Project Code:	TOLKHL-01-062
Program:	FRIP
Sponsor:	Tolko Industries
Project Status:	Completed

Object & Deliverables

The Canada Warbler is designated ‘Threatened’ by COSEWIC and is classified ‘Threatened’ under the Species At Risk Act. Provincially, it is considered ‘Sensitive’ in Alberta. Canada Warbler surveys were initiated in the Grande Prairie and Pembina Weyerhaeuser Forest Management Agreement areas in 2013-2014. We used historical data from the Alberta Bird Atlas, the Fish and Wildlife Management Information System and previous songbird surveys that were conducted for Weyerhaeuser to determine where to set the new surveys. We surveyed 26 stations and 107 stations in the Grande Prairie and Pembina FMAs, respectively. We also completed an additional 194 stations as part of the Grande Prairie 2U13 songbird survey and 345 stations in the North Pembina and 387 stations in the South Pembina as part of the Pembina songbird survey. We detected 12 Canada Warbles in the Grande Prairie FMA and only 3 in the Pembina FMA. Canada Warblers were detected between June 3 and June 15. All sites were classified as boreal mixedwood and had high canopy closure with dense understory vegetation (lowbush cranberry, dogwood, and bracted honeysuckle). Paper birch was present at both Pembina sites and at 5 of the 12 Grande Prairie sites. Green alder and willow were found at most sites indicating that the forest was moist. Singing perches were low to the ground and were in trees, shrubs, or on large broken branches that were at an angle above ground. Further surveys should be conducted in 2015 to determine if this species is found in the Saddle Hills north of Grande Prairie. Using recorders would also inform us on when Canada Warblers are singing (time of year and time of day), which will help for long-term surveys in the future.

 

 

Final Report

The complete findings of this project are contained in the LiDAR Optimized Forest Assessment for Landscape Management – Phase II FRIAA PROJECT TOLKHL-01-062 Final Report.

TOLKHL-01-062