BIRD SURVEY OF THE ATCHAFALAYA BASIN, LOUISIANA

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BIRD SURVEY OF THE ATCHAFALAYA BASIN, LOUISIANA

• WILLIAM R. FONTENOT and JAY V. HUNER
• ACADIANA NATURE PARK and CRAWFISH RESEARCH
  CENTER, ULL, LAFAYETTE, LA

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SUPPORT ATCHAFALAYA BASIN PROGRAM, LOUISIANA
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ADMINISTRATED BY
MS. SANDRA THOMPSON
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• OBJECTIVES
• ASSESS THE COMPOSITION AND SEASONAL
• STATUS OF BASINS BIRD COMMUNITY
• IDENTIFY THE BEST POTENTIAL, ACCESSIBLE
• BIRDING SITES IN THE BASIN
• PROVIDE A FOUNDATION FOR ADDITIONAL
• BIRD SURVEYS

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• ATCHAFALAYA BASIN IS NORTH AMERICAS LARGEST
• REMAINING RIVER SWAMP. HABITATS INCLUDE
• RIVER SWAMP
• MISCELLANEOUS OPEN WATER
• BATTURE
• FRESHWATER MARSH
• BOTTOMLAND HARDWOOD FOREST
• AGRICULTURAL LANDS
• DRY-MESIC SHORT-GRASS (ESPECIALLY LEVEES)

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• SURVEYS FROM NOVEMBER 2001 MAY 2004
• 415 INDIVIDUAL 4-6 HOUR SURVEYS
• 2,000 HOURS OF BIRDING DATA
• 270 BIRD SPECIES (59 OF STATES AVIFAUNA)
• BASIN IS 4 OF THE STATES AREA!S

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SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY JAMES BECK, RICK BELLO,
STEVEN CARDIFF, MIKE CARLOSS, JIM DELAHOUSSAYE,
DONNA DITTMAN, ROB DOBBS, BILL FONTENOT, ROBERT
HAMILTON, JAY HUNER, MICHAEL MUSUMECHE, DAVE
PATTON, GARY PONTIFF, MATT PONTIFF, VIRGINIA
RETTIG, EARL ROBICEAUX, ALLISON STYRING, AND
CHRIS WITT.
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• REPRESENTATIVE BIRDS
• WOOD DUCK
• DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
• LITTLE BLUE HERON
• SWALLOW-TAILED KITE
• RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER
• WHITE-EYED VIREO
• PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
• WHITE-SPARROW SPARROW
• NORTHERN CARDINAL
• PAINTED BUNTING

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• SURPRISE BIRDS
• BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK
• LONG-TAILED DUCK
• WHITE-TAILED KITE
• BALD EAGLE
• WHITE-WINGED DOVE
• BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD
• SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER
• EASTERN BLUEBIRD
• AMERICAN PIPIT
• BALTIMORE ORIOLE

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• BIRDING FESTIVALS GENERATED BY PROJECT
• ECO-TOURISM!!
• EAGLE QUEST MORGAN CITY FEBRUARY
• NEOTROPICAL SONGBIRD TOUR SHERBURNE AREA,
• MAY
• WADING BIRD/SHOREBIRD FESTIVAL SOUTH FARM/
• RAMAH, JULY STORKS

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• AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR FESTIVALS
• GOLD COAST CONVEN. VISITORS BUREAU
• BARATARIA-TERREBONNE NAT. ESTUARY PROG.
• LA. DEPT. OF WILDLIFE FISHERIES
• U. S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
• U. S. FISH WILDLIFE SERVICE

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RECOMMENDED BIRDING DESTINATIONS EIGHTEEN SITES
WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE CENTRAL AND LOWER BASIN
AND FOUR IN THE UPPER BASIN (AVOYELLES
PARISH) ALL SITES INCLUDED IN BIRDING TRAILS
DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH LOUISIANA
DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, RECREATION AND TOURISM
SUSAN CALCOTTE DESERVES MANY THANKS FOR HER WORK
IN THIS AREA. A SEPARATE BASIN BIRDING TRAIL?
MAYBE?
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• SOME HIGH-LIGHTED LOCATIONS
• SOUTH FARM WATERBIRDS
• SHERBURNE x LA 975 NEOTROPICAL SONGBIRDS
• INDIAN BAYOU NEOTROPICAL SONGBIRDS
• BROWNELL PARK EAGLES AND PELICANS!!
• LAKE FAUSE POINT STATE PARK POTPOURRI
• BAYOU TECHE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
• LOUISIANA BLACK BEAR RARE BIRDS?