DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE R E S E A R C H & E X T E N S I O N University of Arkansas System Agriculture and Natural Resources FSA9108 Migratory Stopover Habitat for Shorebirds

Shorebirds are a remarkably (Tringa flavipes). With the exception Rebecca McPeake diverse and adaptable group of birds. of the black­necked stilt, which is a Professor ­ Extension Most shorebirds have small bodies short distance migrant, these species Wildlife Specialist with long, thin legs for wading are both migrants and residents of (Figure 1). Shorebirds travel Arkansas and the lower Mississippi Jean Aycock thousands of miles between Arctic Alluvial Valley. One shorebird that nesting grounds and wintering inhabits Arkansas is listed as threat­ Director of Education for grounds in Central and South ened – the piping plover (Charadris the Kansas Wetlands America. To survive this journey, a melodus). Some additional species of Education Center critical need is adequate stopover concern (www.wildlifearkansas.com) habitat. Many shorebirds migrate are sanderling (Calidris alba), least through the Delta, where they follow sandpiper, buff­breasted sandpiper the Mississippi River and its tribu­ (Tryngites subruficollis), dunlin taries. Some shorebirds also migrate (Calidris alpina), semipalmated sand­ through the central and western piper, black­bellied plover (Pluvialis portions of Arkansas. squatarola), upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), stilt sand­ piper (Calidris himantopus), western sandpiper (Calidris mauri), short­billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus), Wilson’s phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor), American avocet (Recurvirostra ameri­ cana), lesser yellowlegs, greater yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) and solitary sandpiper (Tringa solitaria).

Migration Approximately 500,000 shorebirds travel through the Mississippi Alluvial Valley each spring and fall as they Figure 1. A typical shorebird has a small body migrate between breeding grounds in with stilt legs and sometimes a long neck, like this occasional visitor, an American avocet. the northern hemisphere and winter­ ing grounds in the southern hemi­ Approximately 34 shorebird sphere. Some shorebird species species migrate through Arkansas migrate thousands of miles between each year, with six species comprising breeding and wintering grounds. To most observations in the Delta: least Arkansas Is survive their migration journey, a sandpiper (Calidris minutilla), critical need is adequate stopover Our Campus killdeer (Charadris vociferus), semi­ habitat. Stopover habitat provides palmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), undisturbed resting sites and forage black­necked stilt (Himantopus mexi­ for shorebirds to reenergize during canus), pectoral sandpiper (Calidris Visit our web site at: their long journey. .uada melanotos) and lesser yellowlegs http://www.uaex .edu

University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture and County Governments Cooperating For many shorebirds, spring migration begins in March or April and peaks in May, while fall migra­ Foraging Behavior tion begins in late July and peaks in August or Shorebirds consume many types of foods during September (Figure 2). Adult birds precede juveniles their life stages (Table 1). Those migrating through in migration. Males and females sometimes differ in Arkansas consume relatively large quantities of their migration timing. These differences are consis­ moist­soil inverte­ tent within species, but different species may employ brates. Shorebirds very different migration strategies. Their annual forage by probing migration through Arkansas can be tracked in real through mud and time at www.ebird.org. Citizen birders report species, shallow water for location and number of birds observed. Data from invertebrates current and past years are available for viewing and (Figure 3). Because downloading. shorebird species have various leg and bill lengths and 6 display distinct 5 foraging behaviors, 4 several species can 3 forage at the same 2 location and not 1 compete with each Figure 3. A least sandpiper forages bird sightings for invertebrates along a shoreline.

Average number of 0 other. For example,

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0.Q. mud, while greater yellowlegs feed in deeper water. E E E.Q. r.u. Q Q <:l:"<:l:". . <:l:"<:l:". . . uQ uQ rc:r.> rc:r.> rc:r.> Q..:r.> ..Q..:r.> ..Q..:r.> Q..:r.> >QE. >QE. An average­sized shorebird needs approximately a 0u. 0u. 0 0 CQ CQ z0 z0 quarter of an ounce (6 grams) of invertebrates daily VQ VQ in order to maintain its body mass and meet the Week of sighting increased energy requirements of migration. Given the tiny size of invertebrates, shorebirds are often Figure 2. Average number of semipalmated sandpiper observed busily seeking their prey. sightings reported each week by citizen birders from 2008­2012 in Arkansas (www.ebird.org). Invertebrates are a high energy source for the Spring migration is shorter than fall migration. short or long flights that shorebirds make between Fall migrations tend to be drawn out, as there are stopover areas. Invertebrates consumed by shorebirds fewer ecological disadvantages to arriving later on are present in wet soils from flooding (Table 2). the wintering grounds. In spring, there can be very Shorebirds consume a variety of invertebrates and real ecological disadvantages to late arrival on the seem to express no clear preference for any particular breeding grounds. The faster a bird can reach the invertebrate species. The diversity of species present breeding grounds, the better chance it has to compete is less important than their abundance. Shorebirds for prime breeding sites. By arriving as quickly as maintain their energy by feeding on an abundant possible, individuals also allow time for renesting if supply of invertebrates that are easy to catch. initial attempts are unsuccessful. Ideally, at least 100 individuals should be present

