Fire in North American Wetland Ecosystems and Fire-Wildlife Relations: An Annotated Bibliography

90. Gorenzel, W. P., R. A. Ryder, and C. E. Braun. 1981. American coot response 
         to habitat change on a Colorado marsh. Southwest. Nat. 26:59-65.

The response of American coot to habitat alteration, including partial and complete drawdown, burning and reflooding, and complete removal of emergents, was studied on a Colorado marsh. Burning of segments of the emergents zone was done in March and April following the lowering of water levels by 30 cm. Burning failed to kill any emergents, but did clear litter from the previous year's growth. Use of the marsh during spring migration was not affected until low water levels exposed emergents. Number of nests decreased from 77 to 6 following alteration, but increased to 56 after reflooding. Alteration also resulted in a delay of 5 to 6 weeks in nesting and movement by coots from and to the marsh in response to loss or gain in preferred foods. Increases in aquatic foods after alteration extended fall migration use. Coot populations can be managed easily through habitat manipulation. Activities such as water manipulations, burning, or dredging should be restricted to periods of coot absences. [From authors' abstract]

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