Piping Plover

About the Piping Plover

The Piping Plover is a small shorebird that is found along coastal beaches in North America. Part of their breeding grounds includes a large part of the northern Great Plains (in both the United States and Canada).

These darling shorebirds unfortunately have a conservation status of threatened or near-threatened across the states and provinces of their range. Their global population is on the rise but beach development and predation by non-native wildlife are among the threats facing the Piping Plover.

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Details & Statistics

Added to Birdorable
Hatched on 16 August 2008
Scientific Name
Charadrius melodus
  • Charadriiformes
  • Charadriidae
  • Charadrius
  • C. melodus
Birdorable Family
Conservation Status
Near Threatened (as of 8 April 2020)
NT
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Near Threatened (NT)
  • Vulnerable (VU)
  • Endangered (EN)
  • Critically Endangered (CR)
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW)
  • Extinct (EX)
Source: IUCN Red List
Measurements
Units: Imperial / Metric
6.7 to 7 inches
18 to 18.8 inches
1.5 to 2.2 ounces

Range

Conservation

From IUCN Red List:
The Piping Plover is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and was last assessed in 2012 by BirdLife International. This species has a small population which has declined significantly since the 1950s. However, there have been overall population increases since 1991 as a result of intensive conservation management, so the species is listed as Near Threatened. It is still dependent on intensive conservation efforts, so if these cease, or if trends reverse, then it would warrant immediate uplisting again.

International Names

Brazilian (Português brasileiro) Batuíra-melodiosa
Chinese (汉语) 笛鸻
Czech (Cesky) Kulík Hvízdavý
Danish (Dansk) Kortnæbbet Præstekrave
Dutch (Nederlands) Dwergplevier
Finnish (Suomi) Huilutylli
French (Français) Pluvier Siffleur
German (Deutsch) Flötenregenpfeifer
Italian (Italiano) Corriere Canoro
Japanese (日本語) フエコチドリ (Fuekochidori)
Norwegian (Norsk) Piplo
Polish (Polski) Sieweczka Blada
Russian (русский язык) Желтоногий зуёк
Spanish (Español) Frailecillo Silvador
Swedish (Svenska) Flöjtstrandpipare
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