Piping Plover Research Paper

The piping plover is a small shorebird that stands at about seven inches tall. The color on the back is a light gray and the breast and belly are white. One black ring wraps around the back and sides of the neck, but does not connect in the front. The legs are yellowish in color and the bill may be all black or yellow at the base and black at the tip. Piping Plovers feed on insects that they pick off the surface of the ground.
Their habitat is by mudflats, sandy beaches, and shallow wetlands with very little vegetation. They may be found along the banks of lakes and large rivers where there is exposed sand or mud. Piping Plover populations have been down in their nesting range as a result of habitat destruction, due to dam construction and channelization projects along rivers and streams, as well …show more content…
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service developed recovery plans that describe actions that need to be taken to help the bird survive and recover. A few cooperative groups have been set up among Federal and State agencies, university and private research centers, and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Studies are being conducted to determine where plovers breed and winter, estimate numbers, and monitor long-term changes in populations. Systems to protect the bird's habitat are conducted each year, including controlling human access to nesting areas, nest monitoring and protection, limiting residential and industrial development, and properly managing water flow. In Michigan, several landowners have formally agreed to protect plover nesting habitat. Many States and private agencies are running successful public information campaigns to raise awareness of the plover's plight. In Michigan, residents of coastal communities where the birds nest have been contacted by a conductor and provided with information about