Piping Plover Nest Site Selection in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia

Flemming, Stephen P.; Chiasson, Roland D.; Austin-Smith, Peter J.

doi:10.2307/3808875

Cited by 34 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Gravel substrate consisted of a mixture of pebbles (1 -5 cm diameter exposed surface area), stones (5 -10 cm diameter exposed surface area), and rocks (10 -20 cm diameter exposed surface area) (see Johnsgard 198 1 ;Flemming et al 1992). Transects were orientated perpendicular to the lake shore and extended from the water edge to the vegetation line.…”

Section: Beach and Territory Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat selection and clutch fate of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) breeding at Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan

Espie¹,

Brigham²,

James³

1996

Can. J. Zool.

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We studied habitat selection by Piping Plovers (Charudrius melodus) at Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan, during the 1992 and 1993 breeding seasons. Habitat selection was investigated at three levels: beach, territory, and nest site. Nest beaches had significantly more gravel substrate than non-nest beaches ( F I l , l l I = 21.52, p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in width between nest and non-nest beaches. All Piping Plover nests were located on gravel, though this substrate only accounted for approximately 43% of nest beach area. Nest sites were significantly farther from the nearest water (FI,, ,,,, = 12.24, p < 0.0 l), the main water body (Fl ,, ,,, = 6.55, p < 0.05), and had significantly more stones (FI,.,,,, = 10.98, p < 0.01) and rocks (Z = 2.93, p < 0.01) than random sites. Distance to the nearest water source, number of stones per square metre, and distance to the vegetation line were the three variables used by the stepwise discriminant function analysis to correctly classify 41.8% of nest sites and 87.1 % of random sites. This was still significantly better than chance (Z = 3.66, p < 0.01). The low percentage of correctly classified nest sites may indicate that some plovers at this lake used nest sites on lower quality substrate. Flooded nests were significantly closer to water than successful nests and depredated nests were closer to the vegetation line than successful nests.RCsumC : Nous avons etudie I'habitat du Pluvier siffleur (Churudrius melodus) au lac Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan, au cours des saisons de reproduction de 1992 et 1993. Le choix de I'habitat a ete etudie sous trois aspects, le choix d'une plage, le choix d'un territoire et le choix d'un site de nidification. Les plages choisies pour la nidification comportaient significativement plus de gravier que les plages sans nids (F,, ,, ,, = 2 1,52, p < 0,Ol). 11 n'y avait pas de difference significative de largeur entre les plages avec nids et les plages sans nids. Tous les nids etaient construits sur du gravier, meme si ce substrat ne constituait que 43% environ de la surface des plages avec nids. Les sites de nidification ktaient significativement plus eloignes de la masse d'eau la plus proche ( F l l , 1 8 1 1 = 12,24, p < 0,Ol) ou de la masse d'eau principale (F,,,,,,, = 6,55, p < 0,05) et comportaient significativement plus de cailloux (F,,,,6,1 = 10,98, p < 0,Ol) et de pierres (Z = 2,93, p < 0,Ol) que des sites choisis au hasard. Au cours d'une analyse par itapes des fonctions discriminantes, trois variables, la distance jusqu'a la masse d'eau la plus proche, le nombre de cailloux par metre carre et la distance jusqu'a la ligne de vegetation, ont permis de classifier correctement 41,8% des sites de nidification et 87,1% des sites aleatoires. I1 s'agit la d'un resultat plus satisfaisant que la determination au hasard (Z = 3,66, p < 0,Ol). Le faible pourcentage des sites de nidification classifies correctement peut signifier que certains pluviers de ce lac utilisent des sites a substrat de qualite moindre. Les nids inondks eta...

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Section: Beach and Territory Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat selection and clutch fate of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) breeding at Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan

Espie¹,

Brigham²,

James³

1996

Can. J. Zool.

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“…Exposure to nest predators and human disturbance at each beach was estimated by observers and reported in the New Brunswick Atlas of Piping Plover Beaches (Gautreau and Stewart 2008). Piping Plover nesting habitat consists of sandy beaches with little or no slope and the presence of pebbles, stones, rocks, shell fragments, and sparse vegetation or bare ground (Cairns 1982, Burger 1987, Flemming et al 1992. Although all beaches selected for the study possess one or several of these characteristics, they have different upper beach profiles ( …”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The 2006 International Piping Plover Census estimated the eastern Canada Piping Plover population at 460 adults, which corresponds to a decline of 4.3% since 2001 and 9.6% since the 1991 census (Goossen and Amirault-Langlais 2010). Numerous studies have described Piping Plover distribution, abundance, and habitat use, as well as factors affecting productivity throughout North America (Haig and Oring 1985, Burger 1987, Flemming et al 1992, Loegering and Fraser 1995, Rioux et al 2011. However, little is known about the potential influence of coastal storms during the nonbreeding season on Piping Plover habitat and breeding populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overwashes and breaches created during severe storms facilitate access to ephemeral pools and bay tidal flats (Loegering and Fraser 1995). Moreover, these relatively flat areas are characterized by sparse vegetation and extensive cover of sand, pebbles, and shell fragments, which are favored by Piping Plovers for nesting and raising their broods (Flemming et al 1992, Elias et al 2000. These habitat features are often created and maintained by fall or winter storms (Elias et al 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Piping Plover response to coastal storms occurring during the nonbreeding season

