Scripts from: Remotely sensed microhabitat characteristics associated with Haematopus palliatus (American Oystercatcher) nest-site selection can inform beach habitat restoration along the U.S. Atlantic Coast

Shorebird populations are in steep decline and have lost almost 70% of their North American populations on average since 1970. The declines are accelerating for most species, in part because coastal environments face significant threats from anthropogenic activities, leading to habitat loss or degradation. Haematopus palliatus (American Oystercatchers) have begun to recolonize areas in their northern breeding range where they were previously extirpated; however, threats persist due to habitat loss, human disturbances, and high predation risk. Coastal habitat restoration, particularly the use of dredged material to enhance beach habitats, has been shown to be a viable conservation strategy. To inform restoration design, this study aims to quantify the microhabitat characteristics influencing H. palliatus nest-site selection across sandy beaches along the U.S. Atlantic coast, utilizing high-resolution lidar data. We analyzed 1,349 nest locations compiled from targeted surveys, comparing t..., , # Scripts from: Remotely sensed microhabitat characteristics associated with Haematopus palliatus (American Oystercatcher) nest-site selection can inform beach habitat restoration along the U.S. Atlantic Coast

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.6wwpzgnb2](10.5061/dryad.6wwpzgnb2)

## Description of the data and file structure

**Summary**

This directory contains the scripts used in the Ornithological Applications publication titled *Remotely sensed microhabitat characteristics associated with Haematopus palliatus (American Oystercatcher) nest-site selection can inform beach habitat restoration along the U.S. Atlantic Coast* (Grand et al. In Press).

The nest location data associated with this publication are owned by multiple institutions/agencies and require permission to use; therefore, the dataset is not included here. All data owners are listed in the acknowledgements section of the journal article.

### Files and variables

#### File: ORNITH-APP-25-026.zip

Nest coordinates used in the ...,