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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Chris RedfernORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Capsule: The arrival of Common Eider Somateria mollissima ducklings into a reception and nurseryarea is a measure of breeding success and phenology but reveals gaps in knowledge for effectiveconservation.Aims: Estuarine habitats are important wildlife areas but are continually under threat from humanactivities. Common Eiders may be an indicator species for monitoring the impacts of developmentin estuaries used by them as nursery areas. The aim of this study was to understand the arrival anddistribution of ducklings in a commercial and recreational estuarine environment.Methods: Coquet Island, Northumberland, is a breeding site for Common Eiders at the southernlimit of their range on the east coast of the UK. Numbers of ducklings arriving in the adjacentCoquet Estuary nursery area were monitored daily during the breeding season over a 27-yearperiod from 1995 to 2021 inclusive.Results: Counts of ducklings were higher overall in less disturbed parts of the estuary, but therewere no consistent patterns of habitat use. First-arrival dates varied annually by up to 23 days.Daily arrival counts were affected by tide and, to a lesser extent, rain and wind direction.Observed arrivals each season correlated with counts of breeding females on Coquet Island.There was evidence for links between broader-scale weather conditions (North AtlanticOscillation indices) and yearly variation in rates of duckling arrival. Arrivals were moresynchronous in years when ducklings were late in arriving and supported theoretical predictionsfrom modelling studies. There were high daily rates of duckling loss from the estuary whichmay have been a consequence of brood movements out of the estuary and loss to predation.There was a positive correlation between counts of ducklings and attendant females.Conclusions: Annual duckling counts show the value of estuaries for monitoring phenologicalvariation in the breeding of Common Eiders. A better understanding of environmental factorsinfluencing duckling retention or loss in estuaries is needed. Enabling human and wildlifeactivities to exist together within estuarine environments may promote effective conservation.
Author(s): Brooker-Carey H, Redfern CPF, Morrison PG
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Bird Study
Year: 2023
Pages: epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 11/12/2023
Acceptance date: 25/09/2023
Date deposited: 12/12/2023
ISSN (print): 0006-3657
ISSN (electronic): 1944-6705
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2023.2286297
DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2023.2286297
ePrints DOI: 10.57711/rz5e-9s45
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