DOI: 10.5061/dryad.jq2bvq8g5
title: Beach recreationists perceive a lack of knowledge about shorebirds’ needs as a constraint to walking around shorebird flocks

description: Walking through shorebird flocks can have negative impacts on shorebird
 populations. Understanding human behavior is essential for minimizing
 disturbance. As such, we used a mixed-methods approach consisting of phone
 interviews and a survey to explore 1) recreationists’ perceived benefits
 and constraints to voluntarily walking around shorebird flocks, 2)
 recreationists’ intentions to walk around shorebird flocks, 3) differences
 in behavioral intention by sociodemographic variables, and 4) differences
 in norms, benefits, and constraints among recreationists who intend to
 walk around flocks and recreationists who do not intend to walk around
 flocks. From the interviews and survey, we found that recreationists’
 perceived benefits to walking around flocks were maintaining undisturbed
 conditions for shorebirds and reducing harm to people and their dogs.
 Recreationists perceived constraints to walking around flocks related to
 knowledge about shorebirds’ needs. The majority of recreationists were
 willing to walk around flocks, rather than through them. Intention to walk
 around flocks can vary by sociodemographic groups. Recreationists who
 intended to walk around flocks had stronger personal and social norms than
 recreationists who did not intend to walk around flocks. Recreationists
 who intended to walk around flocks generally agreed more strongly that
 maintaining undisturbed conditions for shorebirds and reduced harm to
 people and their dogs were benefits, compared to participants who did not
 intend to walk around flocks. Recreationists who did not intend to walk
 around flocks agreed more strongly that knowledge was a constraint
 compared to participants who intended to walk around flocks. Our findings
 could be used in the strategy development phase of a community-based
 social marketing campaign (CBSM) aimed at encouraging recreationists to
 voluntarily walk around shorebird flocks. Using behavior change
 techniques, benefits uncovered in this study can be emphasized and
 constraints uncovered in this study can be reduced for the purpose of
 promoting less disturbance to shorebirds.
description: # Beach recreationists perceive a lack of knowledge about shorebirds’
 needs as a constraint to walking around shorebird flocks
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.jq2bvq8g5](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.jq2bvq8g5) ## Data Description * Intent: 1 = extremely unlikely to walk around shorebirds, 2 = somewhat unlikely to walk around shorebirds, 3 = neither likely or unlikely to walk around shorebirds, 4 = somewhat likely to walk around shorebirds, 5 = extremely unlikely to walk around shorebirds * Gender: 1 = male, 2 = female, 3 = other * Maine: 0 = did not visit a beach in Maine, 1 = visited a beach in Maine * New Hampshire: 0 = did not visit a beach in New Hampshire, 1 = visited a beach in New Hampshire * Massachusetts: 0 = did not visit a beach in Massachusetts, 1 = visited a beach in Massachusetts * Rhode Island: 0 = did not visit a beach in Rhode Island, 1 = visited a beach in Rhode Island * Connecticut: 0 = did not visit a beach in Connecticut, 1 = visited a beach in Connecticut * New York: 0 = did not visit a beach in New York, 1 = visited a beach in New York * New Jersey: 0 = did not visit a beach in New Jersey, 1 = visited a beach in New Jersey * Delaware: 0 = did not visit a beach in Delaware, 1 = visited a beach in Delaware * Maryland: 0 = did not visit a beach in Maryland, 1 = visited a beach in Maryland * Virginia: 0 = did not visit a beach in Virginia, 1 = visited a beach in Virginia * North Carolina: 0 = did not visit a beach in North Carolina, 1 = visited a beach in North Carolina * South Carolina: 0 = did not visit a beach in South Carolina, 1 = visited a beach in South Carolina * Georgia: 0 = did not visit a beach in Georgia, 1 = visited a beach in Georgia * Florida: 0 = did not visit a beach in Florida, 1 = visited a beach in Florida * Residency: 1 = full-time resident in a beach community on the East Coast of the United States, 2 = part-time resident in a beach community on the East Coast of the United States, 3 = vacationer in a beach community on the East Coast of the United States * Age: The age of the respondent in years * Education: 1 = some high school or less, 2 = high school diploma or GED, 3 = some college (no degree), 4 = associate's degree, 5 = bachelor's degree, 6 = graduate or professional school * American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0 = not American Indian or Alaskan Native, 1 = American Indian or Alaskan Native * Asian: 0 = not Asian, 1 = Asian * Black or African American: 0 = not Black or African American, 1 = Black or African American * Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 0 = not Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 1 = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander * White: 0 = not White, 1 = White * PN: Response to the statement, "I would feel guilty if I walked through shorebird flocks."\* * SN: Response to the statement, "My friends and family expect me to walk around shorebird flocks."\* * B1: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be challenging because there is not enough space on the beach due to the number of people."\* * B2: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be challenging because there is not enough space on the beach due to the need to social distance from people."\* * B3: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be challenging because there is not enough space on the beach due to large groups of shorebirds."\* * B4: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be challenging because there is not enough space on the beach because the beach is too narrow."\* * B5: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be challenging because there is not enough space on the beach because the tide covers the beach with water."\* * B6: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be challenging because I don’t understand why there is a need to walk around shorebirds."\* * B7: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be challenging because I don’t think there is a need to walk around shorebirds."\* * B8: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be challenging because I don’t know which birds are shorebirds."\* * BE1: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be beneficial because it reduces disturbance to shorebirds while they nest and raise chicks."\* * BE2: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be beneficial because it reduces disturbance to shorebirds while they eat."\* * BE3: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be beneficial because it reduces disturbance to shorebirds while they rest."\* * BE4: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be beneficial because it allows me to watch shorebirds in their natural state."\* * BE5: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be beneficial because it prevents shorebirds from attacking me."\* * BE6: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be beneficial because it prevents shorebirds from attacking my dog."\* * BE7: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be beneficial because it prevents shorebirds from pooping on me."\* * BE8: Response to the statement, "Walking around shorebird flocks could be beneficial because it gives me satisfaction to know that I am not bothering shorebirds."\* \*Responses were on the following 5-point scale: * 1 = “Strongly disagree” * 2 = “Disagree” * 3 = “Neither agree nor disagree” * 4 = “Agree” * 5 = “Strongly agree”