ABSTRACT
Populations of many plovers occupy habitats favored by humans for recreation and other human uses. This chapter describes the responses of shorebirds to the presence of people and the potential impact these responses may have on plovers throughout the annual cycle. Plover responses to people are often frequent, sometimes lengthy, are (1) context-specific, for example, more intense when breeding and less intense in busier areas, and (2) sophisticated, for example, tailored to aspects of human behavior. These responses disrupt time budgets, sometimes displace or alter habitat use of plovers, and variably (mostly negatively) influence reproductive success. Evidence of links between disturbance and plover population viability or trends is sparse, but the few studies available suggest that disturbance can limit population size and mediates habitat quality. Many research gaps exist, and there is a need to reconcile the varying and often contradictory results of available studies.
