Review Of Piping Plover Charadrius Melodus Monitoring Data In Prince Edward Island National Park 1980 1996

This report summarizes what is believed to be the longest running data set for piping plovers in a single study area throughout the bird's range. It presents an overview of the piping plover data set for Prince Edward Island National Park for 1980-96, and reviews & standardizes the nesting, hatching, and fledging success data collected in that data set, and documents the annual variations in these data.

The piping plover is a shorebird listed as endangered which breeds in only three Canadian national parks. This study compares a five-year dataset (1983-87) collected before special protection measures were implemented in 1988, with a five-year data set immediately following implementation (1988-92). The protection measures included closing to public use of nesting areas vulnerable to human disturbance, and protection of nests from depredation by wire mesh enclosures. In addition, comprehensive interpretation and public education programs have sought co-operation and support from the beach-using public. Results presented include nesting and hatching success, fledging success, survival rates, nest predation and abandonment rates, and nest losses due to storm flooding.

The purpose of this account is to ensure documentation of the results of the 1991 international Piping Plover Census for each Canadian province. This paper reports on the results of the entire international effort but focuses on the Canadian initiative.

The piping plover (Charadrius melodus) is an endemic shorebird to North America. In 2001, the third international piping plover census was carried out in Canada, United States, Mexico, Cuba, Bahamas, and several Caribbean islands. This document presents the results from the census conducted in Canada between June 3 and June 16, 2001. The purpose of this report is to document population estimates and trends of piping plovers in Canada and to highlight the continuing efforts of many agencies and people that help in the recovery of this species at risk. It consists of separate reports of results from each province.--Includes text from document.

The need for a piping plover banding study became evident in the early 1990s when several years of good productivity suggested that an increase in regional population numbers could be expexted. However, the regional population declined by approximately 17% between 1991 and 1996. In 1998, a research program was initiated to answer key questions related to survival, dispersal, and other population dynamics of eastern Canadian piping plovers. This report summarizes the banding protocol and effort and study areas of this research program.--Document.