Shorebird Monitoring and Management at Assateague Island National Seashore: Annual Report 2025
Tipton M, Pearl T, Ries L. 2026. Shorebird Monitoring and Management at Assateague Island National Seashore: Annual Report 2025. National Park Service
ABSTRACT: In 2025, beach nesting shorebird activity on the Maryland portion of Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS) consisted of three species: the piping plover (Charadrius melodus), American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliates) and least tern (Sternula antillarum). Piping plovers are federally listed as threatened and are the primary focus of the monitoring and management program. Five pairs of piping plovers nested with 5 nesting attempts, all on the North End of Assateague Island; four chicks fledged for a productivity of 0.8. Piping plover numbers – both pairs and chicks fledged - continue to be relatively low at ASIS. This is most likely due to low numbers and productivity in previous years, storm events with tidal flooding, predator disturbance (red fox) within nesting areas, and revegetation of overwashes on the North End creating less access to desirable bayside foraging areas for broods. Forty-one pairs of American oystercatchers nested with 77 nesting attempts; 54 chicks fledged for a productivity of 1.3. Approximately 542 pairs of least terns nested.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Tipton, Molly; Pearl, Tami; Ries, Lindsay
- Date of Issue
- 2026-03
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- ASIS
- Keywords
- American oystercatchers, Assateague Island, barrier islands, endangered species, piping plovers