Emilio Tobón

New York City

Audubon

January 2013

The American Oystercatcher, Haematopus palliatus, is classified as a Species of High Concern in shorebird conservation plans for the Eastern and Gulf coasts of the United States1,2.

This report is part of a Conservation Action Plan for this species for the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States. 1. Brown, S, C. Hickey, B. Harrington, and R. Gill, Eds. 2001. The U. S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, 2nd ed. Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, MA. 2. Shiloh Schulte, Stephen Brown, Debra Reynolds, and the American Oystercatcher Working Group. 2007. A Conservation Action Plan For the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) for the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States Version 2.0.

The survey was conducted in Breezy Point, New York, NY from May 3 to August 4, 2011, and May 11 to August 3, 2012, in an area that included Jacob Riis Park, Fort Tilden, the Breezy Point Cooperative, and the Breezy Point Tip. The site was visited two times a week.

2011

Nest Eggs Chicks

Hatch

Chicks

Fledge

Nest

Hatch

Nest

Fledge Renest

Bp01 3 3 1 Y Y N

Bp02 2 0 0 N N N

Bp03 2 0 0 N N N

Bp04 2 2 1 Y Y N

Bp05 ? 1 1 Y Y N

Bp06 ? 2 0 Y N N

Bp07 3 1 0 Y N N

Bp08 ? 0 0 N N N

Bp09 ? 0 0 N N N

Bp10 ? 0 0 N N N

Bp10A ? 2 1 Y Y Y

Bp11 2 0 0 N N N

Bp11A ? 0 0 N N N

Bp12 2 1 1 Y Y N

Bp13 1 1 1 Y Y N

Bp13A 1 1 1 Y Y N

Bp14 3 1 1 Y Y N

Bp15 ? 0 0 N N N

Bp16 3 1 1 Y Y N

Bp17 3 3 3 Y Y N

Bp18 ? 0 0 N N N

Bp19 ? 1 0 Y N N

Bp20 ? 1 0 Y N N

Bp20A ? 2 2 Y Y Y

Bp21 3 2 2 Y Y Y

Bp22 1 0 0 N N Y

Bp23 1 0 0 N N Y

2012

Nest Eggs Chicks

Hatch

Chicks

Fledge

Nest Nest Renest

Hatch Fledge

Bp12-01 1 1 0 Y N N

Bp12-02 2 0 0 N N N

Bp12-03 2 0 0 N N N

Bp12-04 3 3 3 Y Y N

Bp12-05 3 3 3 Y Y N

Bp12-06 3 0 0 N N N

Bp12-07 2 2 2 Y Y N

Bp12-08 2 2 2 Y Y N

Bp12-09 3 3 2 Y Y N

Bp12-10 2 2 2 Y Y N

Bp12-11 2 2 0 Y N N

Bp12-12 2 2 0 Y N N

Bp12-13 3 3 3 Y Y N

Bp12-14 3 0 0 N N N

Bp12-15 3 3 2 Y Y N

Bp12-16 2 2 2 Y Y N

Bp12-17 1 0 0 N N N

Bp12-18 2 2 2 Y Y N

Bp12-19 2 2 2 Y Y N

Bp12-20 1 0 0 N N N

Bp12-21 2 2 2 Y Y N

Bp12-22 1 1 1 Y Y N

Bp12-23 2 2 2 Y Y N

Bp12-24 2 2 2 Y Y N

2011 2012

Breeding pairs 27 24

Nests hatched 16 18 At least one egg hatched

Nest survival 0.59 0.75 Nest survival (apparent) = nests hatched/nests found

Nests fledged 12 15

Chicks hatched 25 39

Chicks fledged 16 32

Chick survival 0.64 0.82 chick survival (apparent) = chicks fledged/chicks hatched

Productivity 0.59 1.33 productivity = chicks fledged/breeding pairs

In 2012 one banded bird was found nesting in the area. The bird was in nest Bp12-24 and has a metal band on the left leg and red plastic on both legs with the number P6. This pair had two chicks fledged.

Acknowledgments

This report is part of the project Regional Conservation of Oystercatchers and Piping Plovers: Observing and banding American Oystercatchers (Haemantopus palliatus) in Gateway Recreation Area, with the National Park Service permit GATE-2011-SCI-0018, and NPS study number GATE-290.

Dr. Susan Elbin Shiloh Schulte Tony Luscombe Bonnie McGuire