2019 Snowy Plover Breeding Season Underway at Point Reyes

Western snowy plover on a Point Reyes beach in early April. NPS / Matt Lau

May 2019 - The western snowy plover breeding season in Point Reyes National Seashore is already several weeks in. As of May 15th, park biologists found a total of 14 nests: one on Limantour, two on Kehoe Beach, four on the beach between Abbotts Lagoon and North Beach parking lot, three in the Abbotts Lagoon restoration area, and four south of the North Beach parking lot. In 2015, a single nest was found south of North Beach parking lot, the first time breeding had been detected there since 1995. This is the first year we have had as much breeding activity there as we had in 1995. It’s possible that movement of snowy plovers from lower quality habitats between the North Beach parking lot and Abbotts Lagoon is partially responsible for this rebound.

Western snowy plover nest. As of May 15th, park biologists found a total of 14 nests on Point Reyes National Seashore beaches. Eight nests have failed so far, mostly due to predation by common ravens. NPS / Matt Lau

Breeding activity on Limantour Beach and between Abbotts Lagoon and the North Beach parking lot are low so far this year compared to previous years. At this time last year, we recorded seven nests on Limantour Beach and eight nests between Abbotts Lagoon and the North Beach parking lot. This may be due to the disappearance of several adult birds that have returned to these two beaches year after year. We believe the harsh winter storms may have contributed to reduced survival in the Seashore’s overwintering plover population.

Common ravens have also caused an unusual number of snowy plover nest failures so far this season. Of the 14 nests, eight have failed; of these eight failed nests, six were preyed upon by common ravens (75%). One nest was abandoned early in the season and another failed for unknown reasons (i.e., biologists were unable to determine what had caused nest failure).

For more on the western snowy plover breeding season so far, contact Matt Lau.

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