PATTERNS OF NONBREEDING SNOWY PLOVER (Charadrius alexandrinus), PIPING PLOVER (C. melodus), AND RED KNOT (Calidris canutus) DISTRIBUTION IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA

摘要

From August 2006 to May 2007 observers from Apalachicola Riverkeeper conducted one to four counts of nonbreeding shorebirds per month at nine northwest Florida migratory bird sites across 59 km of mainland and barrier island coastline in Franklin and Wakulla counties. We calculated nonbreeding seasonal abundance at each site for three migratory bird species of conservation concern in Florida: Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus), Piping Plover (C. melodus) and Red Knot (Calidris canutus). For these three highly vulnerable shorebird species we recorded habitat use and movements of individually color-banded birds. Additionally, we offer recommendations to reduce anthropogenic disturbances to nonbreeding shorebirds in northwest Florida.