Dr. Paul Smith

• In-person event
• 4440Q, Carleton Technology and Training Centre, Carleton University
• 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6

• Contact
• owen.rowland@carleton.ca

Variable nest survival in arctic shorebirds: Ecological and conservation implications

The primary cause of reproductive failure among birds is nest predation and understanding variability in this key demographic parameter is a cornerstone of avian research. For shorebirds breeding in the Arctic, the risk of nest predation varies drastically among years, species and individuals. Because populations of shorebirds in the Canadian Arctic appear to be in a widespread state of decline, an understanding of variable nest survival has important management implications. Over the last 14 years, we have studied shorebird breeding ecology at several sites in the eastern Arctic and have tackled questions from a biogeographic scale down to the level of individuals. We’ve demonstrated the role that nest habitat and camouflage play in the selection, and subsequent success, of nest sites. We’ve shown that the survival of nests and the defence behaviours of the attending parents vary throughout the season. We’ve linked broad interannual patterns in survival to variable predator abundance. We’ve also demonstrated that fine-scale variation in incubation behaviour can explain differences in nest survival among species and individuals. This enhanced understanding of variation in nest survival sheds light on shorebirds’ varied life history strategies, but also raises a number of concerns about the current and future conservation of shore birds in a changing Arctic.