CWS-ON - Long Point Phragmites Management Project Bird Surveys - 2023

About

Data users are encouraged to reach out to the Canadian Wildlife Service – Ontario Region (CWS-ON) before using the dataset. For clarification and additional information (e.g., ARU coordinates), contact Joe Fiorino at giuseppe.fiorino@ec.gc.ca. Since 2019, CWS-ON has engaged in invasive Phragmites australis management at Long Point, Ontario, Canada, in the Long Point National Wildlife Area (NWA) and the Big Creek NWA. Phragmites has been managed by either herbicide-application, cutting and rolling, burning, or a combination of these methods. In 2023, ARUs were deployed to record wetland bird communities. They were deployed in the following habitat types: 1) reference; included hemi-marsh (50% cattail, 50% open-water), cattail marsh, and meadow marsh, 2) control; Phragmites australis-dominated, and 3) treatment, which included habitat 1-4 years post-management. Two-hour recordings occurred during the dawn chorus (starting 30-min before dawn) on four consecutive days across mid-June, and one date was selected when there was light wind, no rain, and minimal background noise. Each two-hour recording was split into two segments: one 30-min recording starting at 5:28 am (15-min before dawn), and one 15-min recording starting at 6:58 am (1-hour and 15-min after dawn). These recordings represent a 45-min survey split across the dawn chorus. Both recordings were transcribed as independent records; however, birds heard in the 15-min recording that were assumed to be the same individual as in the preceding 30-min recording have a comment stating "detected in earlier segment". Unidentifiable American Coot (AMCO) / Common Gallinule (COGA) vocalizations were tagged as "UNKN" with "MOOT (COGA/AMCO)" in the comments.