PARENT SESSION
Poster Session 28: Avian Ecology
Thursday, August 11, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Exhibit Hall 220 A-E, Level 2, Palais des congrès de Montréal

Habitat Usage by Birds at the Lake Alice Wildlife Management Area.

Juneau, Kevyn^*,1, Adams, Kenneth¹, Wu, Meiyin^*,1, ¹ Plattsburgh State University, Plattsburgh, NY

ABSTRACT- The Lake Alice Wildlife Management Area (LAWMA) is one of the premier birding areas in northeastern New York. This 560-ha natural area is managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and includes 395 ha of forest, 85 ha of open field, and 50 ha of marsh habitat. Bird censuses were conducted at LAWMA during the summers of 2003 and 2004 to establish baseline information on habitat usage by birds prior to the initiation of habitat enhancement projects in 2005. A total of 75 bird species were identified by sight and song; 34 species were considered residents and 41 species were transients. The total numbers of residential bird species in each habitat type were: 16 species in the forest; 15 species in the field-forest ecotone; 22 species in the marsh-forest ecotone; and 19 species in the marsh-field ecotone. Recommendations for avian habitat restoration and enhancement projects include clearcutting small patches in selected areas of the forest, creating potholes and open water channels in the marsh, and late-season mowing of the open fields. This is a collaborative project between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, W.H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute and Plattsburgh State University.

Key words: avian habitat, habitat enhancement, ecotone