Table 1. Common shorebird foods (Plauny 2000)

Category Species

Aquatic insects Water boatmen, backswimmers, water scorpions, giant water bugs, diving beetles, dragonfly nymphs, caddis flies, mayfly nymphs, pill bugs, and larvae of mosquitoes, midges, horseflies and water beetles

Crustaceans and other Crayfish, clams, mussels, snails, amphipods and copepods aquatic invertebrates

Terrestrial invertebrates Grasshoppers, flies, gnats, wasps, crickets, beetles, caterpillars, cutworms, earthworms, bloodworms, spiders, ants, weevils, mites and ticks

Fishes Very small minnows, dace, killifishes and other small fish

Reptiles and amphibians Skinks, small frogs, tadpoles and salamander larvae

Plants (minor part of diet) Grasses, sedges, tender shoots, wild berries, roots and tubers of aquatic and marsh plants, pondweeds, seeds of bulrushes and smartweeds Table 2. Moist­soil invertebrates present in four southeastern Arkansas study sites during fall and spring migration of shorebirds (2010­2012) (Aycock 2012) with associated common names and estimated number of species in North America

Number of Classification* Common Name(s) Species Fall Spring

Amphipoda lawn shrimp 90 X X

Ceratopogonidae biting midges, punkies, no­see­ums 603 X X

Chironomidae non­biting midges, blind mosquitoes, common midges 1,050 X X

Chrysomelidae leaf beetles 1,900 X

Corixidae water boatmen 125 X X

Dytiscidae predaceous diving beetles, water tigers 500 X

Entomobryidae slender springtails 4 X

Elmidae riffle beetles 100 X

Gerridae water striders, pond skaters, Jesus bugs, water skippers 46 X

Haliplidae crawling water beetles 70 X X

Hirudinae leeches 26 X X

Hydracarina** water mites 5,000 X

Hydrophilidae water scavenger beetles 260 X X

Isopod*** pillbugs, cressbug, sowbug, woodlouse, rock slater, roly­poly 10,000 X

Leptoceridae long­horned caddisflies 115 X

Libellulidae skimmers 109 X

Nepidae waterscorpions 13 X

Notonectidae backswimmers, water bees, water wasps 32 X

Odonata*** dragonflies, damselflies 462 X X

Oligochaetae earthworm 235 X X

Physidae bladder snails 80 X X

Planorbidae lung breathing snails 5 X

Poduridae podurid springtails 1 X

Psychodidae moth flies, sand flies, drain flies, sewage flies, filth flies 113 X

Psychomyiidae net tube caddisflies 1 X

Stratiomyidae soldier flies 250 X X

Sminthuridae springtail type 140 X

Staphylinidae rove beetles 4,400 X

Tabanidae horse flies, deer flies, bulldog flies, clegs, yellow flies, 495 X X greenheads, gad flies, copper heads

