Study

Nest predation and numbers of golden plovers Pluvialis apricaria and other moorland waders

  • Published source details Parr R. (1993) Nest predation and numbers of golden plovers Pluvialis apricaria and other moorland waders. Bird Study, 40, 223-231.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Control predators not on islands for waders

Action Link
Bird Conservation
  1. Control predators not on islands for waders

    A controlled before-and-after study at a site in east Scotland in 1981-9 (Parr 1993) found that nesting success for three out of six wader species was significantly higher in years when avian predators were controlled, than in years with no control. Success was higher for curlew Numenius arquata (26% of 79 nests vs. 82% of 50), redshank Tringa tetanus (0% of 14 nests vs. 75% of 20) and lapwing Vanellus vanellus (29% of 88 nests vs. 75% of 49), but not for golden plover Plucialis apricaria (0% of eight nests vs. 0-54% of 21), snipe Gallinago gallinago (32% of 11 nests vs. 57% of 32) or oystercatcher Haematopus otralegus (0% of 22 nests vs. 29% of 16). Nesting success for golden plover and oystercatcher was higher in a control site with no predator control. The proportion of golden plover nests predated by crows and gulls fell between 1981-5 and 1986-9, but red foxes Vulpes vulpes predated all nests from 1987-9. Carrion crows Corvus corone and common gulls Larus canus were controlled with alpha-chloralose treated eggs.

     

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