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Recent Range Expansion of the American Oystercatcher into New York

1964; Wilson Ornithological Society; Volume: 76; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

1938-5447

Peter W. Post, Gilbert S. Raynor,

Species Distribution and Climate Change

the Atlantic coast as far north as Labrador (Audubon, 1835). Although this report has been questioned (Bent, 1929), other records (Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, 1844) document its occurrence as far north as New England. During the mid-nineteenth century this species disappeared from the north- ern part of its range, and by 1910 Virginia was listed as the northernmost breeding limit (American Ornithologists' Union, 1910). For several decades this limit remained static but in 1939 the first recent Maryland breeding record was obtained (Stewart and Robbins, 1958). In the early 1940's the species increased on the beaches of southern New Jersey and in 1947 the first nest was found (Kramer. 1918) . The species now breeds regularly in the three southernmost coastal counties of New Jersey. During the early 1950's a number of breeding, season occurrences of the oystercatcher were recorded on Long Island, New York and in 1957 the first nest was found (Post, 1961). It is hoped that this paper will contribute to an understanding of this range expansion. NESTING LOCALITIES Oystercatchers have now bre(d in three areas on Long Island and were observed for two summers in a fourth. Since these stations are geographically and ecologically distinct, they will be described separately and in some detail to facilitate comparison with former and possible future breeding locations. Area 1 (Gardiner's aind Cartwright Islands) . Gardiner's Island is located in Gardiner's Bay which separates the north and south forks of eastern Long Island and is about 2.25 miles from the nearest point on the nmainland. The southern tip of the island, the oystercatcher breeding site, consists of a sandy spit nearly separated from the island itself by Great Pond, a tidal bay about 0.5 by 0.25 mile in area. The spit is fairly well covered with grasses, weeds, and bushy growth (Fig. 1 ). A thriving gull and tern colony is located here. Cartwright Island was, until recent years. a low sandy island about a mile south of Gardiner's Island. It formerly supported large tern and gull colonies. Within the last few years, the island was broken by wave action into four segments which may be designated as the Cartwright Islands. In 1962, the southern island, about 800 by 100 feet and perhaps 6 feet high, supported about 15 pairs of Great Black-backed Gulls (Larus marinus). The second and fourth segments from the south, narrow and low, were empty of breeding birds. The third island, about 1,000 by 100 feet in size and only 3 to 4 feet above water level, was occupied by about a dozen pairs of Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus), 100 pairs of Common Terns (Sterna hirundo), a few Roseate Terns (S. dougallii), a pair or two of Black Skimmers (Rynchops nigra), and a pair of oyster- catchers.