PIPING PLOVER AND LEAST TERN NESTING LOCATION COMPARED TO RIVERINE HABITAT ON GREAT PLAINS RIVERS

The way a river migrates and changes through time affects local environments and the types of species that can survive in riverine ecosystems. Particularly, the deposition of sand, in the form of sandbars, contributes to natural nesting habitats for many migratory bird species in the central United States. The formation of larger sandbars (2+ acres) enable a greater number of opportunities for suitable nesting environments for piping plovers and least terns. However, due to human interference, habitat space for plovers and terns is limited, which contributes to the endangerment of the bird species. To predict where birds will nest in the future, and where the best locations for habitat building is, two rivers were chosen for analysis. By analyzing multiple rivers for different years, it is possible to make broader conclusions about sandy river characteristics. The Platte River system and Niobrara River system host a significant amount of bird nesting sites annually making these two rivers suitable study sites. Using remotely sensed data, images of the Lower Niobrara River and Lower Platte River were classified to determine widths and sand areas in discrete sections of river. Classification allowed for the consequential delineation of local changes in sand area and width. Data collected has shown a correlation between wider sections of river and increased nesting incidence in both sections of river for multiple years. The data also shows birds nest where there is more sand area compared to the surrounding region. The results of this study will potentially aid in improving overall understanding of sandy rivers, as well as give insight into where birds select to nest based on the geomorphology of sandy river systems.