Distribution and Numbers of Coastal Waders (Charadrii) in the Southwestern Cape, South Africa, Summer 1975–76

Abstract

SUMMERS, R. W., COOPER, J. & PRINGLE, J. S. 1970. Distribution and numbers of coastal waders (Charadrii) in the southwestern Cape, South Africa, summer 1975-76. Ostrich 48: 85-97.A survey of the distribution and numbers of waders (suborder Charadrii) in the coastal regions of the southwestern Cape was conducted from November 1975 to February 1976. Forty-four coastal wetlands and 49 sections of coastline were visited between the Olifants and Groot-Brak rivers. The estimated total wader population was 119 008 of which 102841 (86,4%) were Palaearctic migrants. Langebaan Lagoon and the Berg estuary supported the largest numbers. The Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea and Sanderling Calidris alba were the most numerous species. The abundance of waders was greater on west coast shores than along the south coast. INTRODUCTIONData on the distribution and numbers of waders (suborder Charadrii) in southern Africa are scanty. Detailed information within the southwestern Cape is available only for the vleis (areas of seasonal inundation) near Cape Town (Scott

Breeding biology of the White-fronted Plover (Charadrius marginatus) in the south-western cape, South Africa

“…Ricklefs (1970) also suggested that a reduced clutch size may also result from 'a relative increase in the intensity of interspeeifie competition among predators in the tropics compared to temperate regions'. The White-fronted Plover is only one of a large community of birds at Langebaan and during the summer its population forms 0-8% of the total of 37 000 waders (Summers 1977). The wader population in winter varies between 10500 and 1700 .…”

“…24-4 birds per kilometre. The territory size of White-fronted Plovers inhabiting the Atlantic facing Downloaded by ["Queen's University Libraries, Kingston"] at 08:35 03 January 2015 beaches will be different where the average number of plovers per kilometre of beach was 6"3 (Summers, Cooper and Pringle 1977).…”

Conservation of Nearctic Shorebirds

“…For southbound migrants, lipid reserves are essential to fuel remarkably long transoceanic flights from the Atlantic coast of Canada and the United States to northern South America (McNeil and Burton, 1977) and from Alaska to the Pacific coast of the United States (Gill and Jorgensen, 1979) or to Pacific islands (Thompson, 1974). Most migrating White-rumped Sandpipers (c. fuscicollis) and Hudsonian Godwits (Limosa haemastica) have been shown to store fat levels sufficient for a direct flight from the Canadian Maritime Provinces to South America (McNeil and Cadieux, 1972 Prater, 1981;Summers et at., 1977). With the exception of well-known sites on the Pacific coast between southern British Columbia and Baja California (e.g., Jurek, 1974; and scattered locations in the southeastern United States, particularly Tampa Bay (B.…”

Metals in liver and kidney tissues of autumn-migrating dunlin Calidrisalpina and curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea staging at the Baltic Sea

“…a route following a great circle back to their breeding grounds (Grimes 1974). Large concentrations of curlew sandpiper also occur in coastal areas of Namibia and South Africa (Summers et al 1977, Whitelaw et al 1978, Ryan & Cooper 1985. These birds probably do not follow the East Atlantic Flyway, but take a more continental eastern route (Elliott et al 1976, Wilson et al 1980.…”

“…In the non-breeding season, which comprises about 10mo of the year, they are usually found in muddy and sandy estuarine and coastal environments, but they also occur on rocky shores with seaweed accumulations (Summers et al 1977), and inland along shallow rivers and lakes. Only 2 Calidris species, the purple sandpiper C. maritima of the North Atlantic and the rock sandpiper C. ptdocnemis of the North Pacific, are regularly found on bare rocky seashores during the non-breeding season (Gabrielson & hncoln 1959, Cramp & Simmons 1983.…”