Bi-solstice breeding peaks of White-fronted Plovers Charadrius marginatus in an equable coastal environment
Info
Pages
88 – 91
Published
1 April 06
Authors
A. J. William
Correspondence
A. J. Williams
tony@adu.uct.ac.za
Western Cape Nature Conservation Board, and Avian Demography Unit, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.
Files
Public Files
Monthly shorebird surveys of a 6-km section of the central Namibian coast during 1991–1993 showed that although White-fronted Plovers can be found nesting throughout most of the year, peak breeding is bimodal centred on the summer and winter solstices. The climate is equable with little rain or variation in temperature. It is thought that breeding is concentrated around the solstices because high tides are lower than at the equinoxes so the risk of nests being flooded is reduced. Numbers breeding around the winter solstice are greater than in summer. This may be a result of greater food availability and/or less human disturbance.