First nesting records of Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) in Guatemala

Abstract

The Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) occurs along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts from the United States to Brazil, and occasionally in Chile. It is known to breed in the United States, Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Jamaica, the West Indies, and Peru. Outside the United States, we know little about its reproduction and nesting site habitats. On 12 May 2019, we observed a female at a nest with 3 eggs and a separate pair of adults with 2 chicks around the ponds of the Mayasal shrimp farm in Jutiapa, Guatemala. These 2 reports are the first records of Wilson's Plover nesting in Guatemala. Conservation concerns on both breeding and wintering areas include habitat loss, climate change, and human disturbance, as well as a small population size and restricted reproductive range.