Chick Shelters

After presenting at a great event to discuss the future of Non-Beach Breeding Dotterel I left with some great advice. I plan to make Chick Shelters, when the parent alerts the chick I need to have one of these (every 10 meters or so) that the chick can run to.

Shelter Tests
Shelter Tests

I need to make it even shorter and longer, just to be sure. Interestingly I tried adding my decoy chick and it just worried the Pukeko who turned their heads sideways to stare at it in the shelter.

This is looking about right. Need to test again when the black back gulls are hungry.
This is looking about right. Need to test again when the black back gulls are hungry.
Camouflaged to minimise human tampering.
Camouflaged to minimise human tampering.
Maximum height seems to be about 180. Maybe I should reduce it (as a buffer).
Maximum height seems to be about 180. Maybe I should reduce it (as a buffer).
The cows are very interested in it, but not moving it.
The cows are very interested in it, but not moving it.
Added triangles, thinner plywood.
Added triangles, thinner plywood.
Little triangle at the top and 150 max height. Length still looking very important. 800.
Little triangle at the top and 150 max height. Length still looking very important. 800.
Triangle reinforcements needed, the cows busted this one.
Triangle reinforcements needed, the cows busted this one.
Chick Shelter Design
Final chick shelter design
Mass Production
Mass Production
Great effort by Chris from Watercare
Great effort by Chris from Watercare
Chris's shelters 140mm high (to the apex).
Chris’s shelters 140mm high (to the apex).

Everything is in place, now we just need some chicks. I need to do observational work to test a few things:

1. Do adults avoid the shelters?
2. Do the chicks use the shelters?
3. Are the shelters effective at protecting chicks from predators? If not lets lower them and check point 2.
4. Other benefits/ problems?


RESULTS

Adult Dotterel not worried about feeding near the shelters
Adult Dotterel not worried about feeding near the shelters
Welcome Swallows enjoying this one (tipped over)
Welcome Swallows enjoying this one (tipped over)
I keep loosing chicks and eggs, the parents of the only chick I have at the moment keep taking the chick out onto the field or the road so I have mown an area I think would be safer.
I keep loosing chicks and eggs, the parents of the only chick I have at the moment keep taking the chick out onto the field or the road so I have mown an area I think would be safer.
Hobbitown
Hobbitown
Also lined the road
Also lined the road

1. Do adults avoid the shelters? No.
2. Do the chicks use the shelters? No, small chicks hide in the grass which is quite long in spring. None of the small chicks lived long enough to be bigger chicks that might have made a longer dash to a chick shelter. The mown area created did not attract any Dotterel (Just Pied stilts, Herons and Spur Winged Plover).
3. Are the shelters effective at protecting chicks from predators? Untested, maybe try them at a mown or beach site.
4. Other benefits/ problems:

  • They help with orienteering in the field and you can also perch on them.
  • Cows broke about 20% of them, flipping was also an issue, I would consider using tent pegs to prevent cow flipping.
2 chicks in the shade of this chick shelter in Tawharanui
2 chicks in the shade of this chick shelter in Tawharanui