Study

Habitat use and reproductive success of western snowy plovers at new nesting areas created for California least terns

  • Published source details Powell A.N. & Collier C.L. (2000) Habitat use and reproductive success of western snowy plovers at new nesting areas created for California least terns. Journal of Wildlife Management, 64, 24-33.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Provide artificial nesting sites for waders

Action Link
Bird Conservation
  1. Provide artificial nesting sites for waders

    A replicated, controlled study from March-August in 1994-1998 in 5 newly created site, 1 older artificial site and 1 natural site in coastal habitats in California, USA (Powell & Collier 2000) found that snowy plovers Charadrius alexandrius nivosus used sites created for common terns Sterna antillarum browni but fledge rates declined steadily over the study period. The number of plover nests increased from 5 in 1994 to 38 in 1997, and were found on 4 of the 5 created areas. The natural site has the highest number of nests in total compared to the newly and older created sites (39, 25 and 8 nests respectively). Fledge rate in 1995 was higher at the newly created site (1.4 fledglings/nest) than at the control sites in any year but declined to 0.27 fledglings/nest in 1998. Average fledge rates were similar amongst sites (0.57, 0.47 and 0.52 fledglings / nest for newly created sites, old site and natural site respectively). Created sites were dredge spoils of coarse material.

     

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