Shorebird Nesting Platform

5/3/2017

Refuge staff members designed, constructed, and installed a shorebird nesting platform on the old dock at Atsena Otie Key. The primary target species for nesting is the least tern with secondary targets being black skimmers and/or American oystercatchers. The Refuge partnered with biologists from the State Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission who provided a speaker and recorder that is loudly playing a constant barrage of least terns calls in hopes of attracting the attention of homeless birds to the nest site. Least tern decoys were also deployed to lure in curious birds. Although no nesting has been documented to date, least terns have been observed loafing on the gravel laden platform.

6 Comments

Dave Cannon link

5/27/2017 11:04:35 pm

I've been wondering what the speaker was for. It was silent today. 5-27-17,

Peg

5/27/2017 11:25:59 pm

I don't know why it was silent. Will ask and see how!

Peg

5/28/2017 12:30:22 pm

We checked with the Refuge Deputy Manager and learned that the speaker should still be on. The idea is to use least tern calls to attract some of the terns to nest there. The staff will check on it this week and see why it was silent. So far, no nesting terns but we are still hopeful. Thanks again for the comment.

Debbie

5/28/2017 12:28:57 pm

According to the Refuge manager the speaker should be working, he will check it next week. He also said- The speaker system is used to mimic the loud sounds of an active least term rookery in hopes of drawing in birds that are in search of new nesting habitat. To date, we have attracted many curious least teens but none have nested thus far.

Dave Cannon

5/29/2017 08:34:55 am

Thanks for responding.

Addie link

12/12/2020 02:57:32 am

This is ggreat

Shorebird Nesting Platform

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