American Oystercatcher: Aerial Survey Project

Sponsors and Cooperators

The American Oystercatcher aerial survey project is a conservation effort designed to aid our understanding of this distinctive shorebird. Like many other shorebirds, American Oystercatchers face a wide array of threats and their numbers may be in decline.

Conservation of the American Oystercatcher is a high priority of the Shorebird Conservation Plan, but there is considerable uncertainty about the current size of the population. Estimates of the eastern subspecies vary from 3000 to 7500. Traditionally, American Oystercatchers have been difficult to survey. In the summer they are widely dispersed throughout their nesting habitat and in the winter they roost on offshore barrier islands and in salt marshes that are difficult to access from the ground.

During the winter of 2002-2003 Manomet researchers, in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, will conduct a comprehensive aerial survey of the entire winter range of the American Oystercatcher. Known roost sites, barrier beaches and salt marshes will all be surveyed by trained observers from small fixed-wing aircraft. This survey will provide

the first complete population estimate of the eastern American Oystercatcher as well as information on wintering distribution and habitat associations. The flights will also be a valuable test of the role aerial surveys play in meeting the monitoring goals of the Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM) under the Shorebird Conservation Plan. Join us this winter as we make our way down the Eastern Seaboard and into the Gulf of Mexico. We'll give you updates on our progress and post pictures from the survey flights. Click a location below to view our most recent expeditions.