University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Papers in Natural Resources Natural Resources, School of 2011 A Review of Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover Management, Conservation, and Recovery on the Lower Platte River, Nebraska Mary Bomberger Brown University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Joel G. Jorgensen Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, [email protected] Sonya E. Steckler Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Melissa J. Panella Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, [email protected] W. Ross Silcock Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/natrespapers Part of the Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons, Ornithology Commons, and the Other Environmental Sciences Commons Brown, Mary Bomberger; Jorgensen, Joel G.; Steckler, Sonya E.; Panella, Melissa J.; and Silcock, W. Ross, "A Review of Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover Management, Conservation, and Recovery on the Lower Platte River, Nebraska" (2011). Papers in Natural Resources. 366. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/natrespapers/366 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Natural Resources, School of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Papers in Natural Resources by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. A REVIEW OF INTERIOR LEAST TERN AND PIPING PLOVER MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION, AND RECOVERY ON THE LOWER PLATTE RIVER, NEBRASKA Version 1.0 October 2011 Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover Review for the Lower Platte River A REVIEW OF INTERIOR LEAST TERN AND PIPING PLOVER MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION, AND RECOVERY ON THE LOWER PLATTE RIVER, NEBRASKA Mary Bomberger Brown Christine M. Thody Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership 153C Hardin Hall University of Nebraska 3310 Holdredge Street Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0931 Joel G. Jorgensen Sonya E. Steckler Melissa J. Panella W. Ross Silcock Nongame Bird Program Wildlife Division Nebraska Game and Parks Commission rd 2200 North 33 Street Lincoln, Nebraska 68521 Suggested Citation Brown, M.B., J.G. Jorgensen, S.E. Steckler, M.J. Panella, W.R. Silcock and C.M. Thody. 2011. A review of Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover management, conservation, and recovery on the Lower Platte River, Nebraska. Joint report of the Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership and the Nongame Bird Program at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln, NE. 2 Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover Review for the Lower Platte River TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary……………..……………………………………………………………………………………4 Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………………………….5 Abbreviations……………………………………………………………………………………………...7 Definitions …………………………………………………………………………………………………8 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………11 Focus Area……………………………………………………………………………………………….14 Piping Plover Species Description………………………………………………………………….…33 Least Tern Species Description……………………………………………………………………….57 Reasons for Decline and Impediments to Recovery ………………………………………………..80 Brief Overview of Current Management………………………………………………………………92 Population Recovery Goals for the Lower Platte River……………………………………………..98 Literature Cited…………………………………………………………………………………………..99 Bibliography of Tern and Plover publications………………………………………………………124 Appendix A: Recommended future recovery actions as listed in the Piping Plover 5-Year Review…………………………………………………………………………………………164 3 Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover Review for the Lower Platte River SUMMARY The Lower Platte River in eastern Nebraska provides many resources for wildlife and a variety of stakeholders. This river and its major tributaries contain important nesting habitat for two state and federally-listed bird species, the Interior Least Tern (endangered; Sternula antillarum athalassos) and the Northern Great Plains Piping Plover (threatened; Charadrius melodus). Both species nest on bare or sparsely-vegetated expanses of sand in natural and human- created habitat, which occur in and along river channels; the Lower Platte River system is critical for the survival and recovery of both species. In contrast to other river systems in Nebraska, there is no programmatic agreement or framework that generates a comprehensive Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover policy on the Lower Platte River. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) and the Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership (TPCP), in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), are responsible for making and implementing management decisions in this region. Collectively, these decisions constitute a de facto tern and plover policy for the Lower Platte River. The fundamental challenge with regard to policy-making on the Lower Platte River is how to conserve terns and plovers while balancing the needs and concerns of stakeholders. This document serves as a foundation for developing management strategies for Interior Least Terns and Piping Plovers on the Lower Platte River. To meet this end, we provide a summary of the area’s geographic and political setting. Next, we provide detailed species descriptions for Interior Least Tern and Piping Plovers, including their ecology, population trends, and reasons for both species’ declines. Finally, we describe current management activities by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership. We hope that this document will facilitate meaningful discussion about the future of the Lower Platte River and the people and wildlife that depend on it. 4 Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover Review for the Lower Platte River ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document benefited from the contributions of many individuals and organizations. Financial support came from the Nebraska Environmental Trust, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Wildlife Conservation Fund, Nebraska State Wildlife Grants Program, Nebraska Natural Legacy Project, Nebraska Bird Partnership (formerly Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation), Preferred Rocks of Genoa, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant Program, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Geological Survey, University of Nebraska Libraries, University of Nebraska School of Natural Resources We thank Aaron Alai, Becky Anderson, Lars Anderson, Rob Anderson, Kari Andresen, Sue Armstrong, Carol Aron, Chris Arps, Diane Arps, Jamie Bachmann, Mike Bates, Bill Beachly, Diane Beachly, Evan Beachly, Matt Beachly, Mike Bechtel, Elliott Bedows, Lisa Beethe, Adam Behmer, Beth Benson, Crystal Bergmann, Shari Bitney, Jordan Black, Jacob Blacketer, Patricia Blake, Laurine Blankenau, Justin Boner, Alice Bonne, Maurice Bonne, Jeanette Bossard, Dick Boyd, Dave Brakenhoff, Debbie Briscoe, William Briscoe, Mark Brohman, Audrey Brown, Linda Brown, Norman Brown, Brian Buckingham, Dennis Butte, Greg Caddy, Doug Campbell, John Carlini, Deb Carpenter, Mike Carrick, Keith Carroll, Clarissa Christensen, Tom Cochran, Everette Cole, Nancy Cole, Megan Collins, Judith Cook, Sandy Cook, Lelia Coyne, Christine Cudaback, Zach Cunningham, Kathy DeLara, Kate DeLashumutt, Rachel Dellovechio, Frank Despain, Pat DeStefano, Pauline Dickey, Kelly Dietz, Mark Dietz, John Dinan, Lauren Dinan, Chris Dixon, Lauretta Dixon, Matt Dollison, Brett Drake, Larry Drews, Patricia Drews, Denise Dunham, Rachel Dunham, Stacia Dunham, Shaun Dunn, Curtis Dvorak, David Dvorak, Skip Dvorak, Jerry Dyksterhuis, Rick Eades, Dee Ebbeka, Ted Ehly, Dave Eigsti, Ruth Eigsti, Hernando Estrada, Andrea Faas, Nelli Falzgraf, Randy Falzgraf, Virginia Farber, Dennis Ferraro, Peg Filliez, Kay Fox, Kindra Fox, Ron Fox, Randy Franks, Sandie Franks, Kathy French, Robert Fuchs, Kathryn Gabig, Mike Gahan, Oren Garbisch, Charles Gardner, Tom Gardner, Shaun Geisert, Amy Geraots, Belinda Gillam, Joshua Gillette, Melissa Gilligan, Charles Gray, Glenn Greaver, Nancy Greaver, Tim Greer, Carey Grell, Esae Grill, Sam Grill, Matt Gruntorad, Sue Guild, Lisa Hajda, Tim Hajda, Robert Harms, Greg Hartel, Beth Hartman, Steve Hartung, Ginger Haruf, Wayne Hathaway, Deb Hauswald, Harry Heafer, Carr Heaney, Alice Heckman, Renae Held, Jennifer Hellwege, Gretchen Hennecke, Aaron Hildreth, Jeremy Hiller, Tim Hiller, Caroline Hinkelman, Gabby Hinkelman, Amy Hladek, Emma Hoffman, Julie Hoffman, Rosemary Holeman, Amanda Holland, Rosemary Holub, Paula Hoppe, Les Howard, Julie Huddle, Kate Hughes, Brian Hula, Gregg Hutchison, Jim Hutchison, Kelly Irvin, Mary Janca, Ethan Jensen, Paul Johnsgard, Allison Johnson, Ron Johnson, Dean Kallenbach, Kristin Kasparek, Silka Finkbeiner Kempema, Dave Kendle, Gail Kendall, Chris Kiewra, Clem Klaphake, Bryan Kluever, Kim Knobbe, Tim Knott, Michelle Koch, Wade Korth, Jim Kovanda, Sandy Kovanda, Miles Krumbach, Ron Kruml, Caitlyn Kucera, Mark Kuzila, Jeanine Lackey, Mary LaGrange, Ted LaGrange, Dylan Lambrecht, Kyle Laughlin, Mert Lebreton, Chad Lee, Joanna Lindberg, Larry Lindberg, Jill Liske-Clark, Duane Liston, Brandy Lively, Gary Lloyd, Jeff Logan, Andrew Lopez, Jennifer Lorenzen, Jane Ledwin, Annabel Major, John Mancini, Marilyn Mancini, Christine Mancuso, Mark Mancuso, Paul Mancuso, Dana Manske, Jeff Marcus, John Marinovich, Melissa Marinovich, Liz Martin, Sarah Martin, Courtney McCusker, Jamie McFadden, Corey McGlynn, Paul McQuin, Keenan McRoberts, Jean McWilliams, Roger McWilliams, Peter Melcher, Bruce Mellberg, Evan