Tipulidae large crane flies 550 X X

*Classification is by Family unless indicated otherwise. **Classification is by Group. ***Classification is by Order. every 11 square feet (one square meter) (Eldridge timing, depth and duration of flooding. Following are 1992). Midge larvae are often the most abundant four major life history strategies of invertebrates invertebrate (Eldridge 1992), though other inverte­ (Helmers 1992): brates are present when shorebirds migrate through Arkansas (Table 2). A shorebird’s survival depends • In a seasonal wet area (i.e., one that on finding an abundance of these invertebrates periodically floods and dries), invertebratesType 1: during migration. develop drought­resistant eggs, build cocoons or burrow into the substrate when conditions get dry on the surface. These invertebrates Life History of emerge again after flooding occurs. Pond snails are an example of this adaptation. Moist­Soil Invertebrates A basic understanding of invertebrates and their • These invertebrates emerge and lay life history is helpful when managing stopover habitat. Type 2:eggs in standing water or fly to and colonize Many moist­soil invertebrates have adapted to the newly flooded areas. Midges are examples of this adaptation. Midges have four life stages: wetlands, impoundments or flooded agriculture fields egg, larva, pupa and adults. in water depths of less than 4 inches (Helmers 1992). Taller birds, such as yellowlegs, medium sandpipers, • Some insects lay eggs on mudflats or and curlews, can forage in water deeper than 7 inches, moist substrate during drawdowns. EggsType 3: but small sandpipers, such as least sandpipers and hatch once flooding reoccurs, and the larvae sanderlings, prefer less than 4 inches of water. provide a food source for shorebirds. Examples are mosquitoes and dragonflies. Invertebrate abundance and accessibility depend • : Some invertebrates cannot survive on seasonal flooding. Seasonal flooding creates drought conditions and must Type 4 move to other environmental conditions necessary for invertebrates water bodies to survive. Examples are water to thrive, grow and multiply at certain stages of their boatmen and diving beetles. development. Early colonizing midges flourish in wet areas maintained in an early successional stage by Many migrating shorebirds feed predominantly flooding. Abundant invertebrates need to be available on midges (Type 2) that produce bloodworm larvae when shorebirds are migrating in March and April (Figure 4) (Helmers 1992, Eldridge 1992). Blood­ then again in July through September. worms are the larval stage of midges in the family Chironomidae. Larvae occur in open, shallow water Availability of stopover habitat tends to be highly with a silt substrate relatively free from vegetation. dynamic and unpredictable. Typically, less stopover They are unusual insects because their blood contains habitat is available during the fall migration when hemoglobin. With hemoglobin, they can withstand shallow water is more difficult to find. What may be water with low levels of dissolved oxygen. Blood­ ideal stopover habitat one year may be flooded or too worms feed by burrowing throughout the detritus dry the next year. (i.e., decaying organic material including dead plants and organisms) and consuming algae or grazing on Shallow water flooding creates environmental algae that thrive on plants. Bloodworms are an conditions conducive to producing large populations important food item for many freshwater fish and of midge larvae (bloodworms). During spring, shore­ other aquatic animals. birds congregate where large bloodworms have over­ wintered and are exposed in the shallows of gradually receding water. Annual or biannual water fluctua­ tions keep the plant­invertebrate community at an optimal stage. Shallow water kills water­intolerant Figure 4. Shorebirds plants, which decompose and provide a food base for consume moist­soil invertebrates, and reduces plant cover, which is invertebrates, such as preferred by migrating shorebirds. When the shore­ bloodworms (Glycera line is dry, disking can keep invading plants from spp.) in receding water. overtaking the wet area. These dead and decaying Image printed with permission of CC Moore plants provide substrate for invertebrates when the area is reflooded. Quality Fishing Baits (www.ccmoore.com). Managing stopover habitat is basically (1) proper Detritus plays a major role in providing inverte­ vegetation control and (2) water management. The brates their food base (Helmers 1992, Eldridge 1992). two are related, as water management can be used Invertebrates consume microorganisms in the water for vegetation control. Water control structures, such such as plankton, algae, bacteria or fungi. When as flashboard risers or pipes with shutoff valves, are detritus is flooded, it releases nutrients and provides used to direct water, whether entering or leaving an a substrate for plankton, algae, bacteria and fungi to impoundment. Sometimes a series of pipes can be grow. For example, rice stubble which has been used to move water between impoundments or from a flooded and rolled makes excellent detritus, which in reservoir to shallow water fields. Constructed turn provides habitat for invertebrates, which are impoundments designed with higher and lower eleva­ then consumed by shorebirds and waterfowl. tions can create micro shallow water areas as water is drained.

Stopover Habitat Vegetation Control Landowners can help migrating shorebirds by Most shorebirds prefer open habitat with little providing stopover habitat where birds can rest and (< 25 percent) canopy cover and short, sparse vegeta­ replenish fat reserves before continuing their flight. tion (< 8 inches) (Helmers 1992) (Figure 5). Shore­ Ideal stopover habitat contains numerous inverte­ birds can use vegetated areas with up to 75 percent brates that are easily accessible to shorebirds. During cover, but the majority use mudflats or sparsely migration, shorebirds generally forage in mudflats, vegetated sites with less than 25 percent cover. Shorebirds tend to prefer vegetation that is less than (Aycock 2012). Note it may be illegal to alter half the height of the bird (Helmers 1992). Dense a natural wetland, such as by adding a water vegetation can limit feeding activity and decrease a control structure. Check first with the U.S. shorebird’s ability to detect predators. Army Corps of Engineers before altering any wet area.

