Multi-year monitoring of shorebirds in The Bahamas
Citation
National Audubon Society ., Jeffery M, Golder W, Linero D, Environment and Climate Change Canada ., Rock J, Gratto-Trevor C, Maddock S, United States Geological Survey ., Elliott-Smith E, Pover T (2023). Multi-year monitoring of shorebirds in The Bahamas. Version 1.8. National Audubon Society. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/gwr8mg accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-11-09.Description
The Bahamas provides a wide range of crucial coastal habitats to many declining resident and migratory birds. Among these species is one of the most threatened shorebirds in the United States and Canada, the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus; Elliott-Smith et al., 2015). This species winters in the southern US and the Caribbean, including The Bahamas, spending most of the year on the wintering grounds. However, despite various efforts to assess the populations of the Piping Plover and other shorebirds across the Caribbean, their movements, abundance, and distribution patterns in this region remain poorly understood (Cañizares & Reed, 2020). For this reason, the National Audubon Society, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a multi-year shorebird census in The Bahamas. Surveys initiated by ECCC were also part of a multi-year survival study.
Censuses were conducted across 16 different islands between the years 2006 and 2022. These surveys were performed with the cooperation of the Bahamas National Trust, volunteer biologists, and scientists from the United States and Canada. Observers counted Piping Plovers and, when possible, other bird species in each of the sampled locations. In total, the dataset holds 2,756 observations of 62 bird species, of which 78% belong to 24 shorebird species. Additionally, 32% of all presence records belong to the Piping Plover, while four species have only one sighting, and 29 have ten or fewer records.
It is important to emphasize that the counts reported in this dataset represent minimum estimates of local shorebird assemblages. Since abundance and distribution of birds vary with changing conditions, representative estimates are best achieved via repeated surveys that reflect a range of conditions including timing (day, year, month), weather (wind direction and speed, precipitation), tide state, etc.
Purpose
This work aimed to improve the knowledge about the abundance and distribution of the Piping Plover and other shorebirds in the coastal habitats of The Bahamas. This dataset provides valuable information for recognizing the diversity of birds present in this country, monitoring changes in species abundance, and identifying key conservation sites for shorebirds.
Sampling Description
Study Extent
The surveys had the primary intention of increasing the knowledge about the abundance and distribution of the Piping Plover in The Bahamas. Therefore, surveyors conducted the sampling on Piping Plover habitats, such as beaches and sandflats with a small number of grasses and other types of vegetation. Sampled sites were located on multiple islands (see geographic coverage description) and, since they were not uniformly defined, they present a varied range of sampled shoreline distance. Surveys were conducted during the wintering period of the Piping Plover in The Bahamas, which can go from July to mid-April.Sampling
Sampled sites were selected based on the areas where Piping Plovers have already been identified or locations with suitable habitat for this species. Some of these sites were repeatedly sampled over the years, while some others were progressively included to increase the chance of recording new plover individuals. It is important to consider that sites sampled multiple times have the same name but may have different coordinates due to variation in shorebirds' location, tide level, and habitat changes across the years. At each site, surveys were conducted on foot by skilled and experienced birdwatchers, who recorded the total number and location of adult Piping Plovers present in the area. The censuses conducted under the coordination of ECCC focused only on Piping Plovers, while some of the ones coordinated by NAS and the USGS included counts for other bird species. Surveyors covered the entire Piping Plover habitat at each site, excluding hard-to-reach areas such as very large tidal flats with no boat access, remote islands and cays, and dense mangroves. Additionally, experience on the ground refined protocols and observers were advised to conduct surveys under favorable weather conditions and at high tide levels to increase bird detectability. However, due to the remoteness of many sites, it was not possible to conduct all surveys at specific times or tide levels and, therefore, counts presented here represent minimum estimates. Finally, in addition to recording birds counts, observers also reported the date, time, location, weather, tidal stage, presence or absence of leg-bands and any combinations, and surveyor information.Quality Control
Surveys were conducted by experienced surveyors. All records were manually validated, verifying that the information reported in the dataset was consistent with the data collected in the field diaries.Method steps
- For questions about the creation of the dataset please contact Daniela Linero - daniela.linero@audubon.org
Additional info
http://vertnet.org/resources/norms.htmlTaxonomic Coverages
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Avescommon name: Birds rank: class
