Prey resources and foraging of an obligate sandy beach shorebird, the Hooded Plover Thinornis cucullatus

This study sought to test a new sandy beach invertebrate sampling method; and to characterise the basic foraging behaviour of Hooded Plovers. The hydraulic sampling device was determined to be an inferior sampling method compared to sieving. Beach zone and season strongly influenced Hooded Plover foraging rate, and zone, season, tide and breeding status strongly influenced success.