Aylmer Wildlife Management Area (11328)
Canada, North America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2008
National site name: Aylmer Wildlife Management Area
Central coordinates: Latitude: 42.8057, Longitude: -80.9435
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 234 to 235
Area of KBA (km2): 10.28692
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Aylmer Wildlife Management Area is located about 4 km northeast of the town of Aylmer in Elgin County, Ontario. It was purchased by the Province of Ontario in 1962 with the initial purpose of creating upland game habitat. Later the emphasis changed to developing habitat for waterfowl staging during spring and fall and to provide hunting and viewing opportunities. Currently, the 210 hectare site is primarily managed to attract Tundra Swans. Part of the site is planted with lure crops to keep the swans and geese feeding on-site as opposed to neighbouring farms. About 20 hectares of the site has been excavated to create shallow, but varying depth artificial ponds. Conifers have been planted as windbreaks, and non-native shrubs have been planted in long hedgerows. Naturally regenerating willow, aspen, and elm occur primarily around the edges of these ponds. Up to 10 tonnes of corn (1993), and in some years wheat, are fed in spring to attract swans.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: The Aylmer Wildlife Management regularly supports significant numbers of Tundra Swan during the spring migration period. Since 1980, one-day peak counts have ranged from as few as 500 to as many as 12,000 birds. Turnover rates at this site have not been determined so one-day peak counts represents the absolute minimum number of swans utilizing the site. Total numbers are likely much higher. Over the past five years (1992-98) the average peak one-day count at this site has been 2,900 Tundra swans. Based on recent population estimates, this represents over 1.5% of the estimated North American Tundra Swan population, and as much as 3.3% of the estimated eastern North American wintering population. Tundra Swans also utilize the site during the fall migration, but in much smaller numbers, with the one-day peaks rarely exceeding 500 birds. In addition to swans, the site also attracts Canada Geese and small to moderate (for southwestern Ontario) numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds from mid-March through to December. Some recent peaks include: American Black Duck (100+), Green-winged Teal (100+), Least Sandpiper (150+), Semipalmated Sandpiper (225), American Golden Plover (150) and Killdeer (250). During the 1997 migration a total of 18 shorebird species were recorded.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 50 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 |