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1 December 2015 Density Dependent Double Brooding in Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) in the Northern Great Plains, USA
Kelsi L. Hunt, Lauren R. Dinan, Meryl J. Friedrich, Mary Bomberger Brown, Joel G. Jorgensen, Daniel H. Catlin, James D. Fraser
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Abstract

Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) are primarily monogamous birds that usually raise only one brood per season, but rare instances of double brooding have been documented. Piping Plovers breeding in the northern Great Plains, USA were studied in two locations: the Missouri River near the Gavins Point Dam (2005– 2013) and the lower Platte River (2008–2013). There were 25 confirmed instances of double brooding on the Missouri River across the 9-year duration of the study. There were no instances of double brooding observed locally on the lower Platte River. However, in 2013, two female Piping Plovers successfully hatched eggs and fledged chicks from nests on the lower Platte River and later were observed nesting for a second time on the Missouri River. Factors predicted to increase the frequency of double brooding are: early nest initiation, male biased sex ratio, age of breeding adults, and decreased nesting density. Our results indicate density is an important factor that accounts for some of the difference in the proportion of double brooding on the Missouri River compared to the lower Platte River. It is likely a combination of factors is responsible for this behavior, previously thought to be rare, in Piping Plovers.

Kelsi L. Hunt, Lauren R. Dinan, Meryl J. Friedrich, Mary Bomberger Brown, Joel G. Jorgensen, Daniel H. Catlin, and James D. Fraser "Density Dependent Double Brooding in Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) in the Northern Great Plains, USA," Waterbirds 38(4), 321-329, (1 December 2015). https://doi.org/10.1675/063.038.0409
Received: 27 February 2015; Accepted: 1 July 2015; Published: 1 December 2015
KEYWORDS
Charadrius melodus
density dependence
double brooding
Great Plains
Missouri River
Piping Plover
Platte River
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