Wildlife

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Piping Plovers

 

 

 

 

 

Piping plovers are small shorebirds that nest only on sandy beaches with sparse vegetation. In 2024, piping plovers in Connecticut raised an average of 1.27 chicks per nest. While productivity was good in 2024, it was less than last year (1.35), and less than the goal and the previous ten-year average (1.5). In 2024, 83 nesting pairs successfully raised 105 young plovers (fledglings) on Connecticut’s beaches.  Scientists estimate that each pair must successfully raise an average of 1.20 young per year to maintain a stable population and an average of 1.50 young per year to successfully increase the population of piping plovers to sustainable levels. Since protection and monitoring efforts began in 1984, nesting success has generally improved, resulting in more returning adults in subsequent years.

2024 was a noteworthy year for piping plover in Connecticut:

• it is the 40th year that DEEP has been monitoring this species;
• had the highest number of pairs since monitoring began in 1984;
• had the second highest number of fledged chicks (2023 was the highest with 107); and
• there was one new breeding site in the state.⁵⁵

Public Act 23-155 allows the Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to establish a seabird and shorebird protection program, including the designation of protected areas on state-owned public property within the state’s coastal area and penalties for disturbing such designated areas. 

The piping plover population is, according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), "an indicator of the health of the fragile beach ecosystem."⁵⁶ Their habitat is a narrow strip squeezed between a rising Sound and higher ground. If their habitat is able to migrate upslope and inland in response to sea level rise, breeding areas could increase. However, habitat loss is anticipated on 45 percent of sandy ocean beaches that are already developed.⁵⁷

Goal: The goal for piping plover was derived from the Piping Plover Atlantic Coast Population Revised Recovery Plan (1996). That Plan's goal calls for 2,000 pairs along the east coast with 625 pairs throughout New England, and a five-year average productivity of 1.5 fledged chicks per pair. 

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2019 Atlantic Coast Piping Plover Abundance and Productivity Estimates, there were 2,008 breeding pairs along the Atlantic coast, with over 980 breeding pairs in New England!⁵⁸ Currently, the New England Recovery Unit or region is the strong-hold for the Atlantic Coast population of piping plovers.

 

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⁵⁵ _{DEEP, Wildlife Division; personal communication from L. Saucier, February 13, 2025.}

⁵⁶ _{United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Atlantic Coast Population Revised Recovery Plan, May 2, 1996; omnilearn.net/esacourse/pdfs/piping_plover_recovery_plan96.pdf.}

⁵⁷ _{USFWS, “Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation”, March 2020, p. 138; ecos.fws.gov/docs/five_year_review/doc6378.pdf.}

⁵⁸ _{USFWS, 2019 Atlantic Coast Piping Plover Abundance and Productivity Estimates; www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/news-attached-files/2019-Update-Final.pdf.}