Black Oystercatcher Natal Philopatry in the Queen Charlotte Islands,

摘要

Very little demographic data is available for rocky intertidal shorebirds, including the long-lived Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bach-muni). In this paper we report on Black Oystercatcher chick production from 1992 to 2000, age of first breeding and natal philopatry in Laskeek Bay, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia. Five percent of birds banded as half-grown chicks returned to breed in the same area. Known-age birds were 5 years old when first found breeding. This constitutes the first published evidence of natal philopatry for this species.