JUKEMA J & HULSCHER JB (1997) The fowler as measurer of population changes of the Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria. LIMOSA 70 (4): 179-190.

In the northern parts of The Netherlands a tradition exists of catching Golden Plovers with specific clap nets called wilsternets. During World War II, the number of fowlers increased dramatically, since this was a cheap possibility of procuring food. Nature conservationists were concerned about the tens of thousands of birds killed, and claimed that netting resulted in substantial population decline. After the War, the number of licences to catch Golden Plovers for consumption was steadily cut down. Since 1978, licences are issued exclusively in order to ring birds. The manner of catching Golden Plovers with wilsternets has not changed over the years. Thus, the number of birds caught per net per standard unit of time may be representative of the number of birds present. Comparison of net catches among areas at one time may then show local differences in bird density, and of catches in the same area over the years, changes in the size of the population. Catches of seven fowlers in the province of Friesland over long (but partly non-overlapping) periods of time are available for analysis. To make catches comparable, we calculated the mean number of plovers caught per fowler per successful day (at least one bird caught) during November and December, being the period all fowlers were active. After correction for local differences in daily catches, there was an increasing tendency in catches per day over the years 1903-1990 (figure 5). From 1951, when ringing of Golden Plovers was initiated, until 1994, the proportion of the year totals of ringed birds that were recovered through killing by fowlers in and outside The Netherlands, declined from nearly six to a good one percent per year (figure 6e). In the discussion it is argued that the increasing daily catches may represent a real increase of the population in the Western palearctic region whence the birds originate, as a result of relaxation of fowling. However, in the absence of comprehensive population counts (cf. those available for geese), other explanations cannot be excluded. One possibility is a redistribution of birds during migration in such a way that relatively more birds pass through The Netherlands. This may be a result of continuously increasing food densities (worms) on Dutch pastures since the War, by application of increasing amounts of fertiliser. Pluvialis apricaria apricaria Pluvialis apricaria altifrons

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