{"id":{"repo_id":"royalroads","oai_identifier":"oai:null:10170/375"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/royalroads/oai:null:10170/375","repository":{"repo_id":"royalroads","name":"Royal Roads University","base_url":"https://www.viurrspace.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Set-back distances to protect nesting and roosting seabirds off Vancouver Island from boat disturbance","abstract":"In order to set guidelines that promote responsible wildlife viewing, I quantified the effects of boat-based disturbance to seabirds off Vancouver Island. Field trials recorded the approach distance at which roosting and nesting birds responded to either a motor boat or a kayak. Probability of agitation response was used to evaluate disturbance. At a distance of 40 m nesting Double-crested Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Pigeon Guillemots and Black Oystercatchers had less than an 8% chance of being agitated with either a kayak or motorboat approach. Roosting birds had longer response distances. Harlequin Ducks were particularly sensitive with a 25% probability of agitation at distances less than 50 m. Agitation distances were reduced by habituation to boat traffic. A set-back guideline of 50 m would protect most nest and roost sites in the study area while allowing viewers to appreciate seabirds. Some sensitive sites would require 70 m set-backs.","abstract_html":"In order to set guidelines that promote responsible wildlife viewing, I quantified the effects of boat-based disturbance to seabirds off Vancouver Island. Field trials recorded the approach distance at which roosting and nesting birds responded to either a motor boat or a kayak. Probability of agitation response was used to evaluate disturbance. At a distance of 40 m nesting Double-crested Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Pigeon Guillemots and Black Oystercatchers had less than an 8% chance of being agitated with either a kayak or motorboat approach. Roosting birds had longer response distances. Harlequin Ducks were particularly sensitive with a 25% probability of agitation at distances less than 50 m. Agitation distances were reduced by habituation to boat traffic. A set-back guideline of 50 m would protect most nest and roost sites in the study area while allowing viewers to appreciate seabirds. Some sensitive sites would require 70 m set-backs.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Chatwin, Trudy"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Stalberg, Michael"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010-09-16T17:23:12Z","date_published":"2010-09-16T17:23:12Z","updated_at":"2026-08-21T22:21:56Z","subjects":["Sea birds","Wildlife watching","Bird watching","Wildlife watching industry","Ecological assessment (Biology)","Boats and boating","Vancouver Island (B.C.)"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10170/375","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"source_record":{"url":"https://www.viurrspace.ca/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Anull%3A10170%2F375","prefix":"dim"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Stalberg, Michael"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Chatwin, Trudy"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2010-09-16T17:23:12Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2010-09-16T17:23:12Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2010-09-16T17:23:12Z"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Sea birds","Wildlife watching","Bird watching","Wildlife watching industry","Ecological assessment (Biology)","Boats and boating","Vancouver Island (B.C.)"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10170/375"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In order to set guidelines that promote responsible wildlife viewing, I quantified the effects of boat-based disturbance to seabirds off Vancouver Island. Field trials recorded the approach distance at which roosting and nesting birds responded to either a motor boat or a kayak. Probability of agitation response was used to evaluate disturbance. At a distance of 40 m nesting Double-crested Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Pigeon Guillemots and Black Oystercatchers had less than an 8% chance of being agitated with either a kayak or motorboat approach. Roosting birds had longer response distances. Harlequin Ducks were particularly sensitive with a 25% probability of agitation at distances less than 50 m. Agitation distances were reduced by habituation to boat traffic. A set-back guideline of 50 m would protect most nest and roost sites in the study area while allowing viewers to appreciate seabirds. Some sensitive sites would require 70 m set-backs."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Set-back distances to protect nesting and roosting seabirds off Vancouver Island from boat disturbance"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Stalberg, Michael"],"dc:creator":["Chatwin, Trudy"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2010-09-16T17:23:12Z"],"dc:date.available":["2010-09-16T17:23:12Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2010-09-16T17:23:12Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["In order to set guidelines that promote responsible wildlife viewing, I quantified the effects of boat-based disturbance to seabirds off Vancouver Island. Field trials recorded the approach distance at which roosting and nesting birds responded to either a motor boat or a kayak. Probability of agitation response was used to evaluate disturbance. At a distance of 40 m nesting Double-crested Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Pigeon Guillemots and Black Oystercatchers had less than an 8% chance of being agitated with either a kayak or motorboat approach. Roosting birds had longer response distances. Harlequin Ducks were particularly sensitive with a 25% probability of agitation at distances less than 50 m. Agitation distances were reduced by habituation to boat traffic. A set-back guideline of 50 m would protect most nest and roost sites in the study area while allowing viewers to appreciate seabirds. Some sensitive sites would require 70 m set-backs."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10170/375"],"dc:subject":["Sea birds","Wildlife watching","Bird watching","Wildlife watching industry","Ecological assessment (Biology)","Boats and boating","Vancouver Island (B.C.)"],"dc:title":["Set-back distances to protect nesting and roosting seabirds off Vancouver Island from boat disturbance"]},"updated_at":"2026-08-21T22:21:56Z"}