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It is currently breeding season. One bird species that is presently laying its well-camouflaged nests on the ground is the Little Ringed Plover. This species is regularly found on construction sites with large areas of bare soil. Handling this strictly protected bird species therefore poses a recurring challenge in environmental construction supervision and monitoring for Mull und Partner Ingenieurgesellschaft.
Originally, this small bird species, with its black neckband and yellow eye-ring, inhabits river floodplains, where it breeds on sand and gravel banks. However, many of these natural habitats have been destroyed through river straightening. Similar conditions to the original habitats can be found on construction sites with extensive open soil areas. As nest sites, the Little Ringed Plover uses gravelly or sandy areas with sparse vegetation, but also gravel and recycled materials serve as welcome breeding grounds.
The Little Ringed Plover creates several nesting scrapes in the ground, one of which is chosen for laying the eggs. The scrape is often “furnished” with small twigs and pebbles. The eggs resemble pebbles and are therefore well camouflaged, as shown in the photo below.
For this reason, caution is required when Little Ringed Plovers are breeding on construction sites. The nests can easily be overlooked and, for example, destroyed by vehicles, especially when their locations are unknown. Since this species is strictly protected, the destruction of nests constitutes a violation of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatschG).
In environmental construction supervision and monitoring, Mullund Partner Ingenieurgesellschaft provides advice on how to handle Little Ringed Plovers as well as other ecological and environmental protection issues.
