Population status

Black Turnstone
(Arenaria melanocephala)

Black Turnstones are distributed along the rocky shorelines of British Columbia during non-breeding and it is likely that large proportions of the total population use Canadian coastlines during this time (Gratto-Trevor et al. 2011). Data from Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) capture only a very small portion of the range-wide population but suggest little overall change in the North American population trend since about 1970. The British Columbia Coastal Waterbird Survey (BCCWS) corroborates this result indicating no detectable change in population between 1999 and 2011. Though the CBC covers only a small portion of the range the species is present in small but consistent groups and in a predictable habitat that would be regularly accessed by surveyors. The BCCWS provides a second data series and is consistent with the CBC results providing further confidence in the assessment.

 

Picture of logo Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

Additional information on: Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

Table 1: Population trends by geographic area
Geographic areaTime PeriodAnnual trend Table 1 - footnote 1 Limits
LowerUpper
North America1965-2012-0.2-1.60.8
 

British Columbia Coastal Waterbird Survey

Additional information on: British Columbia Coastal Waterbird Survey

Assessment date: 2011

Table 2: Population trends by geographic area
Geographic areaTime PeriodAnnual trend Table 2 - footnote 1 Limits
LowerUpper
Straight of Georgia Select to view graph of the geographic area: Straight of Georgia 1999-2011; British Columbia Coastal Waterbird Survey1999-20110.3-4.35.2
 

References