NOORDEN B VAN (1997) Why did the Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria disappear as a breeding bird from The Netherlands?. LIMOSA 70 (3): 89-96.

The Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria disappeared as a breeding bird from The Netherlands in 1937. In this paper, causes of extirpation are discussed.
      The Golden Plover probably was common and widespread in The Netherlands after the last glacial (12 000 Y bp) when the country was covered with tundra vegetation. As a result of rising temperature, tundra then turned into forest. This must have lead to habitat loss and thus a decreasing population. Raised bogs came into existence about 8000 y bp. This wet and treeless habitat offered new opportunities to Golden lovers. The area of raised bogs reached a maximum in The Netherlands during the Late Subboreal (5500 BC of Ybp, Fig. 1). Through climate change and human interference, the area of raised bog declined. Heathlands first developed in the Middle Ages. Through sheep grazing, burning and collecting of sods, vegetation remained short. For the Golden Plover, heathland is suitable breeding habitat. At the time of its maximum extent, about 1800, heathland covered about 800000 ha in The Nederlands; at that time, raised bogs accounted for about 100 000 ha. Short vegetation is the common feature of these two habitats. The combination of extensive areas of heathland and raised bog about 1800 must have coincided with maximum distribution of the Golden Plover (Fig. 2).
      The first historical indication of breeding of Golden Plover in The Nederland's dates from about 1530. During 1850-1937, breeding distribution was restricted to bogs and heathlands in the eastern part of the country (Fig. 3). The area of heathland and raised bog decreased rapidly about 1900 through conversion into arable land and forest plantations. However, loss of breeding habitat was not the principal cause of extinction. The disappearance of the Golden Plover from The Peel, a bog in the southern Netherlands, is well documented. At the time of extinction (1933), the area of heathland and peatland there still amounted to about 20 000 ha, but the sheep population reached a minimum at that time (Fig. 4). Remaining heathland became largely unsuitable through lack of grazing by sheep. The collecting of sods and periodical burning of heather by shepherds also stopped. Vegetation then became too dense and too high and therefore unsuitable as breeding habitat for Golden Plovers. Other extinction factors are the buckwheat fire culture, increasing predation by foxes and crows as a result of afforestation in the neighbourhood, egg collecting and hunting.
      Due to the absence of permanently suitable breeding habitat, it is unlikely that the Golden Plover will return as a regular breeding bird in The Netherlands. European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria

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