Waterbirds and wetlands, Chisana-upper Tanana rivers, Alaska, 1979 : with emphasis on the Scottie-Desper Creek wetlands : Final report
Kessel B, Murphy SM, Vining LJ. 1980. Waterbirds and wetlands, Chisana-upper Tanana rivers, Alaska, 1979 : with emphasis on the Scottie-Desper Creek wetlands : Final report. University of Alaska Museum. Fairbanks, AK
Adjacent to/nearby WRANGELL. Wetland resources of the upper Tanana River valley and their use by water birds were investigated in 1979 and the data compared with similar data from 1977. Except for loons and grebes, water bird populations in the study area were lower in 1979. Waterfowl showed the greatest decline, especially in species that breed on the prairies. Gardiner Creek is of low value to water birds due to lack of habitat. Gardiner Creek Flats provides locally important habitat for Canada geese during migration and breeding and post-breeding times. Three areas were used intensively by water birds during spring breakup in 1979. All thawed early and seemed to have available food: Clearwater Lake and nearby farms, Dry Lake, and Gardiner Creek Flats offer important habitats. The Scottie-Desper Creek wetlands are relatively important for water birds but produced 30-40% fewer young per unit area than either the Minto Lakes or Yukon Flats.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Kessel, Brina; Murphy, Stephen; Vining, Leonard
- Date of Issue
- 1980
- Publisher
- University of Alaska Museum
- Units
- WRST
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Aquatic Invertebrates, Aquatic Sciences, Baseline Inventory, Chisana River, cranes, Gavia spp., grebes, Gruidae, Habitat, Limnology, Loons, Migration, Podicipediadae, Population, Raptors, Scottie-Desper Creek drainage, Shore Birds, Surveys, Tanana River Valley, Water Birds, Wetlands, Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park And Preserve