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The Impact of Different Predator Exclosures on Piping Plover Nest Abandonment

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The Impact of Different Predator Exclosures on Piping Plover Nest Abandonment j. Field Ornithol., 65(2):201-209 THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT PREDATOR EXCLOSURES ON PIPING PLOVER NEST ABANDONMENT JWRR¾J. VASKW ColoradoState Unzverszty Departmentof Natural ResourceRecreatzon and 'lburism Fort Colhns, Colorado 80523 USA DAVID W. RIMMER The Trusteesof Reservations 572 Essex Street Beverly,Massachusetts 07975 USA ROBERT D. DEBLINGER MassachusettsDiv•szon of Fisherzesand Wildlife Field Headquarters Westhoro,Massachusetts 07587 USA Abstract.--This paper examinesthe impact of different types of predator exclosureson Piping Plover (Charadriusmelodus) nest abandonment.The data were obtained from state or provincialagencies. Of the 211 exclosednests sampled, only 22 (10%) were abandoned. The impact of three types of independentvariables on nest abandonmentwas evaluated: the processof exclosureconstruction (e.g., constructiontime, time elapsedbefore re-incu- bation), the designcharacteristics (e.g., size, shape,construction materials) and geographic location.The exclosureconstruction process was not related to nestabandonment. Exclosure size, shape, mesh size and fence height were also not significant.The odds of nest aban- donment,however, were significantlyhigher for coveredexclosures and thoselacking fence posts. In addition, exclosuresin northern climes had significantly higher levels of nest abandonment.Design recommendationsare suggestedfor the use of exclosures. EL IMPACTO DE DIFERENTES BARRERAS PARA DETENER DEPREDADORES EN EL ABANDONO DE NIDOS POR INDIVIDUOS DE CHARADRIUS MELODUS Sinopsis.--En este trabajo se examina el impacto de diferentesbarreras para excluir de- predadoresen el abandonode nidos pot parte de individuosde Charadriusmelodus. Los datosfueron obtenidosde agenciasestatales o provinciales.De una muestrade 221 nidos protegidosel 22% fueronabandonados, y se evalu6 el impactode tresvariables independientes en el abandonode losnidos. A saber:el procesode construcci6nde la barrerade exclusi6n, lascaracterlsticas del disefiode fiesta y sulocalizaci6n geogrfifica. E1 proceso de la construcci6n de la bartera no estuvo relacionado al abandono de los nidos. Las caracteristicas del disefio tampocoresultaron significativas.No obstante,las probabilidadde abandonoresultaron significativamentemayor para barterasde exclusi6n con cubierta y aquellasque no contenlan postespara verjas.Las barterasconstruidas en lugaresmas al notre tuvieronniveles de abandonosignificativamente mayores. Se recomiendandisefios particulates para la construc- ci6n de barrerascontra depredadores. The Atlantic coastpopulation of Piping Plovers(Charadrius melodus) was listed as threatenedby the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serviceunder the EndangeredSpecies Act in 1986. The causesof its decline have been attributed to lossor alteration of habitat (Haig and Oring 1985), human disturbance(Sidle 1985, Strauss 1990), and predation (Deblinger et al. 201 202] j. j. k'askeet al. J.Field Ornithol. Spring 1994 1992, Maclvor 1990, Rimmer and Deblinger 1990, Strauss 1990). Ap- proximately985 adult pairs nestedin 1991 on a variety of beachhabitats from North Carolina to Newfoundland(A. Hecht, unpubl. rep. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv., Newton Corner, Massachusetts, 1991). Researchand managementefforts at Piping Ploverbreeding sites since 1986 have attemptedto evaluate and alleviate limiting factors. Single- strand symbolicfences, total and partial beachclosures, and educational programshave reducedhuman disturbancewhile aiding in the recovery of the species(Melvin et al. 1991). Wire-mesh exclosuresof different sizesand shapeshave been used to protect Piping Plover eggsfrom a variety of avian and mammalian predators(Melvin et al. 1992, Rimmer and Deblinger 1990). The effectivenessof different exclosuredesigns for protectingPiping Plover nestsfrom predators was reviewed by Deblinger et al. (1992); however,the impactof predatorexclosures on nestabandonment has not been systematicallyevaluated. In general, Piping Plover nest abandon- ment is poorlyunderstood and hasreceived little attentionin the literature. The few existingstudies show divergent findings. Cairns (1977) and Ailes (1988) suggestedannual abandonmentrates as high as 11%, whereas MacIvor (1990) reportedabandonment rates < 1%. This paper examines the relationship of different predator exclosureson Piping Plover nest abandonmentalong the Atlantic coastduring the 1990 breedingseason. Characteristicsof the exclosureconstruction process, the exclosuredesign and the geographiclocation of the site are evaluated. METHODS Data for this paper were ultimately obtainedfrom state or provincial agenciesresponsible for endangeredwildlife protection.In many