ABSTRACT
An alternative view to the delineation of wetland boundaries based on the faunal component is presented. The behavior of breeding birds in the Baldwin wetland complex located in the northeast section of the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario indicates that wetland delineation should consider the faunal component along with the botanical, hydrological, and geomorphological criteria. Although a distinct boundary existed between the wetland and upland vegetation, when the ranges of resident birds were mapped the sharpness of this boundary was not as obvious. Reasons for this included (a) wetland avian species utilized the surrounding upland sites for various life functions including nesting and territorial defense, (b) species that nested in adjacent upland sites depended on the wetland for foraging, and (c) species from other landscape units in the fragmented landscape relied on this wetland as a food source. The implications of these factors on management of the wetland are discussed.
