Defining Human Disturbance to Shorebirds Using Manager and Scientist Input

Area of Science:

• Wildlife Conservation
• Ecology
• Social Science

Background:

• Human disturbance is a significant threat to shorebird populations.
• A lack of a common definition for human disturbance hinders effective management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a shared definition of human disturbance affecting migratory shorebirds.
• To identify and prioritize human activities that pose the greatest threat to shorebirds.

Main Methods:

• Employed the Delphi technique, an iterative consensus-building method.
• Conducted four rounds of participant engagement with scientists and land managers.
• Utilized surveys and ranking tasks to refine definitions and prioritize activities.

Main Results:

• Achieved a consensus on a shared definition of human disturbance for shorebirds.
• Identified and ranked 12 priority categories of human activities impacting migratory shorebirds in the Northeastern U.S.
• Found no significant differences in responses between scientists and managers.

Conclusions:

• The Delphi technique successfully fostered a shared understanding of human disturbance among experts.
• The study's outputs inform best practices for shorebird management and conservation.
• Establishing a common definition is crucial for addressing human impacts on shorebirds.