Nest Boxes Facilitate Local-Scale Conservation of Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) in Alberta, Canada

Robert M Corrigan,Garry J Scrimgeour,Cynthia Paszkowski

doi:10.5751/ace-00435-060101

Abstract

We tested the general predictions of increased use of nest boxes and positive trends in local populations of Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) following the large-scale provision of nest boxes in a study area of central Alberta over a 16-year period. Nest boxes were rapidly occupied, primarily by Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead, but also by European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). After 5 years of deployment, occupancy of large boxes by Common Goldeneye was 82% to 90% and occupancy of small boxes by Bufflehead was 37% to 58%. Based on a single-stage cluster design, experimental closure of nest boxes resulted in significant reductions in numbers of broods and brood sizes produced by Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead. Occurrence and densities of Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead increased significantly across years following nest box deployment at the local scale, but not at the larger regional scale. Provision of nest boxes may represent a viable strategy for increasing breeding populations of these two waterfowl species on landscapes where large trees and natural cavities are uncommon but wetland density is high.

Highlights

Biologists apply a broad suite of conservation prescriptions to compensate for human-induced declines in habitat quality
We tested the general predictions of increased use of nest boxes and positive trends in local populations of Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) following the large-scale provision of nest boxes in a study area of central Alberta over a 16-year period
Nest boxes were rapidly occupied by Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, European Starling, and to a lesser extent red squirrels

Summary

Introduction

Biologists apply a broad suite of conservation prescriptions to compensate for human-induced declines in habitat quality. Nest boxes are widely used to enhance populations of cavity-nesting species including waterfowl (Savard 1988, Newton 1994, Pöysä and Pöysä 2002, Savard and Robert 2007), passerines (Nilsson 2008), sea birds (Bolton et al 2004), and marsupials (Lindenmayer et al 2009). The prairie pothole region is the most important in North America for breeding waterfowl. Loss of wetlands in the prairie pothole region has conservatively resulted in a 50% decline in habitat since European settlement (Dahl 1990). For secondary cavity-nesters, such as waterfowl, direct effects of habitat loss are compounded by accompanying declines in populations of species that excavate cavities, such as large woodpeckers (Vaillancourt et al 2009)

Methods

Results

Conclusion