyihe Wetland (XYHW). The predominant determinants for migration habitat are Distance to towns and Wetness. These insights offer a fundamental foundation for the conservation and management strategies of Baer’s Pochard in BYD, presenting a roadmap for future conservation endeavors.