Long term reproduction data of Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus along a Mediterranean coast

E’ uscito il lavoro sul Fratino pubblicato sull’ultimo n° di WSGB.

Loris Pietrelli & Massimo Biondi. Long term reproduction data of Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus along a Mediterranean coast. Wader Study Group Bull. 119(2): 114–119.

Keywords: breeding biology, Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus, nest site, population trend

Since the 1990s, the nest site preferences, breeding biology, population trend, habitat use and ecology of the
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus have been studied along the sandy beaches of Latium, central Italy.
Kentish Plovers breed there from the second week of March to the end of June. Until 2003, each female produced
0.64–0.79 fledged young per season and many second clutches were laid. But during 2007–2009 females only
produced 0.31–0.59 fledged young per season and hardly any second clutches were laid. Moreover the number
of pairs and the number of sites used halved. We attribute the decline in the population to increased human
recreational use of the nesting beaches, especially the daily cleaning of sand using heavy mechanical equipment.

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