Night vision system for observing activity of shorebirds on mudflats

芬迪湾上游是迁徙的半棕榈鹬的重要中转区，每年7月下旬至8月下旬期间，有超过100万只鸟访问该地区。在该地区，鹬广泛地以无脊椎动物为食，特别是在泥滩上发现的片足类Corophium volutator。近年来，鹬类对栖息地的利用有所改变，这可能是对食物基础变化的反应。这一事实，再加上观察到的人口下降，使我们了解这个物种的食物习惯和觅食行为在芬迪湾的时间非常重要。我们最近发现了一种新的进食行为，在这种行为中，鸟类似乎是在“啜饮”底物，而不是更常见的啄食。这种情况主要发生在它们的主要猎物密度较低的地区，这表明这种新方法允许它们采取其他食物。西方鹬也有类似的行为。我们目前正在进行一项研究，将观察到的行为与饮食习惯联系起来（使用血浆稳定同位素分析进行测量）。然而，我们的行为观察目前仅限于白天。这是有问题的，因为已知鹬在夜间觅食，而相关物种已被证明在黑暗中觅食时使用不同的觅食方法，栖息地和选择不同的猎物。因此，我建议购买一个夜视系统，这将使我们能够将行为观察和鸟类密度和栖息地使用的估计扩展到夜间。这将包括两个微型单筒望远镜，可以连接在一起，形成双筒望远镜与7倍放大率的鸟类计数在一个距离。当分离时，单筒望远镜将连接到摄像机上，允许我们记录行为以供以后分析。购买这个系统将有助于更全面地研究矶鹬觅食生态，这反过来又将有助于我们微调这个物种的栖息地保护工作。此外，研究结果将被纳入正在进行的泥滩群落生态学研究，并最终将有助于我们了解群落结构和功能的能力。

The upper Bay of Fundy is a critical staging area for migrating Semipalmated Sandpipers, with more than one million birds visiting the area each summer between late July and late August. When in the region, sandpipers feed extensively on invertebrates, especially the amphipod Corophium volutator, found on mudflats. In recent years, habitat use by sandpipers has changed somewhat, possibly in response to changes in the food base. This fact, coupled with an observed population decline, makes it important that we understand food habits and foraging behaviour of this species during their time in the Bay of Fundy. We have recently identified a new feeding behaviour, in which bird appear to "sip" the substrate as opposed to the more common pecking. This occurs mainly in areas where their main prey item is found at low densities, suggesting that this new method allows them to take other food. Western Sandpipers have been observed engaging in similar behaviour. We are currently conducting a study linking observed behaviour with food habits (being measured using stable isotope analysis of blood plasma). However, our behavioural observations are currently limited to daytime. This is problematic, because sandpipers are known to feed at night, and related species have been shown to use different foraging methods, habitat, and select different prey when feeding in the dark. Therefore, I propose to purchase a night vision system that will allow us to extend behavioural observations and estimates of bird density and habitat use to nighttime. This will consist of two mini-monoculars that can be attached together to form binoculars with 7x magnification for bird counts at a distance. When separate, the monoculars will be attachable to camcorders, allowing us to record behaviour for later analysis. Purchasing this system will facilitate a more complete study of sandpiper foraging ecology, which in turn will help us to fine tune habitat conservation efforts for this species. Further, results will be incorporated into ongoing studies of mudflat community ecology, and will ultimately aid in our ability to understand community structure and function.