• Semipermanent water is where the basin of the impoundment isSemipermanent water. permanently covered with water throughout the year, but with dramatically fluctuating shorelines and mudflats. Draining and flood­ ing can be planned using water control struc­ tures to mimic natural flooding cycles to benefit shorebirds, waterfowl and other wildlife. • Flood in the early spring Upland flooding.to kill plants, and midges will colonize the Figure 5. Several migrating shorebird species prefer detritus. Slowly lower the water during open mudflats with minimal vegetation. Image spring migration to a normal level in the courtesy of Allison Crosby, flickr.com. late summer. Several water management strategies described • Draw down the Periodic drawdown. in the next section will help control vegetation, but water every three to ten years depending periodic disturbance may also be necessary. Sparse on the size of the basin. Draw down vegetation may be more easily achieved in spring due slowly to coincide with the spring or late to natural processes such as defoliation, fragmenta­ summer migration. If there are several tion and decomposition of vegetation through winter. wetlands, time the drawdowns so they Dense vegetation in late summer and fall can be occur asynchronously, such that at least reduced by mowing, shallow disking or controlled one basin is available to shorebirds burns. Dry shorelines or basins can be lightly disked each year. or burned every two or three years to remove thick, • Temporary wet areas emergent vegetation that is not favored by shorebirds. Temporary wet areas. Disking incorporates organic plant material back into are completely dry during a portion of the the soil, which attracts invertebrates when flooded. year. Drying helps control invasive plants, fish and reptiles while providing habitat for Note that invasive plants may flourish under salamanders and other ephemeral species. moist soil conditions. Depending on their characteris­ When water control structures are present, tics, some invasive plants can be controlled by chang­ draining and flooding can be planned to ing the flooding regime, use of herbicides or other mimic natural flooding cycles to benefit shore­ measures. Contact your local county Extension office birds, waterfowl and other wildlife. Seasonal for information about controlling invasive plants. flooding and sequential drawdown of water levels in moist­soil areas provide productive shorebird foraging substrates. Water Management Water management is important for creating the • Spring flooding and summer drawdown. plant­invertebrate community that provides stopover Water is slowly removed in the summer habitat for shorebirds. Migrating shorebirds typically and the basin is dry in winter before prefer water depths of 4 inches or less (Eldridge being reflooded in the spring. Specifically, 1992, Helmers 1992). Water management strategies a slow drawdown should begin in early to for permanent, semipermanent and temporary wet mid­July. Midge larvae will need time to areas are as follows. form cocoons and prepare for dry condi­ tions. Leave the soil moist throughout the • In some circumstances, summer to encourage growth of annual water levels cannot be controlled. In naturalPermanent water. moist­soil plants. The area can remain wetlands where installing a water control dry throughout the winter because structure is not feasible or allowable, natural vegetation decomposes more rapidly than hydrologic cycles periodically provide high­ if covered by water. Return water slowly quality shorebird habitat. In this system, to the basin early the following spring to habitat quality depends on rainfall and inundate the decomposing vegetation. The other external factors; therefore, habitat newly flooded basin has a flush of nutri­ quality is not consistent between seasons ents, and the overwintering larvae grow rapidly. Keep the water shallow and other wildlife. Dr. Joe Massey, Mississippi warm to encourage algal growth and Agricultural and Forestry Experiment nutrients for midge production. When Station, determined that intermittent flooding shorebird migration begins, start a of rice fields saves the producer money by gradual drawdown (e.g., 1 inch per week). limiting the need to pump water as frequently. Maintain at least 2 inches of water in the Intermittent flooding helps maximize rainfall basin to maximize invertebrate abundance capture and reduces overpumping without while migration is underway. affecting rice quality or yield. Keeping shallow water (< 4 inches) on at least a • portion of fields is better for shorebirds. One Spring drawdown and late summer. Water is drained slowly in the producer in Massey’s study conducted eight spring, and the basin is dry in late springflooding wetting and drying cycles during a growing and summer before being reflooded in the season. Altering water levels and creating late summer to coincide with the fall mudflats using this practice would likely migration. Water is left in the basin benefit shorebirds. throughout winter. Specifically, begin drawing down water slowly in mid­April • If water levels can be and through May, when shorebirds are manipulated in several impoundments, varyMultiple impoundments. migrating through the area. Return