Understanding threats to declining species at multiple stages of their annual cycle is important for determining the cause of their declines and conserving their populations. To assess potential responses to changing habitat and predators under climate change, I compared the nest site characteristics, responses to human intruders, and migratory patterns between Short-billed Dowitchers and Stilt Sandpipers breeding in Churchill, MB. I conducted behavioural observations and habitat surveys and deployed radio transmitters on birds during incubation. Short-billed Dowitcher nests had higher concealment and adults were more aggressive than Stilt Sandpipers. Short-billed Dowitchers took an eastern migratory route and stopped in the southeast US, whereas Stilt Sandpipers migrated west. Short-billed Dowitchers displayed relatively high connectivity during migration with nearly 1/3 of confirmed stopovers occurring at a single site in Georgia. These findings highlight the importance of considering varying antipredator defense and migration strategies in the face of climate change.
Author Keywords: Central Flyway, incubation, Midcontinent, migratory connectivity, Motus, nest concealment