Kimberley Wetten1 and Eric Demers2
1 2345 Hemer Rd., Nanaimo, B.C., V9X 1G9; wettenkim@gmail.com
2 Biology Department, Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth St., Nanaimo, B.C., V9R 5S5; Eric.Demers@viu.ca
Abstract: Calvert Island is located approximately 60 km north of Vancouver Island on the B.C. Central Coast and is a potential stopover site for migratory birds using the Pacific Flyway. The Vancouver Island University (VIU) Bird Banding Project, in partnership with the Hakai Institute and Tula Foundation, conducted a songbird banding project to assess this. It included 33 days of banding throughout three 2-week sessions: 11-22 June 2015, 12-24 August 2015, and 5-16 May 2016. A total of 492 individuals of 27 species were banded and 254 birds were recaptured (11 were recaptures in 2016 of 2015 birds). The three most abundant species were: Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata), Oregon Junco (Junco hyemalis oreganus) and Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa). During the June 2015 banding session, a high proportion of hatch-year (HY) birds indicated that the breeding season was well underway. In the August 2015 banding session, the low proportion of after-hatch-year (AHY) individuals suggested that most birds may have dispersed or migrated out of the area early. The strongest indication of migration occurred during the May 2016 banding session, with a high proportion of birds carrying high fat loads, no HY birds and a pulse of after-second-year (ASY) birds. Despite a small sample size, several bird species appear to use Calvert Island during northward and southward migration and as a breeding location.
Key words: Calvert Island, bird banding, migration, VIU Bird Banding Project, Hakai Institute, Pacific Flyway, songbirds.
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