Baird’s Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) Vulnerability: Presumed Stable Confidence: High

The Baird’s Sandpiper is an uncommon breeding bird in Arctic Alaska using both coastal and montane regions. This species typically nests in upland, well-drained, exposed tundra, generally avoiding wet tundra although will sometimes nest in wet prairie meadows near lakes (Marconi & Salvadori 2008). Like other sandpipers, Baird’s Sandpipers feed almost entirely on insects during the breeding season adjusting to seasonal shifts in primary prey items (Moskoff and Montgomerie 2002). This species is a long-distance migrant and winters throughout the southern cone of South America. Current population estimate is 300,000 (Morrison et al. 2006).

suggests that a tundra drying trend could have some negative impact on this species but they will most likely be able to adjust to drier nesting sites. They do depend on water-dominated habitats for foraging during both breeding and post-breeding so this may be more important in terms of a tundra drying impacts. Current projections of annual potential evapo- transpiration suggest negligible atmospheric- driven drying for the foreseeable future (TWS and SNAP). Thus atmospheric moisture, as an S. Zack @ WCS exposure factor (most influential on the “hydrological niche” sensitivity category), was Range: We used the extant NatureServe range not heavily weighted in the assessment. map for the assessment as it closely matched that of the Birds of North America (Moskoff and Montgomerie 2002) and other sources (Johnson and Herter 1989). However, it should be noted that the breeding range may be more restricted than previously thought because of their preference for well-drained stony ridges and riparian nesting habitat (Johnson et al. 2007). Physiological Thermal Niche: Among the indirect exposure and sensitivity factors in this assessment (see table on next page), Baird’s Sandpiper ranked “neutral”, in many categories. For three categories they ranked as “neutral to slightly increased” vulnerability. This species, particularly in Arctic Canada, nests in relatively higher latitude sites therefore it is possible that they are associated with a colder thermal Interactions with other Species: Changes in environment; however this pattern is less lemming cycling could negatively impact this discernable in Alaska. species indirectly through increased nest Physiological Hydro Niche: At a site in Canada, predation if lemming population booms become Marconi and Salvadori (2008) suggest that rarer (Ims and Fuglei 2005). However, there is Baird’s may nest preferentially in wet prairie currently no evidence that Baird’s are affected meadow, however previous observations at the by lemming cycles. same site suggested that Baird’s generally nest Phenological Response: Baird’s were ranked in drier shrubby areas (Lepage et al. 1998) as from “slightly decreased” to “increased” generally appears to be the case in Alaska. This

Baird’s Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) Vulnerability: Presumed Stable Confidence: High

D=Decrease vulnerability, SD=Somewhat decrease vulnerability, N=Neutral effect, SI=Slightly increase vulnerability, I=Increase vulnerability, GI=Greatly increase vulnerability.

vulnerability to phenology changes. At present, breeding shorebirds on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska. it is unknown how this species will respond. A Arctic 60(3): 277-293.

mismatch in timing would likely be negative for Lepage, D., D.N. Nettleship, and A. Reed. 1998. Birds of nesting (Schekkeman and Tulp 2008) or they Bylot Island and adjacent Baffin Island, Northwest may be able to track changes and take advantage Territories, Canada, 1979 to 1997. Arctic 51: 125-141. of the positive benefits of earlier nesting. Marconi, L. and O. Salvadori. 2008. Utilisation de l’habitat Disturbance Regime: Disturbance processes, chez deux espèces de limicoles, le bécasseau de Baird specifically thermokarst-mediated changes on (Calidris bairdii) et le bécasseau à croupion blanc (Calidris the landscape could both destroy and create new fuscicolis), nichant à l’île Bylot, Nunavut, Canada. nesting and foraging habitat. More tundra fires Universite du Quebec, Rimouski. could theoretically increase nesting habitat by Moskoff, W. and R. Montgomerie. 2002. Baird's Sandpiper speeding up shrub invasion. (Calidris bairdii). In The Birds of North America, No. 661 In summary, Baird’s Sandpipers appear to (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, have enough versatility in their life history Inc. Philadelphia, PA. attributes to enable them to compensate for changes and remain “stable” with regard to Morrison, R.I.G., B.J. McCaffery, R.E. Gill, S.K. Skagen, S.L. Jones, G.W. Page, C.L. Gratto-Trevor, and B.A. climate change at least during the timeframe of Andres. 2006. Population estimates of North American this assessment (next 50 years). shorebirds, 2006. Wader Study Group Bulletin 111:67-85.

The Wilderness Society (TWS) and Scenarios Network for Literature Cited Alaska Planning (SNAP), Projected (2001-2099: A1B Ims, R.A. and E. Fuglei. 2005. Trophic interaction cycles in scenario) monthly total potential evapotranspiration from 5 tundra ecosystems and the impact of climate change. AR4 GCMs that perform best across Alaska and the Arctic, BioScience 55: 311-322. utilizing 2km downscaled temperature as model inputs. http://www.snap.uaf.edu/data.php. Johnson, S.R. and D.R. Herter. 1989. The birds of the Beaufort Sea, Anchorage: British Petroleum Exploration Tulp, I. and H. Schekkerman. 2008. Has prey availability (Alaska), Inc. for arctic birds advanced with climate change? Hind- casting the abundance of tundra arthropods using weather Johnson, J.A., R.B. Lanctot, B.A. Andres, J.R. Bart, S.C. and seasonal variation. Arctic 61: 48-60. Brown, S.J. Kendall, and D.C. Payer. 2007. Distribution of

From: Liebezeit et al. 2012. Assessing Climate Change Vulnerability of Breeding Birds in Arctic Alaska. A report prepared for the Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative. Wildlife Conservation Society, North America Program, Bozeman, MT., 167pp.