ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some of the known effects of water level fluctuations on birds. Species nesting in highly stable habitats will generally be less affected by fluctuations in water level, but those likely to be affected have evolved a wide array of adaptations to frequent change. Wetlands provide feeding habitat for a wide variety of birds year round and seasonal habitats for nesting, moulting, migration stop-over sites, and wintering sites. Nesting habitat for waterbirds can be divided according to stability into three broad categories: stable, unstable, and intermediate. Avian communities have been studied in marshes in relation to water levels and habitat differences in various marsh species. The chapter outlines and reviews the main features of the effects of water fluctuations in the Great Lakes on avian populations using wetlands for feeding, nesting or other activities.
