Piping plover

The piping plover is a small North American shorebird, scientifically named *Charadrius melodus*.

The piping plover is a small North American shorebird, scientifically named *Charadrius melodus*. It breeds on sandy beaches, sand flats, and river sandbars in the Atlantic Coast, Great Lakes, and Great Plains regions, and winters farther south. The species is protected because of threats from habitat loss, disturbance, and predation.

Description

The piping plover is a small, stocky shorebird with pale sandy plumage that provides camouflage on beaches. Breeding adults show a black forehead band and breast band, orange legs, and a black-tipped orange bill, while winter plumage is duller.

Distribution and habitat

The species breeds in three main populations: the Atlantic coast, the Great Lakes, and the northern Great Plains. It uses sandy beaches, lake shores, sand flats, riverbars, and nearby wetlands during breeding and migration.

Behaviour and diet

Piping plovers forage on or near the ground for small invertebrates in the intertidal zone and along shorelines. Their diet includes worms, fly larvae, beetles, crustaceans, and other small prey.

Conservation

Piping plovers are protected because breeding habitat is vulnerable to development, recreation, flooding, and predation. Their conservation status varies by jurisdiction, but the species is considered at risk across much of its range.