Human Disturbances to Waterfowl
Annotated Bibliography
Although human activity is not a normal component of habitat, it affects waterfowl use of the University Bay refuge. For example, on 6 and 9 November 1954, 2,200 and 950 ducks departed the Bay when a fisherman motored through the area used by waterfowl. Over the 5 years that disturbance was recorded, human activity resulted in departure of ducks in the following percentages of observation periods: 44% in 1953; 27% in 1957; 32% in 1960; 33% in 1964; and 43% in 1973. Shore activity increased substantially since the 1950's due to development of land adjacent to the Bay for a variety of uses. A dramatic increase in jogging in the early 1970's resulted in increased disturbance along the south and west shores and on the Picnic Point peninsula on the north shore. Fishermen and boaters were reported as major disturbance factors in the 1950's. Subsequent to the 1970's the University rowing team has been considered to be the major disturbance factor.
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