Provision of nest cages to reduce little ringed plover Charadrius dubius nest predation at Welney, Norfolk, England

At a site in eastern England, wire mesh cages were placed over little ringed plover Charadrius dubiusnests to protect their eggs from predation. The adult birds continued incubating their eggs and no nestdesertions were attributed to cage placement. Protection with cages resulted in an increase inproductivity, measured as fledged young per pair (1.6 young fledged per pair in protected nests, 0.6 perpair in unprotected nests). Provision of nest cages, in conjunction with extending suitable breedinghabitat, has resulted in a gradual increase in numbers of breeding little ringed plover pairs over a 10year period.

Gulickx M.M.C. and Kemp J.B, Conservation Evidence (2007) 4, 30-32