Avifaunal species responses to a restored migratory stopover habitat in an urban park

Bird populations in North America have been in decline since mid-1900s due to a multitude of stressors including pesticide use, habitat loss, predation by cats, as well as window and vehicle collisions. Tommy Thompson Park is a constructed wilderness park in Toronto (Ontario) that is along the migratory path for many species that are exhibiting the largest declines. We will utilize bird banding data collected since 2003 during both spring and fall migration from the TTP Bird Research Station to determine how and when bird communities change in composition and diversity in response to changes in land use, weather, and restoration activities. This study will help to identify how effective the habitat restoration practices have been on migratory bird communities to inform ongoing and future works in TTP and other waterfront parks.

Faculty Supervisor:

Marie-Josée Fortin

Student:

Partner:

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Arts, entertainment and recreation; Professional, scientific and technical services; Public administration

University:

University of Toronto

Program: