Plover populations serve as model systems for understanding avian demography, behaviour, and mating systems. In South Africa, resident shorebirds have been understudied, which is surprising given the wealth of research teams working on this group in other parts of the world. This project joins global projects focusing on shorebirds to collect breeding and demography data for individually marked populations of these species. At the same time, disturbances related to changing environmental conditions, presence of predators and human activities are negatively impacting the reproduction of resident shorebirds globally. Evaluating the mechanisms by which these disturbances influence breeding shorebird populations will result in informed decisions to better conserve these species and their habitats. 

The project studies a common species, the Kittlitz’s Plover Anarhynchus pecuarius, and a species considered ‘near threatened’, the Chestnut-banded Plover A. pallidus. Data collection is focused on finding all breeding attempts at the study site annually and maintaining a marked population to track aspects of breeding biology, nest success and demography. When nests are successful, parental care and brood behaviour are documented, with the goal of building a detailed understanding of the mating systems of these species and how local conditions may shape strategies in comparison to populations elsewhere.

The study site is at the Berg River estuary and the commercial salt pans near the town of Velddrif in the Western Cape. This is recognised as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), with its high number of breeding and wintering waterbird species. The project was piloted in 2019, the first field season was initiated in 2020, and the sixth breeding season was monitored in 2025.

Activities in 2025

  • New PhD students Eszter Vig Aletta and Peter Jan de Vera led the field season from September to November. In total, 98 plover nests were found, 48 Chestnut-banded Plover (CbP), 47 Kittlitz’s Plover (KiP), and one each of White-fronted A. marginatus and Three-banded Plover A. tricollaris. Unlike the high nest success in 2024, only 7 CbP (14.5%) and 8 KiP (17%) nests hatched successfully in 2025. Nest predation was the main cause of failure, along with weather events and human-related trampling.
  • The first manuscript detailing the breeding biology and success of the nationally vulnerable Chestnut-banded Plover was written during the year and will be submitted for publication in 2026.

Highlights

  • The project hosted collaborators Prof. Tamas Székely and Dr Naerhulan Halimubieke for a week in September. Long-term plans were made for the sustainability of the project.

Impact of the project
This study informs conservation efforts as it occurs at a designated IBA, which primarily holds important populations of waders and other waterbirds. It aids understanding of the threats to these species, helping to protect them from current and future threats. In terms of evolutionary ecology, this project provides information on the breeding and demography of these shorebird populations and will evaluate the mating system variation in the population at this site to determine whether it is linked to sex ratios, demography or other environmental/life history factors.

Key co-supporters
University of Bath; University of Debrecen; Kuifkopvisvanger Velddrif (accommodation).

Research team 2025
Team leaders and collaborators:
A/Prof. Robert Thomson (FIAO, UCT)
Prof. Tamás Székely (U. Bath and U. Debrecen)
Dr Naerhulan Halimubieke (U. Bath)
Dr Anthony Lowney (U. Hartpury / FIAO, UCT)
Dr Carina Nebel (U. Turku)

Students:
Peter Jan de Vera (PhD, U. Debrecen); Eszter Vig Aletta (PhD, U. Debrecen)