The primary source of monitoring data for Black-bellied Plover comes from fall migration monitoring surveys in Canada and the United States. Results from these surveys suggest that the population has exhibited a moderate decrease (borderline large decrease; -49%) in abundance relative to about 1970. The decline has steepened over the most recent period (2006-2016). The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) also monitors Black-bellied Plovers, although an unknown fraction of the population winters south of areas covered by this survey (Paulson 1995). Results from the CBC suggest that the abundance of Black-bellied Plovers wintering in the United States and Canada has changed little relative to about 1970. However, the CBC may be tracking the larger Alaskan-breeding population, while the migration monitoring survey, which has a higher concentration of survey sites in the east, may be tracking the smaller Canadian-breeding population (see numbers in Bart and Smith 2012). Therefore, based on migration monitoring surveys, the Canadian population of Black-bellied Plover appears to have decreased moderately since 1970. Given the more positive CBC results though, this assessment is considered to have medium reliability. Future assessments of status will be improved when results from the Arctic Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (Arctic PRISM) become available. The Black-bellied Plover is currently below the lowest acceptable level relative to its national population goal (see graph below).
Additional information on: Analyses of Shorebird Migration Monitoring Data
Additional information on: British Columbia Coastal Waterbird Survey
Additional information on: Christmas Bird Count (CBC)
