Wood storks of the Birdsville colony and swamps of the Savannah River Plant

Technical Report · Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7267287· OSTI ID:7267287

Coulter, M. C.

The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) Wood Stork program is a long-term program including various facets. It is primarily aimed at determining the importance of the SRSS to foraging storks and managing the Kathwood Foraging Ponds. In order to accomplish this, we have examined the breeding biology of the birds at the colony to determine when the birds may have maximum food demand. We have also studied foraging ecology of the birds in order to gain insights that would allow us to develop a more effective management plan for the Kathwood ponds. More specifically, the objectives of the work carried out in 1988 were: (1) to determine the locations of foraging sites of Wood Storks from the Birdsville colony and examine year-to-year variation in sites used; (2) to characterize in more detail the habitat, vegetation, water quality and prey density/biomass at these sites; (3) to observe the breeding birds to determine times when food demands at the colony are greatest; (4) to examine the movements of storks from the rookery to foraging sites and related seasonal trends to the breeding biology; (5) to examine the importance of the SRSS to foraging Wood Storks; and (6) to examine the movements of individual birds to determine the generality of the observed patterns. At the Kathwood ponds we monitored water quality to ensure that water conditions were optimal for the stocked aquatic ponds, determined when to make the ponds available to the storks, and monitored the numbers of storks and other wading birds at the ponds. In this report, I present the results of these studies conducted in 1988. 30 refs., 107 figs., 81 tabs.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC (USA). Div. of Stress and Wildlife Ecology
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00819
• OSTI ID: 7267287
• Report Number(s): SREL-37; ON: DE90006980
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIRDS
POPULATION DYNAMICS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
BASELINE ECOLOGY
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
DIET
DROUGHTS
ENDANGERED SPECIES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FEEDING
GEORGIA
HABITAT
PONDS
PREDATOR-PREY INTERACTIONS
PROGRESS REPORT
WATER QUALITY
ANIMALS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECOLOGY
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION IV
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
SURFACE WATERS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
VERTEBRATES
540240* - Environment
Terrestrial- Thermal Effluents Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540250 - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)