Piping Plover Charadrius melodus Bird Order Charadriiformes Description 7 1/4 inch. The upper parts are the color of dry sand and the rump is white. In breeding plumage, the adult as an orange based bill, bright orange legs, a black bar across the fore crown, and a narrow, blackish breast band that is often incomplete. Juveniles have blackish bills and dull orange legs; the black bands on the head and breast are absent, and instead of a breast band there is a sandy patch on each side of the breast. Range Breeds from Quebec to North Carolina and locally from Central Alberta to Minnesota and around Great Lakes. Casual in California, winters on coast from Texas to North Carolina sparsely in Bahamas and Greater Antilles. Status This species is considered threatened in part of it's range and endangered in others, any trade of this species is regulated by the international law. Conservation Spotlight Photo © Greg Neise

Ecology Habitat Found only on sandy beaches, nests above the high water line or on sandy flats among the dunes with scant vegetation.   Niche Insectivorous- eat marine worms, insects, crustaceans, and molluses, grasshoppers and spiders. Life History Courtship behavior; aerial flights, digging of several nest scrapes and stone tossing behavior. Finished nest cups lined with pebbles or shell fragments are shallow depressions 2-3 cm deep and 6 cm in diameter. Piping plovers show a predominantly monogamous mating system, although mate-switching may occur during the breeding season. Territories defended by both adults. Egg laying begins the second or third week in May. Females lay an egg every other day until 4 eggs are laid. Both parents share incubation duties which last for 25-31 days. Chicks hatch within one half to one day of each other. Able to feed themselves within hours. Brooding duties shared by parents, generally the brood stays on nesting territories but slowly may expand their movements as they mature. Fledging time varies from 21-35 days. Special Adaptations The coloring of this species as well as its eggs helps it to blend in to its surroundings. Perform elabarate elaborate broken wing display when nest is threatened to draw danger away from nest.