Breeding season is in full swing, bringing a large number of chicks into care, among them a variety of shorebirds. This season, International Bird Rescue has cared for shorebirds from a range of habitats and circumstances. Together, their stories offer a glimpse into the challenges these birds face during the nesting season and the efforts that help support them along the way.
Shorebird species are typically ground nesters, relying on simple scrape nests in open areas where camouflage, nest placement, and behavior are their primary defenses. Those nesting strategies have helped shorebirds thrive in a variety of habitats. However, they can also leave eggs and chicks vulnerable when conditions shift unexpectedly.
Thanks to prior experience raising this vulnerable species from past oil spills and year-round clinical care, we have learned that it is the little details that can make all the difference. In care, chicks are raised in specially designed enclosures with sand, plants, and other materials that mimic their natural habitat. As they grow, they move to a larger outdoor space, where they continue to develop, meet other shorebirds, and grow the flight feathers they’ll need for life in the wild.
This season’s cases reflect both the resilience of shorebirds and the pressures they face in the wild, highlighting how careful, specialized care can help carry them through those earliest and most vulnerable days..
Nesting Habitat in Cracked Salt Panne
For the last few years, shorebird eggs and chicks have been brought into care from the Montezuma Wetlands Restoration Project, where dedicated biologists from Point Blue Conservation Science and Avocet Research Associates carefully monitor their nesting areas and identify eggs or chicks in unsafe locations. The early stages of restoration create bare salt panne habitat that attracts nesting shorebirds. Unfortunately, the sediment layers can form wide cracks too deep for vulnerable chicks to cross.
So far this season, those efforts have resulted in 29 American Avocet eggs and chicks, 12 Western Snowy Plover eggs and chicks, and eight Black-necked Stilt eggs brought into care. Three of the plover eggs came from Salmon Creek State Beach, due to tidal overwash. These birds will be raised and later reintroduced to their natural habitat.
The Montezuma Wetlands supports one of the largest known breeding populations of Western Snowy Plovers, a federally threatened species, in the northern San Francisco Bay-Delta ecosystem. Together, this ongoing collaboration helps give more chicks a chance to successfully thrive in the wild.
Conditions That Support Urban Waterbirds
Waterbirds may use modified waterways when conditions briefly resemble suitable habitat, especially in urban regions like Los Angeles where natural wetland areas are limited.
Across 51 miles, the Los Angeles River offers a surprising mix of conditions that attracts a wide range of birds. As highlighted in a PBS SoCal piece on the river’s ecology, its value comes down to a few key elements: reliable access to water, patches of vegetation that support insects and seeds, and in some stretches, enough cover and structure for birds to rest or even nest.
Even with these pockets of habitat, conditions on the river can change quickly. A recent oil spill highlighted how vulnerable these areas can be when water quality is impacted. Working alongside partners through the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, Bird Rescue staff are helping mitigate impacts to wildlife, with teams deployed both in the field and at the Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care and Education Center to care for animals affected by the spill.
Among over 130 birds rescued were oiled Black-necked Stilt chicks. When oil coats a bird’s feathers, it compromises the insulation birds rely on to stay warm and protected from the elements. Young chicks are especially vulnerable, as they are still developing and less able to cope with exposure and other stressors.
Nesting in Human-Altered Spaces
Killdeer are flexible nesters, often establishing nests in or human influenced or altered settings such as gravel roofs, parking lots, golf courses, and other open, sparsely vegetated ground. This adaptability can also place nests in locations where sudden disturbance or accidental exposure increases risk, highlighting both their resilience and the challenges of sharing space with people and infrastructure.
Near the nest, adults use a range of distraction behaviors to protect eggs and chicks, including loud calls, bobbing, and running to draw attention away from the nest. They are also well known for the broken-wing display, where an adult pretends to be injured in an effort to lure predators away. These clever strategies may work in wild habitats, but would be ineffective when used on cars in a parking lot.
Last month, three Killdeer chicks were brought to Bird Rescue from Antioch, CA, after their mother was attacked by a predator, leaving the young birds orphaned. They are now being raised alongside other shorebird chicks in care and will continue developing the skills they need for life in the wild.
Supporting Shorebirds in a Changing World
Across wetlands, river corridors, and human-shaped landscapes, shorebirds are navigating a changing world as they nest and raise their young. Through partnerships, preparedness, and year-round specialized care, we remain committed to giving these birds the best possible chance to thrive in the wild.
If you would like to support this work, consider donating or getting involved to help care for shorebirds and other waterbirds in need.