Evaluating the Role of Wetland Habitat Features in Shaping Bird Residence Patterns for Effective Conservation Strategies

As climate change continues to impact ecosystems worldwide, wetlands have been disproportionately affected because they are close to human settlements. Wetland degradation is an essential focus for habitat restoration because increased connectivity of these sensitive habitats can significantly improve ecosystem function. The Los Cerritos Wetland (LCW) is an urban wetland fragment in Southern California in the pre-tidal restoration stage. Neighboring waterways are home to many animals, including sea turtles, fishes, and birds. We set out to understand the current use of LCW habitats pre-restoration to better track the impacts of tidal restoration on this wetland fragment. We focused on native birds because they utilize the habitat as part of their migration pattern. This study looked at the effects of wetland habitat features, like plant community composition, on native bird occupancy. We also looked at time of day use to determine bird residence time in the wetland. Birds were more frequently observed within salt marsh habitats containing native, shorter species like pickleweed compared with taller, invasive brush-like mustard grass. The most commonly observed species were egrets and swallows, which were more frequently observed at dawn and dusk during cooler times of day. Understanding the influence of wetland habitat features and bird residence patterns is crucial for informing conservation strategies that protect and enhance these critical ecosystems for native bird populations.