Breeding sites and winter site fidelity of Piping Plovers wintering in The Bahamas, a previously unknown major wintering area

Abstract

Most of the known wintering areas of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) are along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States and into Mexico, and in the Caribbean. However, 1066 threatened/endangered Piping Plovers were recently found wintering in The Bahamas, an area not previously known to be important for the species. Although representing about 27% of the birds counted during the 2011 International Piping Plover Winter Census, the location of their breeding site(s) was unknown. Thus, our objectives were to determine the location(s) of their breeding site(s) using molecular markers and by tracking banded individuals, identify spring and fall staging sites, and examine site fidelity and survival. We captured and color-banded 57 birds in January and February 2010 in The Bahamas. Blood samples were also collected for genetic evaluation of the likely subspecies wintering in The Bahamas. Band re-sightings and DNA analysis revealed that at least 95% of the Piping Plovers wintering in The Bahamas originated on the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada. Re-sightings of birds banded in The Bahamas spanned the breeding distribution of the species along the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to North Carolina. Site fidelity to breeding and wintering sites was high (88-100%). Spring and fall staging sites were located along the Atlantic coast of the United States, with marked birds concentrating in the Carolinas. Our estimate of true survival for the marked birds was 0.71 (95% CI: 0.61-0.80). Our results indicate that more than one third of the Piping Plover population that breeds along the Atlantic coast winters in The Bahamas. By determining the importance of The Bahamas to the Atlantic subspecies of Piping Plovers, future conservation efforts for these populations can be better focused on where they are most needed. 6 Corresponding author. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada.C. Gratto-Trevor et al. J. Field Ornithol. determinar la importancia de las Bahamas a la subespecie atlántica de Charadrius melodus, esfuerzos de conservación para estas poblaciones en el futuro pueden ser centrado mejor en donde más se necesitan.

Senescence and carryover effects of reproductive performance influence migration, condition, and breeding propensity in a small shorebird

“…These seasonal compensation effects, however, are positively correlated with the level of migratory connectivity or geographic linkage among populations (Norris & Marra, ). Plovers exhibit relatively high levels of site fidelity to both breeding and wintering locations (Friedrich et al., ; Gratto‐Trevor et al., ), but breeding populations show little connectivity with wintering populations (Gratto‐Trevor et al., ). Thus, the effects that we saw on wintering plovers from the previous season's reproductive output were unlikely to be related to density, but breeding propensity in subsequent years may have been related to density.…”

Direct and indirect effects of nesting density on survival and breeding propensity of an endangered shorebird

“…Our data indicated that both male and female plovers that were not breeding were less likely to be detected, and that females were less likely than males, which may be further evidence that non-breeding birds tended to be more mobile. Many studies have affirmed the fidelity of plovers to locations across the annual cycle; fidelity of breeding birds to their populations (variously defined) across several studies was ≥83% and ≥46% for returning hatch year birds and appears to be relatively high for wintering birds as well (Gratto-Trevor et al 2016, Gibson et al 2018. Moreover, when plovers move, they do not disperse far; the median distance traveled between consecutive years and nests for plovers in this population was 153 m (Friedrich et al 2015).…”

“…Unmated males that are attempting to breed may be at greater risk of predation because of their conspicuous displays and aggressive territorial interactions (Elliot-Smith and Haig 2004). Many studies have affirmed the fidelity of plovers to locations across the annual cycle; fidelity of breeding birds to their populations (variously defined) across several studies was ≥83% and ≥46% for returning hatch year birds and appears to be relatively high for wintering birds as well (Gratto-Trevor et al 2016, Gibson et al 2018. Non-breeding female plovers, however, would presumably not have a territory and thus would be more mobile.…”

Identification of priority shorebird conservation areas in the Caribbean

“…Second, the unique geography of hundreds of islands combined with dozens of different political institutions poses a challenge to coordinated monitoring and reporting efforts. Third, few studies investigate shorebird use of Caribbean islands, and those that do tend to focus mainly on southern Puerto Rico (e.g., Parks, Collazo & Ramos-Alvarez, 2016a ; Parks, Collazo & Ramos-Alvarez, 2016b ; Wunderle, Waide & Fernandez, 2009 ) and Cuba (e.g., Nol et al, 2014 ), or specifically on Piping Plover (e.g., Johnson et al, 2018 ; Gratto-Trevor et al, 2016 ).…”

“…In a 1985 paper about the status and distribution of Piping Plovers, it was noted that support for its distribution in the Caribbean was “sketchy at best” (p. 343) and cited a personal communication for suitable habitat in Cuba ( Haig & Oring, 1985 ). However, with the continued expansion of the International Piping Plover Census in the Caribbean, The Bahamas is now recognized as a major wintering area for the species, representing 27% of all birds counted in the census ( Gratto-Trevor et al, 2016 ).…”