American Oystercatcher Research and Monitoring
2004 Status Report
North Carolina’s Outer Banks and
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, MA
Monomoy NWR• Northernmost AMOY study
site • Monomoy is one of the
highest density nesting site for AMOY in the Northeast
• Well protected site (from humans) – potential production site for the Northeast region
• Supports the largest fall staging flock of AMOY in the Northeast
Monomoy NWR
• The Refuge consists of two primary islands, North and South Monomoy, a small sandbar accreting to the west, “Minimoy” and a small portion of the mainland
Monomoy NWR
• Second year of research
• Collaborative effort between Monomoy NWR and NCSU Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
• Advisory support in 2004 from Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences
Monomoy NWR
No. Breeding Pairs
No. of Clutches
% Nests Hatching Young
No. of Chicks Fledged
Fecundity (# Chicks Fledged/
Pair)
2003 33 57 35 12 .3636
2004 34 52 38.5 14 .4118
• Productivity from 2003 - 2004
Monomoy NWR
• Causes of Nest Failure 2003-2004
• 109 Nests monitored
• 69 Failed to Hatch– Coyotes 17 24.6%– Avian 12 17.4%– Weather 10 14.5%– Failed to Hatch 6 8.7%– Unknown 24 18.7%
Monomoy NWR
• Expanded on banding efforts begun in 2003
• Banded 21 adults and 9 chicks
• Monitored banded birds through the breeding season and into fall staging flocks
Monomoy Resightings
North Carolina
NC Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
• Shiloh Schulte
• Ted Simons
US National Park Service
• Jeff Cordes
• Marcia Lyons
National Audubon Society
• Walker Golder
Methods and Study Sites• Cape Lookout and
Cape Hatteras National Seashores
• Over 160 km of barrier island habitat
• Locate nests and track their status every 3 to 4 days
• Determine causes of failure
• Monitor chick survival• Trap and band adults
and chicks
Productivity from 1995 through 2004
187 347 19.1 28 0.15
21 33 39.4 6 0.29
162 304 14.7 19 0.12
26 30 80.0 36 1.39
No. ofBreeding
Pairs
No. of
Clutches
% NestsHatching
Young
No. of ChicksFledged
Fecundity(No. chicks/pair/year)
South Core Banks 1995-2003
North Core Banks 1998-2003
South Core Banks 2004
North Core Banks 2004
Productivity – continued
14 18 11.1 3 0.21
5 7 28.6 2 0.4
106 135 28.2 19 0.18
14 17 76.4 9 0.64
60 79 41.7 27 0.45
9 11 63.6 8 0.89
529 883 20.8 96 0.18
75 98 60.2 61 0.81
Bodie Island 1999-2003
Hatteras Island1999-2003
Ocracoke Island1999-2003
Total1995-2003
Ocracoke Island2004
Hatteras Island2004
Bodie Island 2004
Total2004
No. ofBreeding
Pairs
No. of
Clutches
% NestsHatching
Young
No. of ChicksFledged
Fecundity(No. chicks/pair/year)
North CarolinaFecundity - Chicks fledged per pair
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
SCB NCB BodieIsland
HatterasIsland
OcracokeIsland
1995-2003
2004
North Carolina
• Productivity spike in 2004• Exploring the use of habitat models to interpret
pre and post Hurricane Isabel conditions in terms of their value to breeding AMOY
• Possible explanations– Significantly improved nesting habitat– Rejuvenated foraging areas– Reduction in predators– Larger buffer between humans and nests due to
increased habitat (NCB primarily)
North Carolina
• Banding– 95 Oystercatchers
banded in NC this summer!
– 62 chicks and 33 adults
– Adults were trapped using the decoy and noose carpet method
– Chicks were captured between ages 21 and 37 days
North Carolina resightings
