Objectives
1) Inventory abundance and distribution of waterfowl, shorebirds, and other waterbirds (a
minimum of 10 species and guilds) during autumn migration at a minimum of 30 sites
along and nearby the Illinois and central Mississippi rivers,
2) Estimate waterfowl and other waterbird population sizes (a minimum of 10 species and
guilds) during autumn migration using an aerial quadrat survey in the central Illinois
River Valley for comparison with aerial inventories (Objective 1),
3) Investigate movement and population ecology of lesser scaup, canvasback, and other
diving ducks by trapping and leg-banding a minimum of 1,000 individuals during spring
migration along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers,
4) Investigate the ecology of American green-winged teal and gadwall by radio-marking a
minimum of 40 individuals of each species during spring migration in and nearby the
central Illinois River Valley,
5) Investigate movements and home range size of a minimum of 10 Canada geese during
winter in and near the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area (GCMA) of Illinois,
6) Determine habitat quality of a minimum of 50 wetland and deepwater polygons during
spring, summer, and early autumn for migrating dabbling ducks, breeding wetland birds,
and migrating shorebirds in Illinois, and
7) Distribute results and findings to site managers and biologists of the Illinois Department
of Natural Resources (IDNR) and other state agencies, the Mississippi Flyway Technical Section, the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region (UMRGLR) Joint Venture, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, other scientists and collaborators as requested, and the general public through oral presentations, popular articles, technical reports, and peer reviewed publications; make recommendations for future wetland management practices and research needs based on results and related research; contribute to regional conservation planning efforts during the project period as appropriate and requested.Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife & U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Contract Number: RC09-13FWUIUCunpublishednot peer reviewedOpe
