Responses of Wintering Bald Eagles to Boating Activity
Knight RL and Knight JR. 1984. Responses of Wintering Bald Eagles to Boating Activity. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 48(3):999-1004
Wintering populations of bald eagles show a close association with open water. With the dramatic increase in the use of waterways for recreation activity in recent decades, concern had arisen regarding the effects of boating activity on wintering eagles. Boating activity can be detrimental because it disrupts feeding activity and affects large areas in short periods of time. Disturbance may result in increased energy expenditures due to avoidance flights and decreased energy intake due to interference with feeding activity. In this paper we examine flushing responses and flight distances of wintering bald eagles to a canoe on two adjacent rivers with widely disparate levels of boating activity. We examine individual and interactive effects of eagle age, behavior, and social grouping.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Knight, R; Knight, J
- Units
- GLBA , KLGO , SITK
- Keywords
- Bald Eagle, Birds/Ornithology, Environmental Impact, Human Disturbance, land use (Recreation), Raptor