Summer Research: Piping Plovers: youtube.com/watch?v=oaRK9iEvFaY
Piping plovers in peril
Photos by Evan Krape | Video by Ally Quinn and Sam Kmiec August 06, 2024
UD senior studies shorebird nesting sites at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Editor’s note: Every year, hundreds of undergraduates at the University of Delaware dig into research under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Such experiences provided by UD — a nationally recognized research university — can be life-changing, introducing young scholars to a new field of interest, perhaps even their future career path, as they uncover new knowledge. Our spotlights offer a glimpse into their world.
Piping plovers are small, gray and white shorebirds with a distinctive black ring around their necks and orange legs built for speed and agility. You’ve probably seen them scampering up and down the shoreline at low tide, foraging for a bit of breakfast as the waves ebb and flow.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, piping plovers nest along the sandy shorelines and gravel beaches found on the Atlantic Coast, in the Great Lakes and in regions of the Northern Great Plains. These migratory shorebirds are threatened along the Atlantic Coast, which includes Delaware. This is mainly due to habitat loss from development and changing climate, as well as predators.
University of Delaware senior Lauren Pollock, a wildlife ecology and conservation major, from Middletown, Delaware, is exploring what factors affect the survival of piping plovers at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Milton, Delaware. Working with biologists Erin Betancourt and Susan Guiteras, Pollock is particularly interested in the contribution of nesting site selection to the migratory shorebird’s survival. At UD, Pollock is advised by Greg Shriver, professor of wildlife ecology in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Why does research like this matter?
Pollock: Piping plovers are listed as a federally threatened species in Delaware. By conducting research such as ours, which includes vegetation management and nest site selection, we can gain an insight into habitat and nest site preferences, as well as what factors contribute to overall bird and chick survival. The location of a nest matters, and nest-site preferences feed into this. Nest-site preferences can include things like amount of vegetation, distance to water or the nearest dune, and distance to other plovers. These preferences are unique to each bird and can impact the survival of the chicks.
Why did you want to pursue this — what intrigues you about the topic?
Pollock: Piping plovers are a more notable shorebird and learning that I was going to be able to do hands-on work with them was exciting. Some of the research that is being performed has either never been done before or there is very little published, so the prospect of getting involved with something so new was compelling. I was also interested in the type of work that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is doing with the plovers, especially the nest-site selection.
What is the coolest thing about being involved in this project? Have you had any surprising or especially memorable experiences?
Pollock: The coolest thing by far is working with such a unique bird. Not everyone gets a chance to make an impact with a vulnerable species. One of the project’s bigger impacts is the increase in nesting, as well as an increase in chick survival, mainly through vegetation management that is done on certain parts of the beach and dunes to benefit the plovers specifically. A memorable experience that I have every day is seeing the plover chicks. Each day brings new surprises with their appearance and behaviors, and it is fascinating to watch them grow up so fast. When we handle the chicks, our main goal is banding, equipping each chick with a unique color combination of bands that tells us who they are. Once a chick has been captured, two bands are applied to the upper portion of each leg. While we have the chick in hand, we gather other data such as weight and different body measurements, which provide insight into overall chick health.
Is there anything you've discovered about yourself and your career goals as you've worked on the project?
Pollock: Prior to this project, I had considered becoming an aquatic entomologist and studying insects found in rivers, lakes and ponds, or studying birds as an ornithologist. But I didn’t have any exposure to shorebird research. Now, I consider becoming a shorebird biologist a top three potential career path. This experience is opening a lot of doors that I did not expect, but I have loved everything about it.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Pollock: In my spare time, I read a variety of genres. Some of my favorite genres include science fiction, mystery and fantasy. I have been a runner for over 10 years, too, and I run a variety of distances. I'm even a member of UD’s Club Cross Country and Track and Field Team! Camping and hiking are other things I enjoy, and national parks are some of my favorite places to visit.
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