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10 January 2010
William M. Giuliano
Dept. of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
308 Newins-Ziegler Hall
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611
352/846-0575; Fax: 352/392-6984
docg@ufl.edu
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Effects of Marsh Habitat Structure on Willet Distribution
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WILLIAM M. GIULIANO1, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, 308 Newins-
RH: Giuliano and Schaumburg  Habitat effects on willets
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Ziegler Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
KRISTEN SCHAUMBURG2, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx,
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NY 10458, USA
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ABSTRACT A species of special concern, willets (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) have shown
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0.3-1.5% population declines per year throughout much of Connecticut during the past several
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decades. While these declines are often associated with loss and degradation of salt and brackish
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marsh habitats, little quantitative information exists on willet-habitat relationships in such areas,
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limiting conservation efforts. Thus, our objective was to quantify the effects of marsh habitat
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structure on willet distribution in Connecticut marshes. During April-September, 2003 and
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2004, we conducted standard point counts, callback surveys, and vegetation measurements, in 39
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Connecticut marshes. To understand the importance of habitat structure to willet distribution, we
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compared (1) willet use of major habitats (i.e., common reed [Phragmites australis]-dominated,
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cattail [Typha latifolia]-dominated, short-grass meadow, cordgrass meadow, and brackish
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mixture) and structural differences between these habitats (i.e., vegetation height and plant
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Email: docg@ufl.edu
Present address: Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, 308 Newins-Ziegler Hall, University of
Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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2 | Giuliano and Schaumburg
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species richness) and (2) habitat variables (i.e., vegetation height and coverage of Spartina
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alterniflora, S. patens, Typha latifolia, Phragmites australis, Distichlis spicata, Juncus gerardi,
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Scirpus spp., other plants, ditches, open water, mudflat, and flotsam) between locations where
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willets were and were not documented. Our data suggest that willets used short-grass meadow,
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cordgrass meadow, and brackish mixture habitats, more than common reed and cattail-dominated
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habitats, possibly because they had shorter vegetation and often contained more diverse plant
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communities. Plants of particular importance to willets in these salt and brackish marshes were
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saltmarsh cordgrass, saltmeadow hay, and spike grass. To improve salt and brackish marshes for
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willets, management should focus on the creation and maintenance of short-grass meadow,
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cordgrass meadow, and brackish mixtures, while working to remove common reed and cattail-
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dominated areas.
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KEY WORDS Catoptrophorus semipalmatus, Connecticut, distribution, habitat, marsh,
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vegetation, willet.
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The Journal of Wildlife Management: 00(0):000-000, 200X