Piping Plover chick (by Glen Tempke)
Piping plovers breed only in North America in three geographic regions: the Atlantic Coast, the Northern Great Plains, and the Great Lakes.
Piping plover populations were federally listed as threatened and endangered in 1986. The Northern Great Plains and Atlantic Coast populations are threatened, and the Great Lakes population is endangered. They are considered threatened throughout their wintering range.
In recent decades, piping plover populations have drastically declined, especially in the Great Lakes. Breeding habitat has been replaced with shoreline development and recreation. Since 1983, the number of nesting pairs has ranged from 12 to 32.
My husband and I both volunteer annually for 'Piping Plover Patrol' along Lake Huron at their breeding grounds, which is overseen by our Dept. of Natural Resources. Last year every single chick that fledged at the Tawas Point area perished. Piping plovers are very sensitive to the presence of humans. Too much disturbance causes the parent birds to abandon their nest. People (either on foot or in a vehicle) using the beaches where the birds nest sometimes accidentally crush eggs or young birds. Dogs and cats often harass and kill the birds. Other animals, such as fox, gulls, and crows, prey on the young plovers or eggs. In short, they're having a heck of a time and need all the help we can give them if they are to survive.
If you haven't seen Glens photos, you are really missing a treat. These birds could very well become extinct in our lifetime folks. Piping Plovers are special and so are Glens images. Thank you for sharing them Glen, I have enjoyed each and every one. They are precious.
