Provide artificial nesting sites for waders

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 2
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

25%
Certainty

20%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Study locations

Key messages

Two replicated studies from the UK and the USA found that waders used artificial islands and nesting sites.
The UK study found that sparsely vegetated islands at coastal sites were used more than well vegetated and inland sites.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated study in 1992 reviewing the use of artificial islands and floating platforms in 17 wetland nature reserves across the UK (Burgess & Hirons 1992) found that six species of wader were more likely to use sparsely-vegetated islands and platforms for nesting on than well-vegetated ones. Platforms at inland sites were used less than those at coastal sites. Pied avocets Recurvirostra avosetta only bred on sparsely-covered islands and platforms at southern, coastal sites, with the provision of shingle islands leading to a significant increase in the avocet population at one site and the establishment of a population at another. Common ringed plovers Charadrius hiaticula only used islands at coastal sites, whilst little ringed plovers C. dubius only used sparsely-vegetated islands, but at both inland and coastal sites. Common redshank Tringa tetanus, northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus and Eurasian oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus nested on islands at almost all sites. The review also examines island and platform use by grebes, divers, ground-nesting seabirds, rails and wildfowl.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Burgess N.D. & Hirons G.J.M. (1992) Creation and management of artificial nesting sites for wetland birds. Journal of Environmental Management, 34, 285-295.
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.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
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.

Please cite as:

Williams, D.R., Child, M.F., Dicks, L.V., Ockendon, N., Pople, R.G., Showler, D.A., Walsh, J.C., zu Ermgassen, E.K.H.J. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Bird Conservation. Pages 137-281 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

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This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Bird Conservation

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