Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2022-2023)

The objectives of my research program are to train students in population dynamics, behaviour and ecology of arctic- and sub-arctic breeding migratory shorebirds in the context of a changing climate. We will conduct research on shorebirds during the breeding, migration and non-breeding periods of their annual cycle. In Churchill, MB, using long-term (26-yr) data on individually identified breeding Semipalmated Plovers, we will determine causes of annual variation in local population size, adult apparent survival and seasonal reproductive success. We will also test whether habitat change has caused redistribution or reduction in the local Churchill population, and if there are consequences of individual adult movement between years. For natal recruits, we will examine movements away from natal sites, and their reproductive success in comparison to that of their parents. We will also measure heritability of habitat selection patterns from a large sample of parent offspring pairs to determine whether there is potential for ongoing natural selection for habitat preferences. Finally, we will analyse departure decisions from breeding grounds to determine the extent that breeding season reproductive success affects subsequent migration speed, stopover lengths and distances traveled (e.g., carry-over effects). We will accomplish this by affixing small transmitters to the backs of birds, and subsequently following the birds through an array of receiving stations situated along the shores of Hudson and western James Bay. At the vast mudflats of western James Bay, we will elucidate the underlying causes of distributions of migrating shorebirds, and how long they stay during their southbound migration, using both traditional survey methods and radio-telemetry tools. We will also use re-sightings/detections of individually colour-banded and radio-tagged birds (including the Endangered Red Knot), to calculate population sizes using this critical migratory staging area. During the 6-8 mo non-breeding season we will study apparent survival and movement patterns (through use of the Motus array of receiving stations and traditional radio telemetry) of individually marked shorebirds at four locations in South Carolina. Sites will vary in predation risk, habitat patch size, degree of human disturbance and access to foraging sites. We predict lower apparent survival of birds at disturbed sites and those sites with fewer food resources. As a group, shorebirds are among the most rapidly declining groups of birds. The significance of this research is that it will test which conditions at important sites during the annual cycle of Canadian breeding shorebirds promote their survival and hence, conservation. The research is directed at wildlife managers and researchers and will be published in academic journals and lay publications, and presented at meetings aimed at scientists and the general public.