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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

Robert K. Murphy¹, Brian G. Root², Paul M. Mayer³,
J. Paul Goossen⁴, and Karen A. Smith⁵

South Dakota State University
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Geological Survey/Biological Resources Division
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
1999

Abstract: Monitoring reproductive success of piping plovers on alkali lakes in the northern Great Plains presents unique challenges. This draft protocol serves chiefly as a guideline to help foster learning. Contents include terminology, nestfinding and marking, nesting chronology, determining nest success in the field, monitoring chick survival and fledging, monitoring frequency, database management, reporting reproductive success, and equipment. It ends with a protocol outline. The draft should provide a forum for discussing and improving standardization of methods and communication of data.

This resource is based on the following source:

Murphy, Robert K., Brian G. Root, Paul M. Mayer, J. Paul Goossen, and 
     Karen A. Smith.  1999.  A draft protocol for assessing piping 
     plover reproductive success on Great Plains alkali lakes. Pages 
     90-107 in K.F. Higgins, M.R. Brashier, and C.D. Kruse (eds.), 
     Proceedings, piping plovers and least terns of the Great Plains 
     and nearby. South Dakota State University, Brookings.

This resource should be cited as:

Murphy, Robert K., Brian G. Root, Paul M. Mayer, J. Paul Goossen, and 
     Karen A. Smith.  1999.  A draft protocol for assessing piping 
     plover reproductive success on Great Plains alkali lakes. Pages 
     90-107 in K.F. Higgins, M.R. Brashier, and C.D. Kruse (eds.), 
     Proceedings, piping plovers and least terns of the Great Plains 
     and nearby. South Dakota State University, Brookings.  Jamestown, 
     ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. 
     http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/pplover/index.htm 
     (Version 08OCT99).

Introduction
Scope
Legal concerns
Terminology
Methodology

Section A -- Censuses of breeding plovers
Section B -- Nest finding
Section C -- Marking nests
Section D -- Nesting chronology: initiation, hatching, and fledging dates
Section E -- Determining nest success in the field
Section F -- Monitoring chick survival and fledging
Section G -- Monitoring frequency
Section H -- Database management
Section I -- Reporting measures of reproductive success
Section J -- Equipment

Protocol outline
Acknowledgments
Literature cited
Appendices

Appendix A -- Nesting chronology for Great Plains alkali lakes
Appendix B -- Examples: breeding site map and chronological data record
Appendix C -- Examples: calculating nest, fledging rate and pair success

Table 1 -- Piping Plover Productivity

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pplover.zip 139K) -- A draft protocol for assessing piping plover reproductive success on Great Plains alkali lakes

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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

Table of Contents

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