Reproductive success of Haematopus palliatus, the Common oystercatcher, and anthropic activities in the Marvilla Circuit, Pantanos de Villa, Lima- Peru

Abstract

Human recreational activities and their effects on reproductive cycles in nature constitute an increasingly important area of research. Search and follow-up monitoring of oystercatcher nests was conducted throughout the sand strip of the Marvilla Circuit, in the Pantanos de Villa wetlands, in order to determine the influence of anthropogenic activities on reproductive success. To this end, the nests were evaluated twice a week during the months of September and October 2020. Eleven nests with a total of 24 eggs were found, and it was determined that H. palliatus preferred to nest in the area near high tide, absent of vegetation, and that the nests tended to be built from mounds of dry branches. The biotic potential was found to be five surviving chicks/two months, and the number of eggs laid ranged from 1 to 3. The reproductive success of H. palliatus was found to be low (hatching success was 20.83% and nesting success 27.3%), due to the influence of anthropogenic activities conducted within the Marvilla Circuit. Such activities include walking, horseback riding and vehicular traffic, which affect H. palliatus both directly and indirectly, resulting in different causes of reproductive failure.