Effects of Disturbance Associated with Natural Gas Extraction on the Occurrence of Three Grassland Songbirds

摘要

Despite declines in the grassland bird guild and increasing rates of natural gas extraction on the Canadian prairies, relatively few studies have examined the effects of well sites and related infrastructure on these species. We conducted point counts on Canadian Forces Base Suffield, Alberta to investigate the effects of two well densities (high: 16 wells/2.59km², low: 9 wells/2.59km²) on Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus), and Sprague