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There is evidence that least terns and piping plovers existed and nested historically on the <br />Platte River. Changes to the hydrology of the river and other factors have significantly <br />reduced natural sandbar habitat on the North Platte, South Platte, and central Platte <br />Rivers desired by least terns and piping plovers for nesting. The current habitat situation <br />is a limiting factor on these rivers for the recovery of least tern and piping plover <br />populations. <br />The vast majority of terns and plovers occur along the Platte River proper (including <br />adjacent sand pits). The majority of birds on the North Platte River occur along the <br />shoreline of Lake McConaughy. Very few birds occur along the South Platte River in <br />Nebraska. Based on survey data, there is a long -term average of 166 piping plovers and <br />549 least terns on the Platte River (upper, central, and lower Platte River). <br />Least terns and piping plovers declined on the central and lower Platte Rivers during the <br />period 1987 -1998. The decline for both species is significant on sandpit sites on the <br />central Platte River where most terns and plovers nested. The decline was significant for <br />least terns on sandbar habitat in the lower Platte River. The upper Platte River supports <br />very few terns and plovers and most occur on sandpits because the river channel in that <br />stretch is extremely degraded. The shoreline of Lake McConaughy is not a significant <br />nesting area for least terns but is relatively important for piping plovers. <br />The population trends for terns and plovers on Lake McConaughy are slightly positive for <br />piping plovers and slightly negative for least terns. Statewide in Nebraska, least terns <br />and piping plovers are undergoing a significant population decline. <br />This report recommends objectives for numbers of birds, distribution, and fledge rates for <br />least terns and piping plovers on the central Platte River. The recommended numbers <br />objective for piping plovers is 126 birds on the central Platte River. The objective for <br />least terns is 300 birds on the central Platte River. These recommendations are based on <br />the existing recovery plans for the species, data regarding their population status and <br />trends on the Platte River, existing literature, and professional judgements of species <br />experts at the September 2000 workshop. <br />The recommended distribution objective for both least terns and piping plovers on the <br />central Platte River is that no fewer than 25 percent and no greater than 75 percent of the <br />birds occur above Kearney, Nebraska over a 10 year average. Nesting habitat can occur <br />at both sand pits and instream sites. These recommendations are based on Nebraska <br />Game and Parks Commission survey data and professional opinions of species experts at <br />the September 2000 workshop. <br />The recommended fledge rate objectives for the central Platte River is 1.13 chicks per <br />pair for a 3 -year running average for piping plovers and 0.70 chicks per pair for a 3 -year <br />running average for least terns. These recommendations are based on data presented by <br />Ill <br />