Sub-dispersive human disturbance of foraging oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus

Disturbance of foraging shorebirds is a known impact of human use of shorelines. Most previous work examined disturbances which caused dispersal of foraging or roosting animals, and used an uncontrolled correlative approach. In a preliminary study using experimental methods, we show that feeding birds when disturbed, but not dispersed, can show behavioural modifications and suffer reduced foraging success.