Piping Plover

There are 2 subspecies of Piping Plovers: the eastern population is known as Charadrius melodus melodus and the mid-west population is known as Charadrius melodus circumcinctus. The bird's name is derived from its plaintive bell-like whistles which are often heard before the bird is visible.

The Piping Plover is classified as Near Threatened (NT), is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.

One of the most familiar shorebirds, the piping plover is also one of the most endangered. Though it regularly gets protection for nesting areas and media campaigns because of its rarity, this small shorebird is a nervous nester and vulnerable to disturbances that can disrupt brooding parents and young chicks. More

Most of us have heard of the Piping Plover, an endangered shorebird of North America and the Caribbean. Many people, however, don't know much about the Piping Plover. The Piping Plover is an endangered species that has declined largely due to human activities on shorelines throughout its range. For more information on Piping Plovers, see Endangered Piping Plovers. More

Piping plover (Charadrius melodus), a bird listed as Endangered in Wisconsin, prefers large isolated cobble beaches on the shores of Lakes Michigan and Superior. Breeding occurs from early May through mid-September. Status and NHI Documented Occurrences in Wisconsin The table below provides information about the protected status (State and Federal Status) and the rank (S and G Ranks) for Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus). See the Working List Key for more information about the abbreviations used. More

The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) is a small sand-colored, sparrow-sized shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange legs, a black band across the forehead from eye to eye, and a black ring around the neck. This chest band is usually thicker in males during the breeding season, and it's the only reliable way to tell the sexes apart. More

* Managing Beaches for Piping Plovers in New England LESSON PLANS PHOTO AND DRAWING CREDITS LINKS: * Raleigh, NC Website * New Jersey Website * Mountain-Prairie Region * Midwest Region Welcome to the new Piping Plover Site for the Atlantic Coast Population! = Refresh the page for more panoramic photos. More

The Piping Plover is a small, pale shorebird that inhabits beaches, shorelines, and dry lakebeds. It is threatened or endangered throughout its relatively small range. Many beach-goers are familiar with the fencing and warning signs that have been erected around breeding sites critical to the recovery of this species. Appearance: The Piping Plover is a small shorebird, measuring about 7 inches in length, and weighing only about 2 ounces. More

Piping Plover is found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, as well as inland in the northern Great Plains. Because of disturbance by people, all populations are considered endangered or threatened. More

There are 2 subspecies of Piping Plovers: the eastern population is known as Charadrius melodus melodus and the mid-west population is known as Charadrius melodus circumcinctus. The bird's name is derived from its plaintive bell-like whistles which are often heard before the bird is visible. Total population is currently estimated at about 6,410 individuals. A preliminary estimate showed 3,350 birds in 2003 on the Atlantic Coast alone, 52% of the total. The population has been increasing since 1991. More

Piping plovers are seen singly or in small flocks. Life History The piping plover is the first of the shorebirds to arrive on the breeding grounds, starting from early to mid-March. Nests, which are shallow scrapes, are made during courtship and are sometimes lined with pebbles and/or shells. They are usually placed well above the high tide mark on open, generally grassless sand beaches or dredged spoil areas. More

The Piping Plover Charadrius melodus is a small bird of lakeshores, river sandbars, and ocean coasts. With its head and back the colour of dried sand, the Piping Plover blends well into its beach surroundings, helping it hide from predators. It has a white rump, a partially black tail, a black band above its white forehead, and a single black “belt” or breastband (also referred to as a collar or neckband), which is sometimes incomplete, that contrasts with its white breast and abdomen. More

habitat of the Piping Plover; its breeding range is along the Atlantic coast from the Maritimes to Virginia, and inland from Alberta to Nebraska. By the 1900s, the Piping Plover's population had declined drastically because it was once considered a game bird, so large numbers of them were killed each spring and autumn. Legal protection as a migratory, non-game bird and intensive conservation efforts have helped in its recovery, but the species' survival is still in jeopardy. More

Piping PloverThe piping plover is a small, sparrow-sized shorebird. It is about five to seven inches in length. It is a sandy brown-gray on its back and white on its underside. It has a black or brown neck band; a black tip on its tail; white "eyebrows;" a black band across its forehead; yellow-orange legs and feet; and a small, stubby orange bill with a black tip. More

The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) is an endangered shorebird. They are sand-colored on the back and white below. During the breeding season adults have a black forehead band between the eyes and a single black band around the neck. (Its larger relative the Killdeer is commonly seen at parks, playgrounds, and golf courses, and has two dark bands around the neck.) Piping Plovers nest only on beaches and prefer beaches with cobble. More

Piping Plovers are known to live in 3 vicinities: the Atlantic Coast, Great Lakes, and Northern Great Plains. The Great Plains variety is the most critically endangered. The Audubon site states there are approximately 6400 Piping Plover left in North America. Due to conservation efforts, this number is higher than the 1986 numbers. Texas, Florida, and Lousiana have the highest population of plovers. Piping Plover, Winter Plumage Buy at AllPosters. More

Piping Plover - July 2003 Species of the Month - - The Piping Plover (Charadius melodus) was the July Species of the Month in honor of the 30th Anniversary of the New Jersey Endangered Species Conservation Act and the formation of DEP's Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP). More

estimated to have dropped to 790 pairs, the piping plover was placed on the Federal Endangered Species List. But today, thanks to major efforts by government agencies and citizen groups to place fences around nesting sites and to increase public awareness about the threats the piping plover faces, the bird's Atlantic coastal population (the nation's largest) is up to 1195 pairs. Further increases have been targeted. More

The piping plover is a small shore bird, about 7 1/4 inches long with a 15 inch wingspan. Distinguishing characteristics include sandy-colored feathers with grayish-brown crowns and backs, white foreheads, and dark bands across their crowns. Dark, but incomplete rings encircle their necks. More

piping plover (c) Marquis Walsh/NHFG piping plover eggs (c) Marquis Walsh/NHFG piping plover chicks (c) Marquis Walsh/NHFG NH Conservation Status: Endangered Federal Status: Threatened Piping plovers are legally protected in New Hampshire. Possession and take (which includes harming, harassing, injuring and killing) is illegal. Distribution: Hampton and Seabrook Description: 6-7 ½” Sand color on top and white underneath. More