Human Disturbances to Waterfowl

Annotated Bibliography

131. Madsen, J. 1988. Autumn feeding ecology of herbivorous wildfowl in the Danish Wadden Sea, and impact of food supplies and shooting on movements. Danish Review of Game Biology 13:1-32.

The southern part of the Danish Wadden Sea is an important autumn staging area for brant (Branta bernicla) (peak numbers 6,000), Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope) (15,000) and green-winged teal (Anas crecca) (3,500). In 1985 duck shooting on the mud flats was moderate while in 1986 it was intensified, displacing ducks and brant to a non-shooting zone. This zone was soon depleted for resources, and most of the waterfowl left the area earlier than in 1985 even though food was still available in the shooting zone. Birds fed in the shooting zone at night. Waterfowl numbers were limited by food resources and switching between habitats was linked to depletion of food stocks. Shooting modified movements and caused birds to leave the area prematurely.

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