Coastal Resource Information System

Shorebirds

Many species of shorebirds occur year round in coastal British Columbia. Peaks in shorebird abundance occur in the spring and fall, corresponding to the major migration periods.

The name "shorebirds" is misleading, because in BC, most Red-necked and Red Phalaropes occur over the outer reaches of the continental shelf. Excepting Phalaropes, shorebirds are highly vulnerable to oil when they comes ashore. Phalaropes are moderately vulnerable to oil at both nearshore and offshore locations (King and Sanger 1979). Most shorebirds forage over exposed mudflats and rocky shorelines. Roosting occurs mainly in upland areas just above the tideline or on floating logs. Fouling of plumage, beak, feet and legs would occur and mortality from ingested oil and fouled plumage could be moderate to high if large quantities of oil come ashore during peak shorebird abundance during the spring and autumn migrations.

Shorebirds are not vulnerable to oil cleanup during the breeding season because breeding does not occur in the study area. Shore associated shorebirds may be vulnerable to oil cleanup because of the limited amount of foraging habitat available to them in the study area (e.g. primarily in Clayoquot Sound). Phalaropes are unlikely to be greatly disturbed by offshore cleanup operations.

Some shorebird species present in Coastal BC:

• Red-necked Phalarope
• Red Phalarope

Detailed species reports from the British Columbia Species and Ecosystem Explorer are available by following the above links.

These species are also breifly described below in exerpts from: The Birds of British Columbia, Vol. 2, Nonpasserines: Diurnal Birds of Prey through Woodpeckers by R. Wayne Campbell, Neil K. Dawe, Ian McTaggart-Cowan, John M. Cooper, Gary W. Kaiser and Michael C.E. McNall.

Red-necked Phalarope

The Red-necked Phalarope is the only Phalarope that occurs throughout the province from sea level to 1200m elevation. It frequents marine waters in flocks of 5 to 50 birds in the early stages of migration, growing to thousands during the peak movements. The flocks congregate along tide lines or along the edges of kelp beds where they forage for minute organisms. At sea, the flocks skim over the water in long lines or loose groups, settling in the water one moment and rising en masse the next. The Red-necked Phalarope spends all of its time on water unless it is driven ashore by gales.

Red Phalarope

The Red Phalarope has scattered distribution along the coast, and is rarely found in the interior of the province. It is most frequently observed on the outer coast of Vancouver Island, in Queen Charlotte Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. They are rarely encountered in the Strait of Georgia or along the northern coast and fjords of the province. They are almost entirely pelagic during the non-breeding season, except when blown in shore by storm fronts. They are unique among waders in that their migratory routes are entirely oceanic and therefore are rarely encountered.