Survival of breeding oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus.

Mean annual survival was 0.902. The reasons for the slight, but significant, annual differences over 14 yr were unknown. Most mortality occurred away from the breeding area. Age had no significant effect on survival. Breeding had no adverse effects on the chances of a bird returning the next season; conversely, birds that did not lay had a reduced chance of surviving. A pool of mature non-breeders buffered the population against fluctuation in survival rate. -from Authors