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Actitis maculariuscommon name: Spotted Sandpiper rank: species
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Ardea albacommon name: Great Egret rank: species
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Ardea herodiascommon name: Great Blue Heron rank: species
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Arenaria interprescommon name: Ruddy Turnstone rank: species
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Bubulcus ibiscommon name: Cattle Egret rank: species
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Butorides virescenscommon name: Green Heron rank: species
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Calidris albacommon name: Sanderling rank: species
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Calidris alpinacommon name: Dunlin rank: species
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Calidris canutuscommon name: Red Knot rank: species
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Calidris mauricommon name: Western Sandpiper rank: species
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Calidris melanotoscommon name: Pectoral Sandpiper rank: species
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Calidris minutillacommon name: Least Sandpiper rank: species
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Calidris pusillacommon name: Semipalmated Sandpiper rank: species
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Cathartes auracommon name: Turkey Vulture rank: species
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Charadrius meloduscommon name: Piping Plover rank: species
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Charadrius nivosuscommon name: Snowy Plover rank: species
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Charadrius semipalmatuscommon name: Semipalmated Plover rank: species
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Charadrius vociferuscommon name: Killdeer rank: species
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Charadrius wilsoniacommon name: Wilson's Plover rank: species
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Crotophaga anicommon name: Smooth-billed Ani rank: species
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Egretta caeruleacommon name: Little Blue Heron rank: species
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Egretta rufescenscommon name: Reddish Egret rank: species
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Egretta thulacommon name: Snowy Egret rank: species
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Egretta tricolorcommon name: Tricolored Heron rank: species
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Eudocimus albuscommon name: White Ibis rank: species
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Falco columbariuscommon name: Merlin rank: species
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Falco peregrinuscommon name: Peregrine Falcon rank: species
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Fregata magnificenscommon name: Magnificent Frigatebird rank: species
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Geothlypis trichascommon name: Common Yellowthroat rank: species
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Haematopus palliatuscommon name: American Oystercatcher rank: species
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Himantopus mexicanuscommon name: Black-necked Stilt rank: species
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Hydroprogne caspiacommon name: Caspian Tern rank: species
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Larus argentatus smithsonianuscommon name: American Herring Gull rank: species
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Larus delawarensiscommon name: Ring-billed Gull rank: species
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Larus fuscuscommon name: Lesser Black-backed Gull rank: species
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Limnodromus griseuscommon name: Short-billed Dowitcher rank: species
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Limosa fedoacommon name: Marbled Godwit rank: species
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Megaceryle alcyoncommon name: Belted Kingfisher rank: species
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Mergus serratorcommon name: Red-breasted Merganser rank: species
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Numenius phaeopuscommon name: Whimbrel rank: species
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Nyctanassa violaceacommon name: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron rank: species
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Nycticorax nycticoraxcommon name: Black-crowned Night-Heron rank: species
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Pandion haliaetus carolinensiscommon name: Osprey rank: species
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Pandion haliaetus ridgwayicommon name: Caribbean Osprey rank: species
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Pelecanus occidentaliscommon name: Brown Pelican rank: species
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Nannopterum auritumcommon name: Double-crested Cormorant rank: species
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Phalaropus tricolorcommon name: Wilson's Phalarope rank: species
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Phoenicopterus rubercommon name: American Flamingo rank: species
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Pluvialis squatarolacommon name: Black-bellied Plover rank: species
