Piping Plover
(Charadrius melodus)
By James Call
Illustrated by James Landenberger
The Piping Plover,
Charadrius melodus, is a small
(6-61/2 inches long) shorebird. It is listed as threatened in the United
States and as endangered in Canada. The piping plover breeds in only three
areas: on sandy beaches along the east coast from Newfoundland to South
Carolina, along the beaches of the Great Lakes, and among the major river
systems, alkali lakes and wetlands of the Northern Great Plains.
When still, the piping plover blends into its sandy habitat. Its name is
derived from its call notes, plaintive bell-like whistles which are often
heard before the bird is seen.
In the spring a paired couple (approximately 1,800 pairs divided among the
Atlantic Coast, Great Lakes and Plains groups) will burrow a nest among
the dunes. The eggs, usually four in a nest, will hatch in about 25 days.
Hatchlings quickly join their parents foraging for food along the beach.
The young are so well camouflaged that they are apt to go undetected
unless stepped on. When predators or intruders come close, the young
remain motionless on the sand while the parents attempt to attract the
attention of the intruders to themselves, often by feigning a broken wing.
Plovers often gather in groups on undisturbed beaches prior to a southward
migration. By mid-September, both adult and young plovers will have
departed for their wintering areas in Florida.
The piping plover became a protected species under the Endangered Species
Act on January 10, 1986. Along the Atlantic Coast it is designated as
threatened, which means that the population would continue to decline if
not protected. The Endangered Species Act provides penalties for taking,
harassing or harming the piping plover and affords some protection to its
habitat.
This article appeared in the January-February 2001 issue of Florida
Wildlife magazine.