Bourque¹,

Villard²,

Mazerolle³

et al. 2015

ACE

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However, to our knowledge, no test of this pattern has been conducted over a regional scale. We hypothesized that Piping Plover abundance would increase after large coastal storms occurring during the nonbreeding season. However, we expected a delay in the colonization of newly created habitat owing to low-density populations, combined with high site fidelity of adults and high variability in survival rate of subadults. We tested this hypothesis using a 27-year (1986-2012) data set of Piping Plover abundance and productivity (nesting pairs and fledged young) collected at five sites in eastern New Brunswick. We identified 11 major storms that could potentially have modified Piping Plover habitat over the study period. The number of fledged young increased three years after a major storm, but the relationship was much weaker for the number of nesting pairs. These findings are consistent with the hypothesized increase in suitable habitat after coastal storms. Including storm occurrence with other factors influencing habitat quality will enhance Piping Plover conservation strategies. Réponse du Pluvier siffleur aux tempêtes côtières survenant en dehors de la saison de reproductionRÉSUMÉ. L'augmentation de la fréquence et de l'intensité des tempêtes côtières prévue dans la plupart des scénarios de changements climatiques modifiera vraisemblablement la configuration des plages et les milieux associés de façon substantielle. L'objectif de la présente étude était d'analyser l'impact des tempêtes côtières sur une population nicheuse du Pluvier siffleur (Charadrius melodus melodus), espèce en voie de disparition, dans le sud-est du Nouveau-Brunswick, au Canada. Des recherches antérieures ont montré que le nombre de Pluviers siffleurs nicheurs pourrait augmenter à la suite de tempêtes susceptibles de créer de nouveaux milieux de nidification sur certaines plages. Toutefois, selon nos connaissances, il n'y a eu aucun test de cette tendance à l'échelle régionale. Nous avons testé l'hypothèse selon laquelle l'abondance de ce pluvier augmenterait à la suite de tempêtes côtières importantes survenant en dehors de la saison de reproduction. Cependant, nous nous attendions à un décalage dans la colonisation des nouveaux milieux créés en raison de la faible densité des populations, combinée à la grande fidélité au site des adultes et au taux de survie très variable observé chez les jeunes. Nous avons analysé un jeu de données de 27 années (1986-2012) comprenant l'abondance et la productivité (couples nicheurs et jeunes aptes au vol) du Pluvier siffleur, récoltées à cinq sites dans le sud-est du Nouveau-Brunswick. Nous avons identifié onze tempêtes nous paraissant suffisamment importantes pour modifier l'habitat du Pluvier siffleur au cours de la période de l'étude. Le nombre de jeunes ayant pris leur envol a augmenté 3 ans après une tempête importante, mais la relation avec le nombre de couples nicheurs était beaucoup plus faible. Ces résultats concordent avec l'augmentation supposée du nombre de milieux de nidification propices c...

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“…Piping plovers nest on barren substrates, typically laying four eggs in shallow scrapes lined with rocks or shells (Bent 1929;Cairns 1982;Flemming et al 1992) collected nearby as part of courtship (Haig 1992). Piping plovers are rare but nest over a large geographic region of the US and Canada including the Atlantic Coast, the Laurentian Great Lakes, and Northern Great Plains (Haig 1992).…”

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confidence: 99%

Nest construction by a ground-nesting bird represents a potential trade-off between egg crypticity and thermoregulation

Mayer¹,

Smith

Ford³

et al. 2009

Oecologia

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Predation selects against conspicuous colors in bird eggs and nests, while thermoregulatory constraints select for nest-building behavior that regulates incubation temperatures. We present results that suggest a trade-off between nest crypticity and thermoregulation of eggs based on selection of nest materials by piping plovers (Charadrius melodus), a ground-nesting bird that constructs simple, pebble-lined nests highly vulnerable to predators and exposed to temperature extremes. Piping plovers selected pebbles that were whiter and appeared closer in color to eggs than randomly available pebbles, suggesting a crypsis function. However, nests that were more contrasting in color to surrounding substrates were at greater risk of predation, suggesting an alternate strategy driving selection of white rocks. Near-infrared reflectance of nest pebbles was higher than randomly available pebbles, indicating a direct physical mechanism for heat control through pebble selection. Artificial nests constructed of randomly available pebbles heated more quickly and conferred heat to model eggs, causing eggs to heat more rapidly than in nests constructed from piping plover nest pebbles. Thermal models and field data indicated that temperatures inside nests may remain up to 2-6 degrees C cooler than surrounding substrates. Thermal models indicated that nests heat especially rapidly if not incubated, suggesting that nest construction behavior may serve to keep eggs cooler during the unattended laying period. Thus, pebble selection suggests a potential trade-off between maximizing heat reflectance to improve egg microclimate and minimizing conspicuous contrast of nests with the surrounding substrate to conceal eggs from predators. Nest construction behavior that employs light-colored, thermally reflective materials may represent an evolutionary response by birds and other egg-laying organisms to egg predation and heat stress.

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Piping Plover Nest Site Selection in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia

Cited by 34 publications

References 6 publications

Habitat selection and clutch fate of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) breeding at Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan

Habitat selection and clutch fate of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) breeding at Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan

Piping Plover response to coastal storms occurring during the nonbreeding season

Nest construction by a ground-nesting bird represents a potential trade-off between egg crypticity and thermoregulation

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