It would not be summer in Massachusetts without a visit from the Piping Plover (plate 220)! Though it might be hard to get a good glimpse of this tiny bird as it scurries along the beach, you can visit us through September 6 to see Audubon’s plover print on display in the library.
Piping plovers are small shorebirds that measure only six to seven inches long. Audubon has depicted both a male and female in this image, and we have included a detailed image of the female in this post. The piping plover’s alarm call is a very distinctive “chirp” which you can hear by clicking here.
If you visit a New England beach during the summer, you may notice that some portions of it are sectioned off and beach access is restricted because plovers are nesting. Piping plovers have a “threatened” conservation status both within Massachusetts and federally. But did you know that Massachusetts has the largest breeding population on the East Coast? By staying away from those restricted beach areas, you are doing your part to help protect the plover! You can learn more about the piping plover and the conservation efforts to increase their population on the MassWildlife's Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program
website.
Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian
