The Piping Plover
Status• Listed as threatened in 1978• Designated as endangered in 1985 by
The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).
• Two subspecies (both listed as endangered in 2001)• Listed as endangered in 2000 by the province
of Nova Scotia under the provincial Endangered Species Act.
Recovery GoalsAtlantic Canada
• To achieve a population of at least 670 adults (335 pairs)To achieve a productivity level above 1.5 chicks/pair/year.
• To achieve habitat protection objectives of a minimum of 65% of nesting plovers in Atlantic Canada protected.
• To evaluate the longer term goal of 800 adults (400 pairs) in relation to habitat availability.
Charadrius melodus • Small, sparrow-sized
shorebird.• Primarily light grey.• Black band on its breast
and forehead and a partially black tail.
• White rump• Bright orange legs. • Orange bill with a black
tip, which becomes black in winter.
Distribution• Subspecies melodus
breeds along the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to South Carolina.
• It winters from South Carolina to Florida, and in the Caribbean (Cuba, Bahamas).
• About 25% of Canada's Piping Plovers are found in the Atlantic provinces.
Distribution
• In Canada, the melodus subspecies breeds on the Magdalen Islands, NB, NS, PEI, and NL.
Populations (1991)
Population (2003)• Eastern Canada
population 549 (256 pairs) in 2003.
• 2005 – 444 individuals• NS population 107 (48
pairs) in 2003.• Censuses since 1996
suggest pop. Relatively stable??
• Below recovery team goal (670 adults).
Habitat
• Nest above the normal high-water mark on gently sloping, exposed sandy or gravelly beaches.
• Nest among small cobble and other small beach debris.
Feeding
• They also forage for food on these beaches or sand flats.
• Feed on a variety of beach-dwelling invertebrates, including insects, small crustaceans, and marine worms.
Breeding• Arrive in Eastern Canada
in April or May.• Males arrive first
establish a territory.• They attract females with
dramatic aerial and ground displays.
• They scrape a shallow nest-site in sand or gravel.
• The female selects one of the scrapes.
Nesting
• Clutches usually contain 4 eggs.
• Eggs are laid every other day.
• Incubation lasts for approx. 27-31 days.
• Parents take turns incubating eggs.
Chicks• Chicks are precocial• On their feet and
feeding within a few hours.
• 25 days before they can fly.
• Fledged young and adults head south from late July to early September.
What are the threats?
Why Threatened?
• Considered common during most of the 19th Century.
• Nearly extinct by 1900 due to hunting.
• Peaked in 1940s• Habitat loss
(development, recreation)
• Predation (nests and adults)
• Flooding (nests)
Monitoring Program
• Southern NS.• Three counties, 20-25
beaches.• 71% of NS population
• Field season from late
April to end of August
Monitoring
• Visited beaches weekly
• Monitored # of birds and activity, nesting success, and fledgling success.
• Monitored/measured foraging distances of chicks.
Nest Protection
• Place symbolic fencing and signs around nests.
• Place wire enclosures over nests to keep out predators.
• Enclosed nests visited more frequently.
PVA
Habitat
Education
• Spoke to beach users about piping plover, its status, and minimizing their impact.
• Assisted with nature camps for Cape Sable Island IBA(2003).
Other Duties
• Beach cleanups• Identify nest
predators• Assist CWS staff
(banding) • Assist prov./federal
wildlife enforcement staff.
Other Programs
Banding Program (CWS)
• Each bird banded with USGS (US Geological Survey) band and a colour band.
• Adults have colour bands on the left leg, juveniles have colour band on the right leg.
Guardian Program
• Mostly volunteers• Purpose to decrease
human disturbance• Raise awareness
about the Piping Plover
Links
• Federal Species at Risk http://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/
• Nova Scotia Endangered Species List http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/wildlife/endngrd/specieslist.htm
• Species General Status in Nova Scotia http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/wildlife/genstatus/
• COSEWIC http://www.cosewic.gc.ca/index.htm
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