Guardamar concerns as Kentish Plover breeding pairs decline

The breeding pairs of endangered Kentish Plovers have seen a significant decline on the natural beaches of Guardamar del Segura, particularly near the mouth, over the past three years.

Environmentalists suspect that the use of heavy machinery for sandbank cleaning in the nesting areas of these wading birds may be the cause.

The Association of Friends of the Southern Alicante Wetlands (AHSA) has reached out to the Guardamar Council, urging them to refrain from using heavy machinery in the vicinity of plover nesting grounds during the breeding season.

In their recent censuses of Guardamar’s natural beaches, spanning from the Segura River mouth to Torrevieja, during the years 2020, 2021, and 2023, a noticeable decrease in the number of breeding pairs of Kentish Plovers was observed.

From 21 pairs in 2020, the count dropped to 8 in 2021 and between 5 to 6 in 2023.

This area holds significance as the primary coastal habitat for Kentish Plovers in Alicante, with an average of around 20 pairs nesting between 2013 and 2020.

Kentish Plover