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Rallus crepitanscommon name: Clapper Rail rank: species
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Rynchops nigercommon name: Black Skimmer rank: species
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Setophaga discolorcommon name: Prairie Warbler rank: species
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Setophaga palmarumcommon name: Palm Warbler rank: species
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Setophaga petechiacommon name: Yellow Warbler rank: species
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Sterna dougalliicommon name: Roseate Tern rank: species
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Sterna hirundocommon name: Common Tern rank: species
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Tachycineta cyaneoviridiscommon name: Bahama Swallow rank: species
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Thalasseus maximuscommon name: Royal Tern rank: species
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Thalasseus sandvicensiscommon name: Sandwich Tern rank: species
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Tringa flavipescommon name: Lesser Yellowlegs rank: species
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Tringa melanoleucacommon name: Greater Yellowlegs rank: species
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Tringa semipalmatacommon name: Willet rank: species
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Vireo crassirostriscommon name: Thick-billed Vireo rank: species
Geographic Coverages
Bibliographic Citations
- Cañizares J.R, Reed J.M (2020): Identification of priority shorebird conservation areas in the Caribbean. PeerJ 8:e9831 - https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9831
- Chesser R.T, Billerman S.M, Burns K.J, Cicero C, Dunn J.L, Kratter A.W, Lovette I. J, Mason N.A, Rasmussen P.C, Remsen J.V, Stotz D.F, Winker K (2020): Check-list of North American Birds (online). American Ornithological Society. http://checklist.aou.org/taxa -
- Elliott-Smith E, Haig S.M, Powers B.M (2009): Data from the 2006 International Piping Plover Census. U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 426, 332 p. -
- Elliott-Smith E, Bidwell M, Holland A.E, Haig S.M (2015): Data from the 2011 International Piping Plover Census. U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 922:296. -
Contacts
. National Audubon Societyoriginator
position: Leading organization
NAS
homepage: https://www.audubon.org/
Matthew Jeffery
originator
position: Deputy Director of Audubon Americas
National Audubon Society
email: matthewjeffery@me.com
homepage: https://www.audubon.org/
Walker Golder
originator
position: Executive Director
Coastal Land Trust
email: walker@coastallandtrust.org
homepage: https://coastallandtrust.org/
Daniela Linero
originator
position: GIS and data analysis specialist for Audubon Americas
National Audubon Society
email: daniela.linero@audubon.org
homepage: https://www.audubon.org/
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5556-6250
. Environment and Climate Change Canada
originator
position: Leading Organization
ECCC
homepage: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/
Jen Rock
originator
position: Wildlife Biologist
Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada
email: jen.rock@canada.ca
homepage: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/
Cheri Gratto-Trevor
originator
position: Research Scientist
Environment and Climate Change Canada
email: Cheri.Gratto-Trevor@canada.ca
homepage: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/
Sidney Maddock
originator
position: Contractor
Environment and Climate Change Canada
email: smaddock@charter.net
. United States Geological Survey
originator
position: Leading Organization
USGS
homepage: https://www.usgs.gov/
Elise Elliott-Smith
originator
position: Wildlife Biologist
United States Geological Survey
email: eelliott-smith@usgs.gov
homepage: https://www.usgs.gov/
Todd Pover
originator
position: Senior Biologist
Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey
email: todd.pover@conservewildlifenj.org
Daniela Linero
metadata author
position: GIS and data analysis specialist for Audubon Americas
National Audubon Society
email: daniela.linero@audubon.org
homepage: https://www.audubon.org/
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5556-6250
Jen Rock
metadata author
position: Wildlife Biologist
Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada
email: jen.rock@canada.ca
homepage: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/
David Bloom
programmer
position: VertNet Coordinator
VertNet
email: dbloom@vertnet.org
homepage: http://www.vertnet.org
John Wieczorek
programmer
position: Information Architect
VertNet
email: tuco@berkeley.edu
homepage: http://www.vertnet.org
Matthew Jeffery
administrative point of contact
position: Deputy Director of Audubon Americas
National Audubon Society
email: matthewjeffery@me.com
homepage: https://www.audubon.org/
Jen Rock
administrative point of contact
position: Wildlife Biologist
Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada
email: jen.rock@canada.ca
homepage: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/
Elise Elliott-Smith
administrative point of contact
position: Wildlife Biologist
United States Geological Survey
email: eelliott-smith@usgs.gov
homepage: https://www.usgs.gov/
Caleb S. Spiegel
administrative point of contact
position: Wildlife Biologist
USFWS Migratory Birds Program
email: caleb_spiegel@fws.gov
homepage: http://www.fws.gov