Site fidelity and reproductive success of Black Oystercatchers in British Columbia

Abstract

We compared reproductive success and territory fidelity in Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia. Twenty-four of 34 nesting pairs hatched eggs in at least one year of the study, and of which 16 pairs raised chicks that fledged. Mean fledging production for 34 pairs in 1996 and 1997 was 0.44 fledglings per breeding pair per year. Thirty of the 34 pairs observed used the same territory in 1996 and 1997. Of the 30 pairs that occupied the same territory in both years, 16 pairs failed to raise chicks in both years, seven pairs fledged chicks in one year and seven pairs fledged chicks in both years. Oystercatchers showed stronger site fidelity to territories where chicks were fledged than territories where they failed to raise young. Received 23 October 2000, accepted 23 February 2001.