Relationship between nest sites of common terns and vegetation on the Eastern Headland, Toronto Outer Harbour

Blokpoel, Hans; Catling, Paul M.; Haymes, Gerard T.

doi:10.1139/z78-277

Cited by 18 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Nests are built on or in rocks, sand, and gravel, among various herbaceous plants, among driftwood, etc. Both descriptive (Blokpoel et al 1978) and experimental (Richards and Morris 1984) studies of nest locations showed that colonizing birds preferred to nest near plants or other objects.…”

Section: Common Ternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and management of bird nesting habitat: tactics for conserving colonial waterbird biodiversity on artificial islands in Hamilton Harbour, Ontario

Quinn¹,

Morris²,

Blokpoel³

et al. 1996

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.

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Hamilton Harbour, at the west end of Lake Ontario, supports breeding colonies of six piscivorous waterbirds: double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), herring gull (Larus argentatus), ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis), common tern (Sterna hirundo), and Caspian tern (Sterna caspia). Most breeding pairs of all species nest on privately owned mainland locations that are subject to multiple industrial and development activities. The construction of three artificial islands in the eastern basin of Hamilton Harbour in the winter of 1995-1996 presents an opportunity to simultaneously reduce current land-use conflict and maintain the existing avian biodiversity. Accordingly, we used ecological information to determine suitable substrates and vegetation to satisfy nesting habitat preferences and to facilitate the occupation of the islands by nesting waterbirds. Our recommendations for habitat design and management emphasize techniques to prevent displacement of both tern species by ring-billed gulls and of night-herons by cormorants. We propose long-term management procedures based on aspects of the biology and known ecological interactions among the various species. Résumé : Le havre de Hamilton, situé à l'extrémité ouest du lac Ontario, héberge des colonies reproductrices de six oiseaux aquatiques piscivores : le cormoran à aigrettes (Phalacrocorax auritus), le bihoreau gris (Nycticorax nycticorax), le goéland argenté (Larus argentatus), le goéland à bec cerclé (Larus delawarensis), la sterne pierregarin (Sterna hirundo) et la sterne caspienne (Sterna caspia). Chez toutes ces espèces, la plupart des couples de reproducteurs nichent sur la terre ferme, sur des terrains privés soumis à de multiples activités industrielles ou travaux d'aménagement. La construction de trois îles artificielles dans le bassin est du havre, à l hiver 1995-1996, est une occasion d'atténuer le conflit qui touche en ce moment l'utilisation des terres et de préserver en même temps la diversité actuelle de la faune ailée. Nous avons donc utilisé les données écologiques pour déterminer quels substrats et quels types de végétation conviennent à la nidification, afin de répondre aux préférences des oiseaux aquatiques et de faciliter l'occupation des êles par ceux-ci. Nos recommandations en matière de conception et de gestion des habitats privilégient les techniques qui permettent d'éviter le déplacement des deux espèces de sternes par le goéland à bec cerclé et du bihoreau gris par le cormoran à aigrettes. Nous proposons un mécanisme de gestion à long terme fondé sur les divers aspects de la biologie des oiseaux et sur les interactions écologiques connues entre les diverses espèces. [Traduit par la Rédaction]

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Section: Common Ternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and management of bird nesting habitat: tactics for conserving colonial waterbird biodiversity on artificial islands in Hamilton Harbour, Ontario

Quinn¹,

Morris²,

Blokpoel³

et al. 1996

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.

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“…However, factors affecting nest site selection in ground-nesting larids have not been as extensively studied, except for Laughing (Larus atricilla, Montevecchi 1978), Kelp (Burger and Gochfeld 1981) and Mew (L. canus, Burger and Gochfeld 1987) Gulls. Blokpoel et al (1978) reported that Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) prefer nesting on vegetated versus bare ground, and Burger and Lesser (1978) showed a preference for mats and high-elevation nest sites for Common Terns nesting in salt marshes. Storey (1987a) reported that successful nests of marsh-nesting Common Terns were on high ground, in tall grass, or on large mats to avoid tidal flooding.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nest Site Selection in Least Terns (Sterna antillarum) in New Jersey and New York

Burger¹,

Gochfeld²

1990

Colonial Waterbirds

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East Coast Least Terns (Sterna antillarum) generally nest in relatively barren, homogeneous habitats of broad sandy beaches on barrier islands or on spoil deposition sites. We studied Least Terns at several New York (N=4) and New Jersey colonies. About 300 pairs of Least Terns nested along 2 km of beach on Brigantine Beach, NJ in 1983. The New York colonies contained from 20-300 pairs estimated from single visits in 1971, 1974 and 1977. At most sites choice of nest sites differed from random with respect to position on the beach, elevation and slope, shell cover, vegetation cover, and distance to vegetation. Terns preferred to nest in the middle third of the beach, on areas with shell cover, and on ridges and slopes. On sparsely vegetated beaches, nests were closer to vegetation than were the random points; on heavily vegetated areas, nests were further from vegetation than were the random points. At Brigantine, fox and cats entered the colony from the dunes and preyed heavily on nests closest to the dunes. Terns nesting during the peak of the nesting season fledged the most young and suffered the fewest losses to predators. At Brigantine, disturbance was less at the ends of the colony, resulting in higher reproductive success in these sections. In the Long Island colonies beach vehicles, humans, and cats were the main causes of egg and clutch mortality.

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“…The factors influencing colony and nest site selection in dry land colonies of gulls or terns have not been studied as extensively. Blokpoel et al (1978) compared plots with and without nesting Common Terns (Sterna himdo), and reported a preference for vegetated versus bare areas. Veen (1977) reported that Sandwich Terns (S. sunduicensis) exhibit rather uniform choices for nest sites with respect to vegetation and substrate, but he did not quantify these variables or compare nests with random points.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nest Site Selection by Kelp Gulls in Southern Africa

Burger

Gochfeld

1981

The Condor

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We studied six colonies of Kelp Gulls (Larus dominicanus) in South Africa and Namibia, including mainland beach and cliff, and island sites. In the 20 distinct habitats examined, the gulls generally nested in somewhat horizontal areas with either intermediate vegetation cover (25 to 50%) or protruding rocks which provided similar cover. Characteristics favored for nesting were studied by comparing nest sites with matched points 2 m away. In all habitats the gulls selected flatter areas (mean slope less than 15") than the matched points (mean slopes up to 70"). Selection of nest sites with more cover may serve to reduce chick loss by providing shelter (vegetation or rock crevices), and the gulls' choice of low rather than tall vegetation may ensure that adults can escape rapidly from the nest.

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Relationship between nest sites of common terns and vegetation on the Eastern Headland, Toronto Outer Harbour

Cited by 18 publications

References 3 publications

Design and management of bird nesting habitat: tactics for conserving colonial waterbird biodiversity on artificial islands in Hamilton Harbour, Ontario

Design and management of bird nesting habitat: tactics for conserving colonial waterbird biodiversity on artificial islands in Hamilton Harbour, Ontario

Nest Site Selection in Least Terns (Sterna antillarum) in New Jersey and New York

Nest Site Selection by Kelp Gulls in Southern Africa

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