cases, nonprofit organizations interested in Piping Plover conservationcon- ductedthe fieldwork. Each cooperatorwas askedto describethe exclosure constructionprocess (e.g., construction time, time of day, numberof people involved, number of visits required to complete constructionand time elapsedbefore re-incubation), the designcharacteristics (e.g., size, shape, constructionmaterials) of the exclosureused to protect Piping Plover nests,and to evaluate the effectivenessof the exclosure(e.g., hatch or fail, causeof failure). Information was obtained on 211 exclosuresin eight statesand three Canadian provinces.Nests were discoveredbetween 23 April and 12 July (median= 27 May). The exclosureswere erectedsoon after nestdiscovery (1-8 d, median 4.2 d). Nests hatched between 21 May and 3 August (median= 6 June). Nestscontained 1-4 eggswhen they were first located (mean = 2.74, SE -- 0.079). Exclosureswere usually erectedaround nests with full clutchesof four eggs(67%); someincomplete clutches also were exclosed(one egg[2%], two eggs[8%], three eggs[23%]). Of the 211 nests sampled,64% were first nestingattempts when exclosed,whereas 25% were renests and 12% were unknown. Vol.65, No. 2 PipzngPlover Ne•t Abandonment [203 Exclosure Construction Process The length of time needed to constructan exclosuredepended on exclosuresize and number of people.Construction time varied from 5 to 90 min (median = 16-20 min). Betweenone and six people (median = 3) were used to build an exclosure. Most exclosureswere constructedin the morning (76ø70)during one (65070)or two (34070)sessions. ExclosureDesign Characteristics A variety of stylesand shapesof predator exclosureswere used,but all consistedof some type of mesh fencing with its base buried in the substrate.Exclosures were constructedfrom welded wire (85%) or woven wire (8070)fencing with 5 x 5-cm (10070)or 5 x 10-cm (90070)mesh. Fence postswere metal or wood and varied in length from 1.2 to 2.5 m. At one site, a self-supportingexclosure completely lacking fenceposts was used. Eighty-eight percent of the exclosuresincluded a coverover the top to reduceavian predation. Most exclosureswere circular (79070)with diametersvarying from 147 to 610 cm. Other stylesincluded triangular (12070)and square (9070)ex- closures.Width of straight-edgedexclosures varied from 244 to 990 cm, and length varied from 244 to 990 cm. Other than one 990-cm/side squareexclosure, the largestexclosures used were 990-cm/side equilateral triangles;the smallestwere 147-cm diametercircles. Variables Dependentvariables.--The dependent variable in this investigationwas nest abandonment,defined as nestswhose eggswere left permanently unattendedby the adult pair prior to hatching for reasonsother than overwash.Responses were codedas "Yes" or "No." Independentvariables.--Three types of independentvariables were used to accountfor nestabandonment: exclosure construction process, exclosure designcharacteristics and geographiclocation. Construction process vari- ables were recoded as dichotomous variables, and included number of peopleinvolved in exclosureconstruction (-•2 or y2), time of day (morn- ing/late afternoon[i.e., < 1100/Y 1600 hours]or mid-day [1100-1600]), time elapsedduring construction(-•30 or •30 rain), numberof construc- tion sessions(1 or • 1), time elapsedafter constructionbefore re-incu- bation (<20 or •_20 min). Exclosuredesign variables included exclosure size (<30,000; 30,000- 60,000;and • 60,000 cm2),shape (circle, triangle, or square),the presence or absenceof a coverover the exclosure,posts used in construction(no/ yes),post height (<122, 122, or •122 cm), the sizeof the meshused in construction(5 x 5 or 5 x 10-cm), the height of the fenceabove the sand (<122 or •_122 cm), and the depth of the fenceinto the substrate(-•10 or y 10 cm). Selectionof theseindicators was basedon prior Piping Plover predatorexclosure research (Deblinger et al. 1992, Nol and Brooks1982, Rimmet and Deblinger 1990). 204] J. J. Vaskeet al. J.Field Ornithol. Spring 1994 As climatic conditionsmay influencenest abandonment,the effect of geographiclocation was examined.Location was treatedas a three-level categoricalvariable: Canada (New Brunswick[two nests],Nova Scotia [16], and Prince Edward Island [17]), northern Atlantic United States (southern Maine [21], Massachusetts[49], Connecticut[25], New York [1], New Jersey[21], Rhode Island [4]), and mid-AtlanticUnited States (Virginia [55]). Analysis In the following analyses,our attentionfocuses on the oddsof nest abandonment.For example, if nl is the number of exclosureswhere abandonment occurred, and n - nl are the exclosureswith no nest aban- donment(where n is the samplesize), then the estimatedodds of nest abandonment are: nl -- P odds - n-nl 1 -p' where p = nl/n is the proportion of the sample where abandonment occurred. We can calculate these odds for various combinations of the variables. The basicquestions for analysisare:
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