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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 2025-07-07.

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

  1. For questions about the creation of the dataset please contact Daniela Linero - daniela.linero@audubon.org

Additional info

http://vertnet.org/resources/norms.html

Taxonomic Coverages

The dataset holds occurrence records of 62 bird species, classified in 21 families and 12 orders. The families with the highest number of recorded species were Scolopacidae (16 species), Ardeidae (10 species), and Laridae (9 species). Since most surveys focused on the Piping Plover, this species has ~32% of the total 2,756 presence records. It is followed by the Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia; 9%) and the Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola; ~7%). Finally, four species had only one sighting, and 29 presented ten or fewer observations. The taxonomic authority used was the American Ornithological Society's Checklist of North American Birds (Chesser et al., 2020).
  1. Aves
    common name: Birds rank: class
  2. Actitis macularius
    common name: Spotted Sandpiper rank: species
  3. Ardea alba
    common name: Great Egret rank: species
  4. Ardea herodias
    common name: Great Blue Heron rank: species
  5. Arenaria interpres
    common name: Ruddy Turnstone rank: species
  6. Bubulcus ibis
    common name: Cattle Egret rank: species
  7. Butorides virescens
    common name: Green Heron rank: species
  8. Calidris alba
    common name: Sanderling rank: species
  9. Calidris alpina
    common name: Dunlin rank: species
  10. Calidris canutus
    common name: Red Knot rank: species
  11. Calidris mauri
    common name: Western Sandpiper rank: species
  12. Calidris melanotos
    common name: Pectoral Sandpiper rank: species
  13. Calidris minutilla
    common name: Least Sandpiper rank: species
  14. Calidris pusilla
    common name: Semipalmated Sandpiper rank: species
  15. Cathartes aura
    common name: Turkey Vulture rank: species
  16. Charadrius melodus
    common name: Piping Plover rank: species
  17. Charadrius nivosus
    common name: Snowy Plover rank: species
  18. Charadrius semipalmatus
    common name: Semipalmated Plover rank: species
  19. Charadrius vociferus
    common name: Killdeer rank: species
  20. Charadrius wilsonia
    common name: Wilson's Plover rank: species
  21. Crotophaga ani
    common name: Smooth-billed Ani rank: species
  22. Egretta caerulea
    common name: Little Blue Heron rank: species
  23. Egretta rufescens
    common name: Reddish Egret rank: species
  24. Egretta thula
    common name: Snowy Egret rank: species
  25. Egretta tricolor
    common name: Tricolored Heron rank: species
  26. Eudocimus albus
    common name: White Ibis rank: species
  27. Falco columbarius
    common name: Merlin rank: species
  28. Falco peregrinus
    common name: Peregrine Falcon rank: species
  29. Fregata magnificens
    common name: Magnificent Frigatebird rank: species
  30. Geothlypis trichas
    common name: Common Yellowthroat rank: species
  31. Haematopus palliatus
    common name: American Oystercatcher rank: species
  32. Himantopus mexicanus
    common name: Black-necked Stilt rank: species
  33. Hydroprogne caspia
    common name: Caspian Tern rank: species
  34. Larus argentatus smithsonianus
    common name: American Herring Gull  rank: species
  35. Larus delawarensis
    common name: Ring-billed Gull rank: species
  36. Larus fuscus
    common name: Lesser Black-backed Gull rank: species
  37. Limnodromus griseus
    common name: Short-billed Dowitcher rank: species
  38. Limosa fedoa
    common name: Marbled Godwit rank: species
  39. Megaceryle alcyon
    common name: Belted Kingfisher rank: species
  40. Mergus serrator
    common name: Red-breasted Merganser rank: species
  41. Numenius phaeopus
    common name: Whimbrel rank: species
  42. Nyctanassa violacea
    common name: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron rank: species
  43. Nycticorax nycticorax
    common name: Black-crowned Night-Heron rank: species
  44. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis
    common name: Osprey rank: species
  45. Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi
    common name: Caribbean Osprey rank: species
  46. Pelecanus occidentalis
    common name: Brown Pelican rank: species
  47. Nannopterum auritum
    common name: Double-crested Cormorant rank: species
  48. Phalaropus tricolor
    common name: Wilson's Phalarope rank: species
  49. Phoenicopterus ruber
    common name: American Flamingo rank: species
  50. Pluvialis squatarola
    common name: Black-bellied Plover rank: species
  51. Rallus crepitans
    common name: Clapper Rail rank: species
  52. Rynchops niger
    common name: Black Skimmer rank: species
  53. Setophaga discolor
    common name: Prairie Warbler rank: species
  54. Setophaga palmarum
    common name: Palm Warbler rank: species
  55. Setophaga petechia
    common name: Yellow Warbler rank: species
  56. Sterna dougallii
    common name: Roseate Tern rank: species
  57. Sterna hirundo
    common name: Common Tern rank: species
  58. Tachycineta cyaneoviridis
    common name: Bahama Swallow rank: species
  59. Thalasseus maximus
    common name: Royal Tern rank: species
  60. Thalasseus sandvicensis
    common name: Sandwich Tern rank: species
  61. Tringa flavipes
    common name: Lesser Yellowlegs rank: species
  62. Tringa melanoleuca
    common name: Greater Yellowlegs rank: species
  63. Tringa semipalmata
    common name: Willet rank: species
  64. Vireo crassirostris
    common name: Thick-billed Vireo rank: species

Geographic Coverages

Censuses were conducted in The Bahamas, primarily in coastal habitats such as sandbars and salt marshes. In particular, the dataset contains occurrence records across 16 different islands: Abaco Islands, Acklins Island, Andros Island, Berry Islands, Bimini Islands, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Eleuthera Island, Exuma Islands, Grand Bahama Island, Great Inagua Island, Harbour Island, Long Island, New Providence Island, San Salvadore Island, and Ragged Island.

Bibliographic Citations

  1. 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
  2. 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 -
  3. 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. -
  4. 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 Society
originator
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
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