Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conferences
Date of this Version
October 1993
Abstract
Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) droppings are a problem on Fort Loudoun Hydroelectric Dam. Annual and daily use patterns were monitored to determine when and what areas of the dam the herons were using. The dam was used primarily during the breeding season (April-July) and received 24.2% more use in the evenings than in the morning. The most use occurred in June with a high of 211 birds 12 June 1991 and 266 birds 5 June 1992. Herons used band railings on the dam the most (66%) for perching. About 12% of the night herons using the dam were juveniles. Because most of the use occurred in April through June, we suggest that damage control efforts be concentrated at this time and we suggest methods of control.