Assessing the Importance of the Northeast NPR-A to Nesting Birds

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Importance of the Northeast NPR-A to Nesting Birds

The Teshekpuk Lake Special Area in the NPR-A is recognized for its importance to molting Brant geese, as a calving ground for the Teshekpuk Lake caribou herd, and has some of the highest densities of nesting shorebirds on the coastal plain. Despite this, no studies had been performed in this region to assess the breeding success of the full suite of tundra-nesting birds. From 2005-08, WCS, with support from the North Slope Borough, established a field camp at a site 7 km south of the Teshekpuk Lake to undertake the first study in this important region assessing nesting bird survivorship, nesting habitat selection, and other parameters.

In 2010, WCS, with support from the BLM, initiated a similar multi-year effort at a site on the Ikpikpuk River 30km south of the river delta. The Ikpikpuk River, on the coastal plain, is centered in a region of high breeding bird density and is in the middle of the Alaska’s highest breeding densities of Yellow-billed Loons, a species of conservation concern. As at Teshekpuk, no studies have been conducted in this region to assess nest survivorship, nesting habitat selection, and predator numbers in this important wildlife region challenged by oil development.

Goals

Collect novel baseline information on the breeding biology and habitat associations of tundra-nesting birds in the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area of the NPR-A and at Ikpikpuk to make a broader assessment across the northeast region of the NPR-A.
To compare nest survivorship results with other sites on the North Slope (including at Prudhoe Bay) to assess in the importance of sites to nesting birds and other wildlife.
Provide this information to key stakeholders to affect protection of key areas and to develop effective wildlife management recommendations based on our findings.

Activities

Breeding Bird Field Surveys

At Teshekpuk, data collection activities occurred from 2005-08, analysis and preparation of a manuscript took place in 2008-2009. The peer-reviewed manuscript is currently in press and will be featured in the March 2011 issue of the journal Arctic. We completed our first field season of nesting bird studies at the Ikpikpuk site in June/July of 2010. We found over 300 nests of 18 species. Preliminary results are reported in the Ikpikpuk Annual Report.

Accomplishments

In 2008, WCS worked with other nonprofit conservation groups (including Audubon Alaska) to secure permanent protection of Teshekpuk Lake and a 10-year deferral on development on a 400,000 hectare region north of the lake reversing the Interior Department plans for 100% development in this key wildlife region. Our four-year presence in this region allowed us to collect and report on novel wildlife information, and to uniquely share our first-hand impressions of this poorly known, but immensely important, large, natural area for international wildlife with the American public. We will continue to work closely with the BLM and North Slope Borough on recommendations for lasting wildlife protection in the northeast NPR-A through our ongoing research efforts.

In July of 2010 the BLM announced that 170,000 acres south of Teshekpuk Lake would be deffered from leasing because of migratory bird and caribou habitat concerns. We welcome this new decision.