Breeding Coastal Birds

Importance / Issues

Birds are an important component of park ecosystems, and their high body temperature, rapid metabolism, and prominent position in most food webs make them a good indicator of local and regional ecosystem change.  It has been suggested that management activities aimed at preserving habitat for bird populations, such as for neotropical migrants, can have the added benefit of preserving entire ecosystems and their attendant ecosystem services (Karr 1991, Maurer 1993).  Moreover, among the public, birds are a high profile taxa, and many parks provide information on the status and trends of the park’s avian community through their interpretive materials and programs.

In 2002, BOHA was designated as a Massachusetts Important Bird Area (IBA).  IBA sites provide essential habitat to one or more species of breeding, wintering, or migrating birds and generally support high-priority species, large concentrations of birds, exceptional bird habitat, and/or have substantial research or educational value.  Many of these species nest colonially, some in mixed-species colonies.  Required breeding habitat varies by species, but include beaches, rocky shores, cliffs, open ground, shrub and tree communities.

In developing comprehensive long-term monitoring plans, birds are among the best taxonomic groups to monitor because: 1) they are the most easily and inexpensively detected and identified vertebrate animals, 2) a single survey method is effective for many species, 3) accounting and managing for many species with different ecological requirements promotes conservation strategies at the landscape scale (Hutto and Young 2002), 4) many reference datasets and standard methods are available (Ralph et al. 1993, 1995), and 5) the response variability is fairly well understood. 

Protocol Development & Status

A protocol for Coastal Breeding Birds is being developed and should be finalized in 2009. The protocol is based on the coastal breeding birds protocol development summary written for this vital sign. The protocol was piloted in 2007 at Boston Harbor Islands. The NETN is investigating implementation of coastal bird monitoring at Acadia NP in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Potential Measures

Determine annual changes in relative abundance of high priority coastal breeding bird species (Least Terns, Common Terns, and American Oystercatchers).

Conduct an annual surveillance program within the park to identify future use by threatened or endangered coastal breeding bird species, such as Piping Plover or Roseate Tern.

Determine long-term trends in species composition and relative abundance of priority coastal breeding bird species

Provide information that can be used to improve our understanding of the relationship between coastal breeding birds, their habitat, and management actions.

Preliminary Monitoring Objective

The Boston Harbor Islands provide habitat for a significant number of colonial-nesting waterbirds and breeding wading birds.  The protocol focuses on obtaining information on the relative abundance of coastal breeding species by estimating or directly counting all nests, incubating adults, or territorial nesting pairs that breed on islands at Boston Harbor Islands.  Coastal breeding bird monitoring will also support and inform management decisions that may affect avian populations.  Additional goals are to increase the visibility of the I&M program and to involve the public with the network’s monitoring program. 

Contact Information

Carol L. Trocki 

Email: Carol L. Trocki

Reports and Data

Boston Harbor Islands Coastal Breeding Bird Monitoring 2007 Field Season Summary

Boston Harbor Islands Coastal Breeding Bird Monitoring 2008 Field Season Summary

Boston Harbor Islands Coastal Breeding Bird Monitoring Resource Brief

Citizen Science Program Brief

References

Hutto, R. L., and J. S. Young.  2002.  Regional landbird monitoring perspectives from the northern Rocky Mountains.  Wildlife Society Bulletin 30:738-750.

Karr, J. R. 1991.  Biological integrity: a long-neglected aspect of water resource management.  Ecological Applications 1:66-84.

Maurer, B. A.  1993.  Biological diversity, ecological integrity, and neotropical migrants.  Pages 24-31 in Finch, D.M. and P. Stengel, editors.  Status and Management of Neotropical Migrant Birds.  USDA  Forest Service General Technical Report RM 229, Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO.

Ralph, C. J., G. R. Geupel, P. Pyle, T. E. Martin, and D. F. DeSante.  1993.  Handbook of Field Methods for Monitoring Landbirds.  USDA Forest Service General Technical Report PSW-GTR 144, Pacific Southwest Research Station.

Ralph, C. J., S. Droege, and J. R. Sauer.  1995.  Managing and monitoring birds using point counts: standards and  applications.  Pages 161-168 in C. J. Ralph, J. R. Sauer, and S. Droege, editors.  Monitoring Bird Populations by Point Counts.  USDA Forest Service General Technical Report PSW GTR 149, Pacific Southwest Research Station.