Piping Plovers and Least Terns of
the Great Plains and Nearby

A draft protocol for assessing piping plover reproductive success
on Great Plains alkali lakes

Appendix A -- Nesting chronology for Great Plains alkali lakes

Fig 1. Chronological distribution of piping plover nest initiation on alkali lake breeding sites in central North Dakota (1992-94 [B. Root, unpubl data]), northwestern North Dakota (1994-97 [K. Smith and R. Murphy, unpubl data]), and northeastern Montana (1988-90 [calculated from Table 2 in Smith 1991]). Based on average annual means; excludes known renesting attempts.

Central North Dakota
(The Nature Conservancy - Williams Preserve) Northeastern Montana
(Medicine Lake NWR and eastern Sheridan Co.)

Arrival 17 April - 4 May

Arrival 21 April-5 May

Unsuccessful adults leave late June through early July

More than two thirds of young fledged by end of July

Successful adults and young begin leaving late July

All plovers gone by 15 August (Smith 1991; M.
Rabenberg, unpubl rep)

All plovers gone by second week in August
(Prindiville Gaines and Ryan 1988)

Median annual nest initiation and hatch dates
(1992-94) 10-15 May and 16-20 June (B.
Root, unpubl data, 1992-94)

Northwestern North Dakota
(Lostwood NWR and northern Mountrail Co.) Central Saskatchewan
(Big Quill Lake)

Arrival 20 April - 5 May

Arrival 21-24 April

Successful adults and young begin leaving in late July

Initiation range 4-31 May

All plovers gone by end of third week in August

Unsuccessful adults leave mid-June through early July

Median annual nest initiation and hatch dates (1994-
97) 23-25 May and 27-29 June (K. Smith and R.
Murphy, unpubl data)

Successful adults and young leave late July (Whyte 1985)

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Central North Dakota (The Nature Conservancy - Williams Preserve)	Northeastern Montana (Medicine Lake NWR and eastern Sheridan Co.)
Arrival 17 April - 4 May	Arrival 21 April-5 May
Unsuccessful adults leave late June through early July	More than two thirds of young fledged by end of July
Successful adults and young begin leaving late July	All plovers gone by 15 August (Smith 1991; M. Rabenberg, unpubl rep)
All plovers gone by second week in August (Prindiville Gaines and Ryan 1988)
Median annual nest initiation and hatch dates (1992-94) 10-15 May and 16-20 June (B. Root, unpubl data, 1992-94)

Northwestern North Dakota (Lostwood NWR and northern Mountrail Co.)	Central Saskatchewan (Big Quill Lake)
Arrival 20 April - 5 May	Arrival 21-24 April
Successful adults and young begin leaving in late July	Initiation range 4-31 May
All plovers gone by end of third week in August	Unsuccessful adults leave mid-June through early July
Median annual nest initiation and hatch dates (1994- 97) 23-25 May and 27-29 June (K. Smith and R. Murphy, unpubl data)	Successful adults and young leave late July (Whyte 1985)

Piping Plovers and Least Terns of the Great Plains and Nearby

A draft protocol for assessing piping plover reproductive success on Great Plains alkali lakes

Appendix A -- Nesting chronology for Great Plains alkali lakes

Piping Plovers and Least Terns of
the Great Plains and Nearby

A draft protocol for assessing piping plover reproductive success
on Great Plains alkali lakes