Chapter 3 North Carolina Species
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 conflict. • Wilson’s Plover is much less studied; hence, its population trend is less well understood in North Carolina but is declining elsewhere (Butcher and Niven 2007; Ray 2011, NABCI 2025) . Monitoring of Wilson’s Plover on Onslow Beach (Ray et al. 2011) found mammalian predation on nests contributed to low nestling survival rates. Additional research using before and after scenarios of predator control (removal) activities can inform whether predation is an important factor in population dynamics. Another study conducted on a South Carolina beach (Zinsser et al. 2017) found that flooding and predation were the primary causes of nest failure at the study sites.
• 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.
• Piping Plover is federally listed for both ESA protection as endangered (interior population) and threatened (Atlantic coast population) species. Piping Plovers are well monitored and studied, and their population trend is stabilized but not meeting USFWS recovery goals ( USFWS 2022 ). 3.3.3.2 Colonial Waterbirds Long-legged wading birds often nest in multispecies colonies in trees and shrubs, referred to as rookeries (or heronries). Terns, pelicans, gulls, and skimmers nest on the ground in colonies. Since the mid-1970s, multispecies surveys have been conducted to collect information on colonial waterbird nesting sites (Hunter et al. 2006) . In North Carolina, surveys have been conducted every two to three years to collect data on the location and status of existing colonies and document new colonies since the late 1970s (Wilson and Henson 1993) . Colonial waterbirds nest on North Carolina’s barrier islands, dredged-material islands, and marsh islands in estuaries. Aerial surveys of inland heronries are conducted every 10 years within select portions of river basins located in Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions. Data from surveys are stored in the online colonial waterbird database and used to assess population trends, status, and distribution. • Least Terns nest on bare sandy beaches, dredged-material islands, or gravel rooftops by making a small scrape in the sand where they lay eggs. Since 2016, ground surveys of nesting Least Terns have been conducted annually. Survey data from 2023 were compared with previous years, with results showing an increase of 30% in number of Least Tern nests. Conservation measures such as posting beach closure signs to protect nesting waterbirds and placement of shelters for chicks have contributed to the success. A partnership with the Town of Emerald Isle and monitoring of protected nest sites at local beach sites by volunteers from a local stewardship group have also contributed to the nesting success.
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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