Migratory Connectivity of Overwintering Golden-crowned Sparrow
The VIU Bird Banding Project has contributed feather samples for stable isotope and DNA analysis of Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla). This project led by PhD candidate Autumn Iverson at the University of California Davis seeks to understand the migration and population connectivity for this species.
Bird Banding at the Salmon River South Conservation Area, Sayward
In May and June 2016, we conducted bird banding at the Salmon River South Conservation Area of The Nature Trust of BC. Specifically, this project aimed to monitor migrating and breeding birds to assess their use of the habitat as a migratory stopover and breeding site. View the final data report for this project.
Black Oystercatcher and Varnish Clam
Undergraduate research project by Emily Hollenberg (2013-2014) – Poster
Hollenberg, E.J.R. and E. Demers. 2017. Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) foraging on varnish clams (Nuttallia obscurata) in Nanaimo, British Columbia. British Columbia Birds 27:35–41. [pdf]
Emily examined whether and to what extent varnish clams (Nuttalia obscurata) represent a significant part of the diet of Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) and whether Black Oystercatchers forage selectively on specific size classes of varnish clams.
Study sites were established at Piper’s Lagoon and Departure Bay Beach in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Observations of foraging Black Oystercatchers were conducted from October 2013 to February 2014.
She found that the varnish clam was an important food source for the Black Oystercatcher. There was no obvious indication of size-selective foraging by Black Oystercatchers. However, there was a slight difference between the mean size of available (larger) and eaten varnish clams at Piper’s Lagoon, but not at Departure Bay Beach. Black Oystercatchers were also found to feed on varnish clams at a higher rate at Piper’s Lagoon and throughout a broader tide range than at Departure Bay Beach.
This research found that Black Oystercatchers appear to exploit the varnish clams and may be able to obtain a substantial part of their daily energy requirements from this invasive species.
