Feeding ecology of arctic-nesting sandpipers during spring migration through the prairie pothole region

Journal of Wildlife Management
By: , and 

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Abstract

We evaluated food habits of 4 species of spring-migrant calidrid sandpipers in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North Dakota. Sandpipers foraged in several wetland classes and fed primarily on aquatic dipterans, mostly larvae, and the midge family Chironomidae was the primary food eaten. Larger sandpiper species foraged in deeper water and took larger larvae than did smaller sandpipers. The diverse wetland habitats that migrant shorebirds use in the PPR suggest a landscape-level approach be applied to wetland conservation efforts. We recommend that managers use livestock grazing and other tools, where applicable, to keep shallow, freshwater wetlands from becoming choked with emergent vegetation limiting chironomid production and preventing shorebird use.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Feeding ecology of arctic-nesting sandpipers during spring migration through the prairie pothole region
Series title Journal of Wildlife Management
DOI 10.2193/2006-416
Volume 73
Issue 2
Year Published 2009
Language English
Contributing office(s) Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Description 5 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Journal of Wildlife Management
First page 248
Last page 252
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