water the time when water is drawn down in each in late summer after substantial annual impoundment either seasonally or within the plant growth has occurred. Larvae same migration season. Water regimes can be continue to grow until late fall and over ­ manipulated asynchronously so that, in any winter as larger, older forms, providing given year, some shorebird habitat is avail­ spring migrants with a better food source. able during both spring and fall migration. • Flooded Shorebirds also migrate at different times agricultural lands can make productiveAgricultural impoundments. within seasons, so varying drawdown stages wintering and migrating shorebird foraging by several weeks can be beneficial to a habitats (Figure 6). Where water control number of different shorebird species. Imple­ structures and levees provide water manage­ menting various flooding and drawdown ment opportunities on crop fields, water regimes can improve chances that the timing management can greatly improve shorebird of peak invertebrate production and migration habitat. After crop harvest in the late will coincide in one or more impoundments. summer or early fall, allow fields to flood via rainfall. Capturing rainfall will reduce the For semipermanent, temporary and agriculture amount of sediments, nutrients and pesticides wet areas, reclaiming water for flooding can be entering the watershed. It may also attract challenging. If nature complies, rainwater can be blue­winged and green­winged teal, typically recaptured by replacing riser boards in levees before the first ducks to arrive in September. rain events. Though water pumps and electricity can be expensive, pumping water from wells, reservoirs, rivers or other available water sources is the most Figure 6. An reliable option. Note that permits and/or prior intermittently approval may be needed from the Army Corps of flooded rice field can provide Engineers or other government entities before pumping water. habitat for shorebirds. Image courtesy of Brent Griffin, University of Managing Waterfowl Areas to Arkansas. Include Shorebirds Typically, practices for attracting waterfowl result Agricultural fields flooded during winter in vegetation that is too dense for shorebirds, but can be dewatered at a rate of 1 inch per with a little planning, waterfowl areas can benefit week beginning in late February or early both waterfowl and shorebirds. March to benefit early migrants. The types of crops, planting dates and harvest dates • Since both waterfowl and shorebirds consume determine drawdown rates and how long aquatic invertebrates, consider using a fields are flooded. rotational approach to drawdowns to maxi­ mize invertebrate production and create an Invertebrates in cultivated and wild rice interspersion of habitat types where both fields in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley shorebirds and waterfowl benefit. provide food resources for shorebirds and • Avoid steep banks and develop a gradient better management decisions in subsequent years. on at least one side of a reservoir or pond Keep records for each impoundment or wetland, since to provide habitat for both waterfowl results can differ dramatically among locations. As and shorebirds. more information is accumulated, deciding which management practices to implement and when can • In waterfowl management, water control become more refined toward the goal of creating ideal structures are used to regulate water levels to habitat for shorebirds. stimulate the growth of wetland plants whose seeds and tubers are consumed by waterfowl. For those who appreciate data collection, an Shorebirds can take advantage of the rich invertebrate index of relative abundance can be invertebrate populations found in the determined from taking core samples in mud and saturated and flooded edges of wetlands counting the number of invertebrates present. managed for moist­soil plants. Construct a collection tube from a 4­inch diameter PVC pipe. Draw a line on the outside of the pipe 1 inch from the end of the tube, and drive the pipe Additional Considerations 1 inch into the mud. Deposit the core sample on a Some additional helpful management practices are: screen (e.g., hardware cloth) and wash mud. Count invertebrates on the screen. Take at least three core • Protect wetlands, marshes, lakes and ponds samples along the same shoreline before moving to from siltation and nonpoint source pollution another location. Use the same procedures each time by fencing off livestock. Protect native core samples are collected during spring and/or fall vegetation to stabilize banks and shorelines. migrations to build a data set of invertebrate produc­ • Reduce pesticide use, especially near water, tion for your wet areas. Use this invertebrate index where applications reduce invertebrates. along with other information to determine which practices to implement. • Limit human disturbance when shorebirds are feeding to reduce unnecessary energy expenditures. Shorebird Conservation Shorebird conservation is a priority for a number Studies show that people disturb and negatively of wildlife agencies and conservation organizations. affect shorebirds by walking, walking dogs and allow­ Although no shorebirds are considered threatened