LEARN AND HELP
Waterbirds and shorebirds nest on coastal beaches and islands, along freshwater rivers, and near other bodies of water. Some species such as terns, skimmers, herons, egrets, and pelicans, nest in groups called colonies. Others, such as plovers and oystercatchers, are solitary nesters with defined territories that are defended by the adult pair. Colonial-nesting birds will defend their nesting grounds by “mobbing” perceived threats (e.g. gulls, dogs, and people). Have you ever been on the beach or an island when suddenly birds began to dive-bomb you, fly around your head, and vocalize loudly? If so, this is their way of telling you they are threatened by how close you are to their nests or young. Both solitary and colonial nesting birds, such as plovers and skimmers, will often vocalize and fake having a broken wing, leading predators or people away from their nests or young. This behavior is called a “broken-wing display.”
When these birds are off their nests, their eggs and chicks are vulnerable to overheating in the sun or at risk of getting eaten by predators such as gulls, crows, dogs, ghost crabs, raccoons, feral cats, and more. The predators near a nesting area depend on the location and vary from site to site.
How Can I Help?
The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan has attributed declines in shorebird populations to human disturbance, predation, and habitat loss, and degradation from development. Share the beaches and islands, respect posted nesting areas, and give the birds some distance to nest and raise their young without disturbance.
Avoid Disturbing Nesting Birds on Beaches, Islands, and in Bays
- What happens if birds are disturbed?
- Overheat
- Be taken by predators
- Die The reproduction of the colony may decrease, and many of these species are already in decline
- What happens if birds are disturbed?
- Flying and swooping unusually close or dive-bombing your head
- High-pitched or more frequent vocalizations
- Flying from one area of an island to another or away from the island
- “Broken wing displays” where a bird acts like it is injured to lure you away from its nest
- What can I do?
- Don’t anchor your boat on or near an island with groups of nesting birds.
- Don’t allow children or pets to wander onto islands.
- If groups of birds are flying and calling unusually close to you, move away from the island.
- Report incidents of nest destruction and colony disturbance to your state wildlife agency
- When people feed gulls their numbers steadily increase until they become a threat to other nesting bird species. Gulls eat the eggs and young of other birds.
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Eggs and chicks may:
