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Beach Patrons and Breeding Shorebirds Co-Exist at the Breezy Point Coop:
The Breezy Point Cooperative, Inc. located in Rockaway Point, borough of Queens, New York City, New York, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been working cooperatively on managing the property's shoreline for federally and state-listed shorebirds. The goal is to manage for these species while allowing for the recreational use of the beach as well. The partnership between the Coop and the Fish and Wildlife Service has been successful, in which beach access is provided to patrons to the greatest extent possible, while also allowing for the protection of shorebird breeding areas during the months of April through August. This protection involves the construction of “symbolic” fencing- fence poles with twine, flagging and signs that identify nesting areas.
What shorebirds are being protected?
The Breezy Point Coop beach is one of the most diverse breeding shorebird areas in the Metropolitan area. The shorebirds that breed here include:
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A small, stocky, sandy-colored bird with a black-tipped orange bill and incomplete black ring around the base of the neck, that establishes breeding areas that they defend from other plovers in March-May, although they will nest in tern colonies. Following courtship, three to four well-camouflaged speckled eggs are laid in a shallow depression in the sand in open/semi-open portions of the beach. The eggs usually hatch in 27 days and approximately 25 days later the chicks will fledge (be able to fly). The chicks are able to walk soon after hatching and begin foraging for themselves within a few hours of hatching, while still under the care of the adult parents. Plovers feed upon marine worms, beetles, crustaceans and other insects from the intertidal areas of the beach. As of June 9, 2005, there were 11 pairs of plovers breeding at the Co-op. |
 The Common Tern- New York State threatened |
The common tern has a deeply forked tail, black cap and blood-red
bill with a black tip. It nests in colonies in open or semi-open beach
areas, usually laying three eggs in a shallow depression in the sand.
The eggs usually hatch in 21-27 days and the chicks fledge in about 28
days. Common terns feed on small fish. As of June 9, 2005, there were
approximately 1, 148 common terns breeding at the Co-op. Common terns
will defend its eggs and chicks by diving at predators or people perceived
as a threat to the colony. Photo: The Assateague Naturalist |
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The smallest of the terns, it is a slim bird with a yellow beak
and white forehead. It nests in colonies in open beach areas, usually
laying two eggs in a shallow depression in the sand. The eggs usually
hatch in about 21 days and the chicks fledge in 19-20 days. Least terns
feed on small fish. As of June 9, 2005, there were approximately 340 least
terns breeding at the Co-op. The least tern will also defend its eggs
and chicks by diving at predators or people perceived as a threat to the
colony. |
 The Black Skimmer- NY State Species of Special Concern |
The black skimmer is a medium to large
sized shorebird that has a black cap and black back, and a long red and
black bill. The lower half of the bill is dragged through the water while
it is flying to capture small fish. The black skimmer nests in colonies
and at the Co-Op, nests in the common tern colonies. The nests also consist
of shallow depressions in open/semi-open beach areas. As of June 9, 2005,
there were approximately 270 black skimmers breeding at the Co-op. |
 The American Oystercatcher- Migratory Bird Treaty Act-protected |
The American Oystercatcher is a large shorebird with a black
head, breast and back, and a large thick orange bill. This species, like
the plover, does not nest in colonies and will defend its breeding territory
from other oystercatchers, although it does nest along the edges of tern
colonies. The oystercatcher nest also consists of a shallow depression
on open/semi-open beach areas and it feeds on clams and mussels. As of
June 9, 2005, a total of seven pair of oystercatchers were breeding at
the Co-op. Photo: Mike Danzenbaker |
An ecological community in peril
As you can see, many of the shorebird species that breed in the beach habitats at the Co-op and other areas on Long Island are either federally or state-listed due a decline in populations. This decline is due to a number of factors, including loss of habitat from shoreline development, disturbances from recreational activities and increased predation by predators whose populations have significantly increased due to human development in coastal areas (gulls, cats, etc.). As such, the protection of these shorebird breeding areas is beneficial to a whole ecological community, not just one species.
How can these birds be federally or state-listed as threatened if there are so many on our beach?
Although there are over 1,000 terns nesting at the Co-op, there aren’t
many other sites in New York (including Long Island) with the number of birds
and different shorebird species found at the Co-op. On Long Island, many terns
are attempting to nest on back-bay islands, presumably to avoid predators, where,
in many instances, the nests are susceptible to flooding. The colonies at the
Co-op are unique and extremely valuable in the recovery of these species. It
is also important to remember that many of these birds are terns, oystercatchers
and skimmers, not piping plovers.
How can I walk down to the beach without getting attacked by these birds?
As stated in the description of these species, the terns are simply defending their young when they dive at you or defecate on you. Do not intrude into fenced areas and bring an umbrella to protect you and your children.
What can we do to help?
Don’t allow your cats or dogs to roam onto the beach- They kill and/or harass adult shorebirds and their chicks.
Don’t Litter- Food or trash attracts many of the predators of these shorebirds.
Respect all fenced areas- Intrusions into the protected areas will disturb nesting shorebirds and one could accidentally crush the well-camouflaged eggs. The sooner these shorebirds successfully nest and raise their chicks, the sooner the fencing could be removed.
Educate family members/friends- The more one knows about these species, the more likely one is to appreciate them and not disturb them, intentionally or unintentionally.
Report disturbances to the security office- Report intrusions into protected areas, by cats, dogs or people, to the security office.
How can I learn more about these species?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service web site provides information on piping plovers at:
http://www.fws.gov/northeast/pipingplover/status/index.html
For information on New York State listed species, visit the following web address:
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/endspec/etsclist.html
