(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species plover, Wilson's
Species Id M040118
Date 26 AUG 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - plover, Wilson's
OTHER COMMON NAMES -
ELEMENT CODE - 03/27/84
AOU CODE - 06/04/85
03/28/88
CATEGORY - Birds
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - Chordata, Vertebrata
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - Aves, Neornithes
ORDER AND SUBORDER - Charadriiformes, Charadrii
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Charadriidae, Charadriinae
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Charadrius,
SPECIES AND SSP - wilsonia, wilsonia
SCIENTIFIC NAME - Charadrius wilsonia wilsonia
AUTHORITY - Ord
TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 404 and 575
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
Superorder: Neognathae *404*; Superfamily: Charadroidea
*404*
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species plover, Wilson's
Species Id M040118
Date 26 AUG 96
STATUS
Coded Status
Sensitive
Federal Migratory
State endangered
Pending, FMP is currently in preparation
REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 4290 and 4447
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
Of special concern in Virginia *4290* Breeds along the barrier islands.
Uncommon summer resident on coast of Eastern Shore; rare transient and
summer visitor along lower Chesapeake Bay.*8511*
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Distribution
Species plover, Wilson's
Species Id M040118
Date 26 AUG 96
DISTRIBUTION
References on County Occurrence - 001, 131 and 810
References on Seasonal Occurrence - Uncommon summer resident (25 Apr - 5 Sep) on eastern shore,
rare transient and summer visitor in lower Chesapeake Bay and coast
south of Cape Henry; Peak counts: summer--200, Cobb and Wreck Is., June
13-14, 1955; fall--35, Wallops Is., Aug. 27, 1972; two records in
Piedmont: 1 specimen, Nelson Co., August 1887, 1 in Bedford Co., May 18,
1975; two records for the mountains and valleys section of Virginia: 1
photographed in Radford, September 3-23, 1964, 1 Saltville, September
27, 1964 *700*
References on County Abundance - 001, 131 and 810
REFERENCES FOR HYDROLOGIC UNIT CODES - 001 and 131
OTHER DISTRIBUTION
REFERENCES FOR OTHER DISTRIBUTION - A
Comments on Distribution -
Uncommon summer resident on coast of Eastern Shore; rare transient and summer
visitor along lower Chesapeake Bay.*8511*
Distribution - 1 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
LAND USE -
Barren Land
Beaches
REFERENCES FOR LAND USE - 432 and 507
NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES
NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC
Marine, intertidal BB2 P
REFERENCES FOR NWI - 432
COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
Nests found on broad sandy beaches or reefs beyond the
reach of ordinary tides, amidst broken shells and small stones and
scattered grass and weeds as the only vegetation *432*
POTENTIAL NATURAL VEGETATION -
065 Northern Cordgrass Prairie (Distichlis-Spartina)
101 Oak - Hickory - Pine Forest (Quercus-Carya-Pinus)
REFERENCES FOR PNV - 700
ECOREGION -
Southeastern Mixed Forest: Flat Plains
REFERENCES FOR ECOREGION - 700
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species plover, Wilson's
Species Id M040118
Date 26 AUG 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
Carnivore
REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 432
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Malacostraca Not Specified
General Molluscs Not Specified
General Polychaetes Not Specified
General Coleoptera Larva stage
General Coleoptera Adult stage
General See Comments; Food Not Applicable
Adult Malacostraca Not Specified
Adult Molluscs Not Specified
Adult Polychaetes Not Specified
Adult Coleoptera Larva stage
Adult Coleoptera Adult stage
Adult See Comments; Food Not Applicable
REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 432
REFERENCES FOR ADULT FOOD - 432
COMMENTS ON FOOD -
Specifically dytiscids or water beetles *432*;
small marine insects, minute shellfish, and a few molluscs and
flies *432*
COMMENTS ON ADULT FOOD -
Specifically dytiscids or water beetles
*432*; small marine insects, minute shellfish, a few molluscs and
flies *432*
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species plover, Wilson's
Species Id M040118
Date 26 AUG 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Coastal Features: Sand beaches
G Coastal Features: Mudflats
G Coastal Features: Sandy offshore islands
REFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 696 and 432
COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS -
Prefers undisturbed beaches for nesting and foraging
*696*
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species plover, Wilson's
Species Id M040118
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY
ORIGIN: native *404*; REPRODUCTION: 3 eggs (usually)/once a
season *432*; with time span in Virginia of May 7-June 30 *700*; 24-25
day incubation *432*; by both sexes *507*; BEHAVIOR: nests in broadly
dispersed colonies; nest site is a scrape or hollow in sand or shell;
some nests are out in the open, others next to some object or shaded by
beach grass *432*; both parents care for young *432*; this species
seldom mixes with other species, preferring solitary, uninhabited spots
for foraging *432*; it feeds at or near the tide line *696*; species is
migratory *404*; POPULATION PARAMETERS: this species suffered in
Virginia from the hunting practices of the early 1900's *696*; the
population is suffering again due to loss of nesting habitat as
development restricts this species to the barrier islands *696*;
Wilson's plover was cited in the blue list for 1980 in the marginal
category, suggesting special attention be given to determine status
*411*; AQUATIC/TERRESTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS: nesting nearby: willets; least
terns; oystercatchers *432*; some nests are shaded by grass blades or
other vegetation *432*
REFERENCES FOR LIFE HISTORY- 696, 432, 404 and 411
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species plover, Wilson's
Species Id M040118
Date 26 AUG 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Beneficial Maintaining undisturbed/undeveloped areas
Beneficial Maintaining unique or special habitat features [wetlands, caves,
COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
The protection of the barrier islands is essential to the
future breeding success of this species in Virginia *696*
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species plover, Wilson's
Species Id M040118
Date 26 AUG 96
References
404* Union, American Ornithologists'. 1957. Check-list of North
American Birds. American Ornithologists' Union Baltimore,
Md:691.
432* Bent, A.C. 1929. Life histories of North American shore
birds. Bull. 146. U.S. Natl. Mus. Washington, D.C:412.
507* Harrison, H.H. 1975. A Field Guide to Birds' Nests of 285
Species Found Breeding in the United States East of the
Mississippi River. Petterson Field Guide Series No. 121.
Houghton Mifflin Boston, Massechusetts:257.
575* Mayr, E. 1969. Principles of Systematic Zoology.
McGraw-Hill New York, N.Y:428.
696* Via, J.W. 1979. Wilson's plover. Proc. Symp. on Endangered
and Threatened Plants and Animals of Virginia Linzey, D.W. Ext.
Div., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ. Blacksburg,
Va:433.
700* Ornithology, Virginia Society of. 1979. Virginia's
Birdlife: An Annotated Check-list. Virginia Avifauna No. 2.
Virginia Society of Ornithology Lynchburg, Va:118.
4290* Byrd, Mitchell A., Terwilliger, K. 1984. Shorebird ecology
studies. Virginia Non-Game and Endangered Wildlife
Investigations Annual Report, July 1, 1983 - June 30, 1984.
Virginia Comm. Game and Inland Fish VA:41-46.
4447* Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife. 1985. 50(66):15.
References - 1