The Birds of the Fraser River Delta: Populations, Ecology and International Significance

Abstract

Urban, agricultural, and industrial expansion into estuaries has progressed at an alarming rate over the past several decades. The biological resources of many estuaries are poorly known. Butler and Campbell have made a significant contribution to our understanding of the historical and present status of birds and their habitats in one of the great river deltas of the Pacific coast of North America. The authors' objective was to document changes in habitats and avian populations, summarize available information on birds using the Fraser River delta (FRD), and review conservation issues associated with the birds of the estuary. The heart of this publication is organized into the following sections: historical changes among the human population, habitat types, an annotated list of birds of the FRD, the food web in the FRD, pollutants, present state of wildlife habitat, the significance of the FRD, conclusions, and recommendations.