Captive-rearing piping plovers: Developing techniques to augment wild populations

✍ Scribed by Abby N. Powell; Francesca J. Cuthbert; Lauren C. Wemmer; Alice W. Doolittle; Shane T. Feirer

• Book ID: 101268060
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 107 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0733-3188
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-2361(1997)16:6<461::aid-zoo1>3.0.co;2-8

✦ Synopsis

Techniques for captive-rearing and releasing piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) were developed using a surrogate species, killdeer (Charadrius vociferus). We compared captive-and parent-reared killdeer, and parent-reared piping plovers and determined that growth and behavior were similar. After surrogate trials determined that captive-rearing was feasible, we used the same methods to raise piping plover chicks from salvaged eggs. For captive-reared chick of both species, survival to fledging was higher than and behaviors similar to parent-reared chicks in the wild. Rearing techniques were fine-tuned, and ten piping plover fledglings were released to the wild. Based on our results, we developed recommendations for captive-rearing piping plovers using salvaged eggs to enhance productivity of small populations. Zoo Biol 16:461-477, 1997.