Protecting the Piping Plover: More than a Tiny Bird

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Protecting the Piping Plover is a mission in various spots in the US. In Michigan and the Great Lakes area, protection today is vital for their survival tomorrow. In the late eighties and early nineties we were down to 13 nesting pairs in the Great Lakes area. Thirteen? Yes, only 13 pair nested here. 26 birds in total. That’s close to non-existent and definitely endangered!

The primary reason? Loss of habitat!

Fast forward to today, in 2022, 71 pairs of these sweet, small birds nested across our Great Lakes shores.

That sounds like success, yes? It’s progress. Tremendous progress when comparing to 13 pairs. There’s still much to accomplish to get population to a safer level.

That progress is due to amazing and tenacious efforts of organizations and volunteers. Together, they take many, many steps to ensure safe and successful nesting, breeding and raising chicks. Then, after all that work? Time for all to fly south for the winter. The birds, that is. The humans remain behind in the north.

This year, after receiving a call to check if a pair arrived at a location, my hubby and I went on the search. Our hike covered the area where a pair last nested in 2015. Low and behold, we found a female! Where there’s a female this time of year, there’s typically a nest and a male not too far away.

We immediately reached out notifying of the potential of a 71st pair and the frenzy of protection activity began!

Protecting the Piping Plover: It Takes a Village

Our first call was to Alice VanZoeren, the goddess of all things Piping Plover. Protecting the Piping Plover runs in her veins. For well over 17 years, Alice watches, tracks and monitors success of the Piping Plovers. Her rich knowledge of the parents, grand parents, where they were born, where they travel is vital to the program..

We followed her lead on the search to find the Piping Plover’s nest and eggs. Talk about a “where’s Waldo moment?” These eggs are not easy to spot!

Alice, with her specialized Plover eye, located four camouflaged eggs (see above) from about 50 feet away. Once the nest was located, time to set up the exclosure. Thankfully, this pair’s summer nesting home remained hidden from the beach, well away from day in and day out foot traffic.

But wait, what’s an ‘exclosure?’

An exclosure fence keeps critters out and allows the Plovers free and easy access to the nest. They come in and out for feeding, flying and coming back in to keep the nest warm. Alice and my hubby set up the exclosure. At the same time, Alice reached out to Michigan State Parks for awareness and local support.

Support from Michigan State Parks

The other good news? The nest’s location was in Leelanau State Park, part of the Michigan State Parks system. Michigan State Parks and their DNR leaders joined in and played a vital role in protecting the Piping Plover’s nesting site. They marked and roped the area to keep potential beach walkers and hikers at a safe distance.

They also joined in the ‘hurry up and wait’ process of re-banding of the adults with Alice. (See below for banding)

Stephanie Rosinski (pictured above with Alice), Jessica Ornelas (pictured below with the banding team and Gail Roberts (all from Michigan State Parks DNR) and a few volunteers took turns monitoring the chicks on a regular basis.

They also posted signage to help protect the Plovers.

Dogs were not allowed on the Leelanau State Park beach during nesting and fledging time. As the very small, endangered birds cannot fly, they are at high risk with dogs in addition to other predators. Unfortunately in the summer months too many people let their dogs off leash even with signs posted. They nipped it in the bud! Thank you Michigan State Parks.

Plover Watch Team & Banding: Protecting the Piping Plover in Action

The nesting, hatching and fledging time frame stays pretty consistent across the nesting sites. While the exact egg laying and hatching dates were unknown, the timing estimates were right on track.

After the exclosure, roping off the area, it’s time to take regular status checks on the adults and eggs. With a small group of volunteers and the Michigan State Park team, we walked the area consistently over a few weeks. We checked to ensure the parents were tending to the nest and eggs.

What if the parents abandoned nest? Or, what if something happens to one or both of the adults? Then, the Piping Plover team springs into action. They harvest the abandoned eggs. From there, the eggs go to a rescue operation where incubation takes place. Then, it’s raising and caring for them in their natural environment to help prepare them when they’re ready to fledge.

After the eggs hatched in the State Park, progress and activity checks by the team continue. Accounting for all the chicks requires visits and status reports.

Each of us hiked out at various times to observe and confirm:

• Adults were tending to the eggs and nest
• Are there predators nearby or observed? This includes Merlins, loose dogs and unwanted visitors.
• Hatching process.
• Chick health, growth progress and behaviors.

Banding the Chicks

Within a week to two weeks of the chicks hatching, a seasoned team of banding experts arrive to safely and gently band the chicks. Stephanie Schubel, the Field Lead for the Piping Plover Conservation Team (University of Minnesota) along with her crew banded our two chicks and many other chicks across the Great Lakes Region within in a short window.

Dave, Jessica (picture above on the right from Michigan State Parks) also participated in the banding of this pair which includes capturing the chicks with soft pillow covers, banding their legs, non-invasive DNA testing and then releasing.

During this five minute window, spotters watch the adult birds. They check to ensure the parents stay close by and reunite with the chicks afterwards.

Pulling it All Together

Protecting the Piping Plover is more than an action. It’s a calling. And, it continues to gain momentum with support from the National Park Service, Audubon Great Lakes, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the University of Minnesota.

As a result of the work, today the Piping Plover banding tracking log makes it easier to identify birds, where they hatched, where they travel and longevity. With knowledge and insight, the steps taken to protect these birds also evolve.

While they are not out of the woods, progress takes time. With a commitment by many and making others aware of their plight, the greater the chances for these plovers to return to a thriving status.

For related reading: Wildlife Photography Ethics