3.3 Birds
In the sections below, we highlight specifc conservation issues related to SGCN and their habitats. Tis is not an exhaustive list of species-specifc conservation concerns, but rather highlights some of the conservation concerns in the state. Recommendations for priority survey, monitoring, and research studies, conservation actions, and partnerships are out- lined in Section 3.3.8.
3.3.3 Conservation Concerns Shorebirds
North Carolina’s 3,375 miles of tidal shore- line (NOAA 1975) plays a key role in the life cycle of many migratory shorebirds; thus, conservation activities directed at shorebird stopover, wintering, or breeding habitats (primarily beach, dune, estuarine, and coastal marsh habitats) can have a sub- stantial impact on shorebird conservation throughout the Atlantic Flyway (Winn et al. 2013) . In addition, coastal areas are often heavily populated, and balancing the needs of conservation and tourism can be chal- lenging without accurate life history data.
Red Knot (USFWS) http://digitalmedia.fws.gov Used under license CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Tere is national concern about the decline of many shorebird populations, including species found in North Carolina. Te American Oystercatcher, Wilson’s Plover, Red Knot, and Piping Plover are shorebird species with stabilized or declining populations in North Carolina. Te International Shorebird Survey protocol is followed biannually to obtain population estimates of these and other migratory shorebirds (Howe et al. 1989) . In response to recent monitoring and research attention on the American Oystercatcher, its popula- tion has stabilized over the last 10 years (personal correspondence, Schulte 2013, 2014, unpublished data) . Specifc projects have been completed to estimate numbers of American Oystercatcher and Wilson’s Plover during the breeding season (Davis et al. 2001; DeRose-Wilson et al. 2013) , and of American Oystercatcher during winter (Brown et al. 2005) , but more detailed information is needed on breeding habits to inform coastal management where species conservation and tourism interests often confict. Te Wilson’s Plover is much less studied; hence, its popula- tion trend is not as well understood in North Carolina, but is declining elsewhere (Butcher and Niven 2007; NABCI 2009) . Te Red Knot was federally listed as threatened in 2014 (USFWS 2014) , and its abundance and distribution in North Carolina during migration periods and winter are poorly understood. Te Piping Plover is a state-listed threatened species and is federally listed both as an
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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