Brent Ortego

Productivity, nesting biology, and gosling survival of a resident flock of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) were studied in southeastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia from 1977 to 1982. A total of 323 nests contained 1,631 eggs. The nesting season usually began in late February and ended in early June. Yearly nest success varied from 27% to 64%. Flooding resulted in the destruction of 35% of total nests and was ranked as the major cause of nest failure. Nest success on artificial nest structures and beaver (Castor canadensis) lodges was higher than on islands and the shoreline. More...

Winter and summer bird numbers were determined for four aquatic habitats in Miller's Lake, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana. As the succession of the vegetation progressed from open water to water tupelos (Nyssa aquatica), the number of bird species occurring in each habitat increased during both seasons, and the number of individuals and avian species diversity increased during summer. Bird numbers in each habitat were higher in winter than summer. In the more structurally complex aquatic habitats avian densities and species richness were higher than in upland areas of similar vegetative...