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A complete species census and evidence for regional declines in piping plovers

Susan M. Haig·C. L. Ferland·Francesca J. Cuthbert·J. Dingledine·J. P. Goossen·A. Hecht·N. McPhillips
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Abstract

Complete population estimates for widely distributed species are rarely possible. However, for the third time in 10 years, an International Piping Plover ( Charadrius melodus ) Breeding and Winter Census was conducted throughout the species range in 2001. Nearly 1,400 participants from 32 U.S. states and Puerto Rico; 9 Canadian provinces; St. Pierre and Miquelon, France; Cuba; and the Bahamas visited 2,244 sites covering 11,836 km of shoreline habitat. During the winter census, 2,389 piping plovers were observed at 33.5% of potentially occupied sites ( n = 352). Of these, 56.8% had ≤ 10 birds present. The breeding census recorded 5,945 adults at 777 of 1,892 sites surveyed. More than 80% of sites with piping plovers present had ≤ 10 birds. Results indicated an 8.4% increase from 1991 but only a 0.2% increase since 1996. Regional trends suggest that since 1991, number of breeding birds increased on the Atlantic Coast by 78% (2,920 birds; 12.4% increase since 1996) and by 80% in the Great Lakes (72 birds; 50% increase since 1996). However, plovers declined 15% (2,953 birds; 10% decline since 1996) in Prairie Canada/U.S. northern Great Plains. Subregional trends since 1991 reflect a 32.4% decline in Prairie Canada (972 birds; 42.4% decline since 1996), a 2.5% decline in the U.S. northern Great Plains (1,981 birds; 24% increase since 1996), 5.5% decline in eastern Canada (481 birds; 14% increase since 1996), although a 66.2% increase on the U.S. Atlantic Coast (2,430 birds; 12% since 1996). While numbers were down in much of the U.S. northern Great Plains since 1996, an increase (460%, 1,048 birds; 67.7% increase since 1991) was detected on the Missouri River. Results from 3 complete species census efforts provide essential data for conservation planning and assessment and illustrate the utility of global censuses for species of concern.

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Susan M. Haig, C. L. Ferland, Francesca J. Cuthbert, J. Dingledine, J. P. Goossen, A. Hecht, N. McPhillips. 2005. A complete species census and evidence for regional declines in piping plovers. https://doi.org/10.2193/0022-541x(2005)069%253c0160%3Aacscae%253e2.0.co%3B2

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