Piping plovers start arriving on breeding grounds in early April, followed by courtship and nesting in mid-to-late April, as documented by D.H. Catlin and J.D. Fraser in 2006 and was later confirmed by others.

They nest in soft sand away from the water's edge along the Atlantic Coast, Great Plains, and Great Lakes. They are endangered due to habitat loss, disturbance, and predation. Unlike other shorebirds, Piping Plovers forage alone or in small groups and they tend to stay a bit farther from the water's edge.

Piping plovers nest on the ground in open areas, which regularly subjects them to high temperatures. Because of these high temperatures, piping plovers (along with other ground-nesting bird species) have specific strategies and behaviors for thermal regulation of their nests and themselves. [43]

Nesting Nest Placement. Piping Plovers nest in areas with loose sand above the high tide line. Male Piping Plovers scrape away sand, gravel, and shells with their feet to make a small depression.

Incubation is by both sexes, averages 26-28 days. Downy young may leave nest a few hours after hatching. Young feed themselves. Both parents brood young during cool weather at first, but female often deserts them within a few days, leaving male to care for young. Development of young not well known; able to fly at 21-35 days.

Jul 2, 2020 · We’ve seen a couple conspiracy theories out there about why piping plovers nest on certain parts of Duxbury Beach and why restrictions vary. To help explain the differences in nesting and management, we've tried to address two key questions that often come up!

Plovers nesting in Interior Least Tern colonies have the advantage of sharing defense with the more aggressive terns; Chicks will either lay flat, hide under a plant or stick, or run and then hide from intruders depending on their age; Nest and Chick Predators: American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias)

Oct 23, 2024 · Explore the life of the piping plover, focusing on its breeding, nesting, feeding habits, and the ongoing conservation efforts to protect this species.

Mar 25, 2024 · Piping plovers nest only on beaches and prefer beaches with gravel. There are three small populations: one in the Great Plains, one on the Atlantic Coast, and one here in the Great Lakes. They winter together on the Gulf Coast but travel to the separate areas during the breeding season.

The arrival of nesting Peregrine Falcons in beach areas of the Atlantic coast has caused increased predation of Wilson’s Plovers. Erosion and loss of habitat to rising sea levels are probably the chief conservation threats to this species.