HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Saint Helena plover (''Charadrius sanctaehelenae''), locally known as the wirebird due to its thin legs, is a small
wader 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to the island of
Saint Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...
in the mid-Atlantic. The bird is similar in appearance to
Kittlitz's plover Kittlitz's plover (''Charadrius pecuarius'') is a small shorebird (35-40 g) in the family Charadriidae that breeds near coastal and inland saltmarshes, sandy or muddy riverbanks or alkaline grasslands with short vegetation. It is native to much o ...
and the Madagascar plover, but a little larger and an absence of chamois coloring. It is the national bird of St Helena and has been depicted on the country's coins. Populations in general have been declining. Threats include predation by cats, the introduction of the common myna, deforestation, off-road vehicle use, the
Saint Helena Airport Saint Helena Airport is an international airport on Saint Helena, a remote island in the south Atlantic Ocean, in the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha. The construction of the runway was finished ...
and a projected windfarm. In 2016, the population had recovered to about 560 mature individuals, from a previous minimum of less than 200 in 2006; consequently, the species was downlisted to Vulnerable from its previous assessment of Critically Endangered.


Description

Kittlitz's plover Kittlitz's plover (''Charadrius pecuarius'') is a small shorebird (35-40 g) in the family Charadriidae that breeds near coastal and inland saltmarshes, sandy or muddy riverbanks or alkaline grasslands with short vegetation. It is native to much o ...
is the Saint Helena bird's closest relative. The Saint Helena plover is generally larger (around 15 cm (6 in) in size) with spindlier legs. The bird was first mentioned in 1638, and is the
national bird This is a list of national birds, including official birds of overseas territories and other states described as nations. Most species in the list are officially designated. Some species hold only an "unofficial" status. National birds See al ...
of Saint Helena, featured on the island's coat of arms and flag. Some older local 5 pence coins (those issued prior to 1998) have the wirebird on the reverse. This
plover Plovers ( , ) are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. Description There are about 66 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subf ...
is resident all year on the open areas of Saint Helena, and it is thought that the widespread deforestation on the island, while generally harmful for the island's ecosystem, has in fact benefitted this particular species, since it lives in open clearings in the forest.


Status and conservation

Saint Helena plover numbers have been fluctuating, but in general the trend has been downward since at least the 1970s.
Feral cat A feral cat or a stray cat is an unowned domestic cat (''Felis catus'') that lives outdoors and avoids human contact: it does not allow itself to be handled or touched, and usually remains hidden from humans. Feral cats may breed over dozens ...
s and accidentally introduced rats are believed to have played a significant role in the decline, as, to a lesser extent has the introduced common myna. A census in 1988–89 recorded roughly 450 birds, although that number declined sharply over the following decade, due to causes not fully understood. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, censuses suggested that the bird's numbers had stabilised at about 350 adults. However, surveys done in 2005–6 recorded another sharp decline, with only some 200–220 adult birds remaining. Due to its dropping numbers and uncertain prospects, the Saint Helena plover was uplisted to Critically Endangered in the 2007 version of the IUCN Red List. A reassessment in 2016 suggested that the population had recovered somewhat from this minimum and may be slowly increasing; as a consequence, the species was downlisted to Vulnerable. The reasons for the previous decline and ongoing inhibition of population growth decline remain elusive. Habitat loss—due to changes in agricultural practices, increases in invasive plant populations, and development—has almost certainly had an impact. The increasing use of off-road vehicles threatens nests and eggs. Feral cat populations are increasing, as trapping levels have declined and fewer people neuter their pet cats. Construction activity has apparently dispersed some of the smaller subpopulations. The newly built
Saint Helena Airport Saint Helena Airport is an international airport on Saint Helena, a remote island in the south Atlantic Ocean, in the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha. The construction of the runway was finished ...
at Prosperous Bay Plain has altered one of the major patches of remaining habitat, especially as other grassland is now slated for reforestation to aid recovery of the island's ecosystem, and a major wind turbine project has been proposed for the species' most important breeding area. There are currently projects underway led by the
RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It was founded in 1889. It works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment t ...
to monitor the birds and try to stop their decline.


References


External links


St Helena National Trust – St Helena Wirebird or Plover


{{Taxonbar, from=Q1272572 Saint Helena plover Birds of Saint Helena Island Saint Helena plover Taxa named by James Edmund Harting