Piping plovers, the Great Lakes’ most endangered birds, have returned from wintering grounds to nest on beaches, and once again, beach users are being asked to help protect this rare species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the federal agency responsible for guiding recovery efforts for the plover, is calling on the public to be on the lookout for the piping plover and to take steps to ensure the safety of its eggs and young.
“ We and our partners need the public’s help to ensure the piping plover is an annual spring visitor and continues to nest on the shores of the Great Lakes,” said Jack Dingledine, wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Beach users and others interested in helping the plover can play an integral part in staving off extinction for this bird and helping it move toward recovery.”
Piping plovers nest along shorelines of the Great Lakes, and young plovers will be hatching soon. The small, sand-colored chicks hop and run along the shore searching for food. Eggs and newly hatched, flightless chicks are at risk from dogs or beach walkers who may accidentally step on them.
Dingledine said beach users should watch for signs along beaches signaling the presence of piping plovers and comply with any temporary restrictions around nests. He said these may be in place from now through August to give the young a chance to fledge. Those who live along or enjoy Great Lakes beaches should also make sure dogs are under control in areas where plovers may be nesting.
“ With only 50 nesting pairs in the Great Lakes area, any accidental losses of eggs or chicks can be devastating for the piping plover,” Dingledine said. “That’s why we need lots of help from those who live and recreate in this region.”
Dingledine said that in addition to taking care not to damage eggs and young, those interested in helping the piping plover can join local volunteer programs to help piping plovers, learn more about other plover recovery efforts, and encourage others to participate.
Piping plovers once nested on the wide beaches of sand and cobble along the shores of all the Great Lakes. However, because of habitat loss to development and other activities, plovers are now limited primarily to undisturbed shorelines in Michigan and Wisconsin, although they may be spotted in other Great Lakes states during migration. In 2003, wildlife managers counted just 50 nesting pairs. Although plover numbers have increased in the Great Lakes in recent years, the species remains critically imperiled. Recovery efforts focus on maintaining suitable habitat in Great Lakes states in hopes of attracting breeding pairs.
For more information piping plovers and how to help them, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s website at http://midwest.fws.gov/endangered/.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
