Don't Snow Plow the Snowy Plovers

By Caroline Rein

Western Snowy Plover 
Photo by Michael L. Baird

The Western Snowy Plover, a small shorebird in 1.2 to 2 ounces and is around 5.9 to 6.6 inches long.  It is pale tan-brown on its back and white on its chest, “with a white hindneck collar and dark lateral breast patches, forehead bar, and eye patches” (Recovery Plan of the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/070924.pdf).  Their bills and legs are black.  Individual birds are considered adults capable of breeding after one year.  They live approximately 3 years; however, there is one documented case of a bird living to 15 years.  The nesting season of the western snowy plover extends from early March through late September.  The average clutch size is 3, but the range is from 2-6.  During the incubation period, both parents take turns incubating, male at night and female during the day.  

Western snowy plover clutch.
Photo by Bruce Casler

Western Snowy Plovers are adorable little birds that live along the west coast.  The Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover mates along the Pacific coast from southern Washington to southern Baja California, Mexico (Recovery Plan of the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/070924.pdf).  

Population Estimate of the Western Snowy Plover During Breeding Season on the U.S. Pacific Coast
(http://ca.audubon.org/population-status-and-recovery-plan)

Population Survey of Western Snowy Plover in CA During Winter
(http://ca.audubon.org/population-status-and-recovery-plan)

Map of known breeding and wintering distribution of the Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover.

(Recovery Plan of the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover)

 The Pacific coast population mates "primarily above the high tide line on coastal beaches, sand spits, dune-backed beaches, sparsely-vegetated dunes, beaches at creek and river mouths, and salt pans at lagoons and estuaries" (http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/070924.pdf).  

Dunes where Western Snowy Plover
Breeds
Photo by Caroline Rein

 As one can imagine, this causes problems because people love beaches and sand dunes.  There are snowy plover seasons where you cannot hike out to the beach across the sand dunes, but often people ignore this.  This is one of many things that can disturb their habitat.  As a result, the Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover was listed as threatened on March 5, 1993 (http://www.fws.gov/arcata/es/birds/WSP/plover.html).  The recovery plan was finalized on August 13, 2007 (http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/070924.pdf).

 

Freshman girl trespassing on snowy plover restricted area.
Photo by Sage Theule

One of the main reasons it was listed as endangered and one of its continued threat to their to existence is they breed in unstable places that change such as sand spits, sand dunes, estuaries and on beaches near creeks and river mouths among other things.  Another reason the western snowy plover is endangered is noise disturbances, which can scare the snowy plovers.  Driftwood removal can take away snowy plovers’ nest shading material and it gets rid of newly hatched chicks’ places to hid from predators and people.  Beach fires and camping can destroy driftwood; however, camping is far worse when near breeding locations because it is a longer noise disturbance and a there is a greater chance of dogs and children directly hurting the snowy plovers.  People enjoying the beach can unintentionally injure, harass or even kill western snowy plovers.  Beach walkers or joggers can accidently crush eggs or chicks.  They may unknowingly chase snowy plovers away from their nests.  This can cause the mortality to eggs or young chicks from exposure to heat, cold, sand or predators.  Dogs pose a serious problem to western snowy plovers because they sometimes chase the birds and destroy nests. 

Adult western snowy plover and two chicks. (http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/western_snowy_plover)

When it was listed as threatened, started to draft a recovery plan.  
The main goal of the western snowy plover recovery plan is to:

1.  Increase the population numbers distributed across the range of the Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover

2.  Continue to manage the species and its habitat

3.  Watch the western snowy plover populations and its threats to determine success of recovery

The western snowy plover is an adorable little bird that needs to be protected.  

Western Snowy Plover
Photo by Mike Baird

To Learn More:

http://www.westernsnowyplover.org/

http://www.defenders.org/western-snowy-plover/basic-facts

http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/western_snowy_plover
http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/research/projects/shorebird/snowy_plover/

http://ca.audubon.org/protecting-western-snowy-plover
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22542

Bibliography:
http://ca.audubon.org/about-western-snowy-plover
http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/070924.pdf
http://www.westernsnowyplover.org/

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22542

http://www.fws.gov/arcata/es/birds/WSP/plover.html