Ardea
Official journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Union

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Mosbech A. & Glahder C. (1991) Assessment of the impact of helicopter disturbance on moulting Pink-footed Geese Anser brachyrhynchus and Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis in Jameson Land, Greenland. ARDEA 79 (2): 233-237
Jameson Land, at the southern border of the high arctic zone in Northeast Greenland holds in the summer c. 5000 moulting Pink-footed Geese Anser brachyrhynchus and 5000 moulting Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis and breeding populations of about 500 pairs of each species. Oil exploration activities in 1987 and 1988 have involved massive helicopter traffic. To assess the impact of this disturbance, the behavioural responses of the moulting geese to helicopter disturbance have been studied and related to time budget of undisturbed geese. Disturbance reactions were shown by the geese when helicopters approached to 10 km (large ones, Bell 212) or 5 km (small ones, Bell 206). Time budgets of Pink-footed Geese were strongly affected by the disturbance. They were seen to graze and rest less often and to swim more often, and probably did not get enough food. The effect on the time budget of Barnacle Geese was not so strong.


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