Disturbance at Selected Bald Eagles Nests in and Near Acadia National Park, 1993-1994
Matz Ac, Dooling SE, Gilbert JR. 1997. Disturbance at Selected Bald Eagles Nests in and Near Acadia National Park, 1993-1994. Technichal Report NPS/NESO-RNR/NRTR/97-05. Department if the Interior National Park Service New England System Support Office. Boston, MA
FIELD WORK 1993-1994 Maine Blad Eagels (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) have lower productivity than other bald eagle populations in North America. Managers at Acadia National Park (ANP) were concerned that human disturbance contributed to this low productivity. Coastal Maine is less busy at the times when productivity could be immediately affected through nest abondonment (courtship and incubation, March through April) than during the warmer summer months. It is at these times that temporary disturbance effects are longer-term but less obvious, such as increased energetic stress or reduced food consumption. We therefore focused our efforts on observing human activities and eagle responses at four bald eagle nests in or near ANP during the summer (May-August, 1993-94)...The nest site owned by the National Park Service had the highest amount of human activity, but all nest sites experienced disturbance. The overall percent disturbance (all activities, all nests, both ages) was 7.2% (21/292). Fledglings had higher percent disturbance than adults and close activities generated a higher percent disturbance than did far...In order to reduce stress on breeding and fledgling eagles, we recommend a 500-m buffer zone around nest sites and perched eagles, maintained through the time period after fledging (through August). The most effective way to maintain buffer zones is through public and tour operator education, and the staff at ANP is in an excellant position to facilitate education about disturbance stress on bald eagles, as well as other wildlife.' /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /MOUNT DESERT ISLAND/Mount Desert Narrows/ISLANDS/Bar Island/
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Matz, Angela; Dooling, Sarah; Gilbert, James
- Date of Issue
- 1997-04
- Publisher
- Department if the Interior National Park Service New England System Support Office
- Units
- ACAD
- Keywords
- Bar Island, Disturbance, Human Impacts, Islands, Kites, Mount Desert Island, Mount Desert Narrows, Natural Resource Management, Productivity, Rare Species, Threatened & Endangered Species