ing them to chase birds, intrusive bird watching, or endangered in Arkansas, their numbers have fishing and other activities (Plauny 2000). Migrating declined most likely because of fewer sandbars and shorebirds need to build fat stores, and birds that are mudflats along rivers in the state. Their annual forced to fly underweight may not survive. Therefore, round­trip migration between nesting and wintering minimal disturbance of shorebirds is recommended. grounds necessitates national and international cooperation if conservation efforts are to be success­ ful. Quality stopover habitat is needed to survive Putting It All Together the journey. Management plans for stopover habitat should focus on developing a continuous food base for Assistance is available to farmers who do not migrating shorebirds. Doing so may be easier said have water control structures on their reservoirs and than done. Wildlife biologists note that managing who desire to stopover habitat is both a science and an art. Many improve water variables can affect outcomes, including soil type, quality and seasonal temperatures, rainfall or lack thereof, seeds shorebird habitat present/absent in the seedbed and other factors that on their property affect vegetation responses and invertebrate (Figure 7). The abundance. Practices implemented on one impound­ Environmental ment may yield different results on an adjacent Quality Incentive impoundment. Developing a management plan and Program is a recording results will improve your chances of achiev­ “farm bill” ing ideal stopover habitat, whether managing one or program that multiple locations. provides cost­ Figure 7. Water control structures are share assistance tools for providing shorebird habitat in Keeping records of rainfall, drawdown dates, for installing impoundments. Image courtesy of vegetation types and density, shorebird visitations and water control Becky McPeake, University of Arkansas. other notable observations should be documented. structures. Contact your local district conservationist Accumulating and reviewing information from previ­ at a USDA Service Center in your area ous years becomes an invaluable resource for making (http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app) or a private lands biologist with the Arkansas Game and Eldridge, Jan. 1992. Management of Habitat for Breeding Fish Commission (www.agfc.com, 1­800­364­4263). If and Migrating Shorebirds in the Midwest. Waterfowl not eligible for the farm bill program, contact the U.S. Management Handbook. Fish and Wildlife Leaflet Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and 13.2.14. URL: http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wdb Wildlife Program in Conway (www.fws.gov/partners/, /pub/wmh/13_2_14.pdf. Accessed December 12, 2013. 501­513­4470) to help locate other sources of funds for Helmers, Douglas L. 1992. Shorebird Management Manual. water control structures and other practices Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. benefiting shorebirds. Manomet, MA. 58 pp. URL: http://fwf.ag.utk.edu/mgray /wfs340/PDF/Shorebird_Management_Manual_1992.pdf. Your county Exten sion agent (www .uaex.uada.edu) Accessed December 12, 2013. can provide information about water control struc­ tures and agronomic practices, as well as invasive Massey, J. 2012. Water and Energy Conservation Practices weed control, and help locate local natural resource for Mississippi Rice Production. URL: http://www. professionals who can provide assistance for planning mississippi­crops.com/wp­content/uploads/2011/11 shorebird habitat on your land. /Irrigation­Methods­and­Ways­to­Save­Money­ Compatibility­Mode.pdf. Accessed December 20, 2012.

Plauny, H. L. 2000. Shorebirds. Wildlife Habitat Management Literature Cited Institute. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Aycock, Jean. 2012. Shorebird Use of Stopover Habitat on Service. Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management Leaflet Private, State, and Federal Lands in Southeast (July 2000), Number 17. URL: ftp://ftp­fc.sc.egov.usda.gov Arkansas. M.S. Thesis. School of Forest Resources, /WHMI/WEB/pdf/SHOREbirds1.pdf. Accessed University of Arkansas at Monticello. December 12, 2013.

– We appreciate Dr. Robert E. Kissell, Jr., professor ­ wildlife at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, for reviewing this fact sheet.Acknowledgment

Printed by University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service Printing Services. DR. REBECCA McPEAKE is a professor ­ Extension wildlife Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and specialist, Arkansas Forest Resources Center, University of Arkansas June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Agriculture, Little Rock. JEAN AYCOCK is a former gradu­ Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas. ate student at the University of Arkansas at Monticello and is currently The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all director of education for the Kansas Wetlands Education Center in eligible persons regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual Great Bend, Kansas. orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is FSA9108­PD­2­2015RV an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.