Open AccessAnnual movement patterns of American common eiders Somateria mollissima dresseri
Author(s) -
Mallory Mark L.,
Ronconi Robert A.,
Allen R. Bradford,
Dwyer Chris,
Lair Stéphane,
Mallory Conor D.,
McLellan Nic R.,
Milton G. Randy,
Parsons Glen J.,
Savoy Lucas,
Tomlik Molly D.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
wildlife biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.566
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1903-220X
pISSN - 0909-6396
DOI - 10.2081/wlb.00665
Subject(s) - eider , geography , range (aeronautics) , phenology , fishery , population , cape , annual cycle , subspecies , habitat , ecology , waterfowl , biology , archaeology , materials science , demography , sociology , composite material
The American common eider Somateria mollissima dresseri is a sea duck of coastal mid‐Atlantic North America, and breeding colonies in the southern part of its range have been in decline. To better understand threats faced by the subspecies, we used satellite telemetry to track 46 eiders through their annual cycle in four years from three regions in the southern part of the range, to identify key locations and migratory corridors. Female eiders exhibited highly variable movement phenology within and among colonies, but coastal Maine and Massachusetts were consistent, important moulting areas for males and females from all breeding colonies. Most birds wintered in coastal waters around Cape Cod and Nantucket Sound, meaning that threats in this region (industrial development, disease outbreak, harvest) could have deleterious effects on much of the population.