Labrador DND Waterfowl Survey 1994-2004

The Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), as commissioned by the Department of National Defense (DND), conducted the Labrador DND Waterfowl Survey using helicopters to survey breeding waterfowl in eight years between 1994-2004 on fourteen 10x10 km (100 km²) plots located in Labrador. The objective of the survey was to assess the effects of jet overflights in the DND low-level flight training area in Labrador on breeding waterfowl densities. The survey design included a subset of plots designated as control plots with no history of overflights and experimental plots that were subjected to high frequency, low (generally <500m above ground level) overflights (>4 per day). Earlier analyses based on the three control plots (DND-9, DND-10 WL-15) and three experimental plots (DND-1, DND-3, DND-8) surveyed from 1995-1998 showed high densities of Canada Goose and American Black Duck on the high frequency plots compared to the control plots, suggesting these species can use habitat that is subjected to frequent low-level jet overflights (Bateman et al. 1999). This is the first publication of the complete survey dataset including all plots, years and species.

Complete bilingual metadata including detailed survey protocols and data dictionaries is available in downloadable files.

Bateman, M.C., Hicks, A.H., & Bowes, S.M. 1999. Assessment of Breeding Waterfowl Populations in the Labrador Low Level Flight Training Area. Environmental Mitigation Program Supporting Military Flight Activity in Goose Bay, Labrador. Canadian Wildlife Service Report. https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2023/eccc/cw66/CW66-1045-1999-eng.pdf