B--B--NESTING STUDY OF WHITE WING SCOTERS IN NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to award a sole source contract to Ducks Unlimited, Canada, Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research, for a continuing study on the breeding ecology of White-winged Scoters. The research will be conducted in the Lower Mackenzie River watershed in the Northwest Territories and will employ a blend of aerial surveys, mark-recapture methods—including radio-marking pre-nesting females—nest searching, and brood observations to estimate demographic parameters of the scoter population. The study aims to deepen understanding of the species' breeding habits and contribute valuable ecological data. The contract requires the submission of a detailed study plan by May 2004 and a summary report of the 2004 field season results, along with a project cost breakdown, due by September 2004. The work is managed under the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters and is associated with solicitation number DOI-SNOTE-040330-001. The research will support conservation efforts and provide critical insights into the species' nesting ecology in the specified region.