Breeding success of a subtropical Little Tern, Sternula albifrons sinensis, colony
Jason B. Searle A , J. Blair Prince A , David Stewart B and Penn Lloyd C D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Environmental Planning and Conservation Section, Gold Coast City Council, PO Box 5042, GCMC, Qld 9729, Australia.
B Threatened Species Unit, Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, GPO Box 2454, Brisbane, Qld 4001, Australia.
C Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd, PO Box 136, Cleveland, Qld 4163, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: penn@baamecology.com
Emu 116(1) 81-85 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU15062
Submitted: 18 June 2015 Accepted: 3 September 2015 Published: 26 October 2015
Abstract
Monitoring of breeding success is important for the effective management of beach-nesting shorebirds, which are vulnerable to impacts of human recreational disturbance and predation by introduced or superabundant native predators. We examined the breeding success of a recently established nesting colony of Little Tern (Sternula albifrons sinensis) on a coastal sandspit in south-east Queensland that is exposed to increasing human recreational use but limited management. Nesting success averaged 36% (15–51%) over 3 years, with sand burial and tidal flooding responsible for most clutch mortality. Annual chick survival from hatching to fledging averaged 41% (26–67%), and annual productivity averaged 0.66 fledglings per pair (0.31–1.24). Annual productivity was lower than at intensively managed Little Tern nesting colonies in New South Wales and Victoria; however, with minimum annual productivity required to maintain a stable population estimated at ~0.50 fledglings per pair, the population is expected to be increasing.
Additional keywords: annual productivity, chick survival, clutch size, nest success, predation.
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