Charadrius melodus - Earth.com
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12-22-2016

Charadrius melodus

Charadrius melodus NatureServe Explorer Species Reports — NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports — Charadrius melodus ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

The piping plover (Charadrius melodus) is a small sand-colored, sparrow-sized shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange-red legs, a black band across the forehead from eye to eye, and a black stripe running along the breast line. This chest band is usually thicker in males during the breeding season, and it is the only reliable way to tell the sexes apart. The bird is difficult to see when it is standing still, as it blends well with open, sandy beach habitats. It typically runs in short spurts and stops.

There are two subspecies of piping plovers: the eastern population is known as Charadrius melodus melodus and the mid-west population is known as C. m. circumcinctus. The bird’s name is derived from its plaintive bell-like whistles which are often heard before the bird is visible.

Total population is currently estimated at about 6,510 individuals. A preliminary estimate showed 3,350 birds in 2003 on the Atlantic Coast alone, 52% of the total. The population has been increasing since 1999.

FWS Digital Media Library — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.

Detailed information
Full Name: Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
Where found: Entire, except those areas where listed as endangered above
Critical Habitat:N/A
Species Group:Birds
Current listing status
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
Endangered 12/11/1985 Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region 3) Great Lakes, watershed in States of IL, IN, MI, MN, NY, OH, PA, and WI and Canada (Ont.)
Threatened 12/11/1985 Northeast Region (Region 5) Entire, except those areas where listed as endangered above
  • Population location: Great Lakes, watershed in States of IL, IN, MI, MN, NY, OH, PA, and WI and Canada (Ont.) Listing status: Endangered
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: Illinois , Indiana , Michigan , Minnesota , Mississippi , Ohio , Pennsylvania , Wisconsin
    • US Counties in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: View All
    • USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur: Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge, Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge, Fergus Falls Wetland Management District, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Seney National Wildlife Refuge ... Show All Refuges
    • Countries in which the this population is known to occur: Canada
  • Population location: Entire, except those areas where listed as endangered above Listing status: Threatened
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: Alabama , Arkansas , Colorado , Connecticut , Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Iowa , Kansas , Louisiana , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , Minnesota , Missouri , Montana , Nebraska , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New Mexico , New York , North Carolina , North Dakota , Oklahoma , Rhode Island , South Carolina , South Dakota , Texas , Virginia
    • US Counties in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: View All
    • USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur: Amagansett National Wildlife Refuge, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge, Audubon National Wildlife Refuge ... Show All Refuges
    • Countries in which the this population is known to occur: Canada, Mexico
Federal register documents
Date
Citation Page
Title
03/16/2016 81 FR 14121 14122 ETWP; Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Piping Plover
07/08/2014 79 FR 38560 38562 Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews of Nine Listed Animal and Two Listed Plant Species
09/08/2011 76 FR 55638 55641 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the Snowy Plover and Reclassify the Wintering Population of Piping Plover
05/19/2009 74 FR 23476 23600 Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Wintering Population of the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) in Texas
10/21/2008 73 FR 62816 62841 Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Wintering Population of the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) in North Carolina; Final Rule
09/30/2008 73 FR 56860 56862 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 5-Year Review - Notice of initiation of review; request for information on the piping plover (Charadrius melodus).
06/09/2008 73 FR 32629 Correction to Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Wintering Population of the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) in Texas
05/20/2008 73 FR 29294 29321 Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Wintering Population of the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) in Texas: Proposed rule.
05/31/2007 72 FR 30326 30331 Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Wintering Population of the Piping Plover:Proposed rule; reopening of comment period, notice of availability of draft economic analysis and draft environmental assessment, and announcement of public hearing.
06/12/2006 71 FR 33703 33721 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Amended Designation of Critical Habitat for the Wintering Population of the Piping Plover: Proposed rule.
Recovery
To learn more about critical habitat please see http://ecos.fws.gov/crithab
Date
Title
Plan Action Status
Plan Status
03/16/2016 Volume II: Draft revised recovery plan for the wintering range of the Northern Great Plains piping plover (Charadrius melodus) and Comprehensive conservation strategy for the piping plover (Charadrius melodus) in its coastal migration and wintering range in the continental United States. Recovery efforts in progress, but no implementation information yet to display Draft Revision 1
03/16/2016 Volume I: Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Northern Great Plains Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Recovery efforts in progress, but no implementation information yet to display Draft Revision 1
09/08/2003 Recovery Plan for the Great Lakes population of Piping Plovers View Implementation Progress Final
05/02/1996 Piping Plover Atlantic Coast Population Revised Recovery Plan View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
Date
Title
Plan Action Status
Plan Status
03/16/2016 Volume II: Draft revised recovery plan for the wintering range of the Northern Great Plains piping plover (Charadrius melodus) and Comprehensive conservation strategy for the piping plover (Charadrius melodus) in its coastal migration and wintering range in the continental United States. Recovery efforts in progress, but no implementation information yet to display Draft Revision 1
03/16/2016 Volume I: Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Northern Great Plains Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Recovery efforts in progress, but no implementation information yet to display Draft Revision 1
09/08/2003 Recovery Plan for the Great Lakes population of Piping Plovers View Implementation Progress Final
05/02/1996 Piping Plover Atlantic Coast Population Revised Recovery Plan View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
Date
Citation Page
Title
Document Type
03/16/2016 81 FR 14121 14122 ETWP; Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Piping Plover
  • Notice Draft Recovery Plan Availability
07/08/2014 79 FR 38560 38562 Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews of Nine Listed Animal and Two Listed Plant Species
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
09/30/2008 73 FR 56860 56862 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 5-Year Review - Notice of initiation of review; request for information on the piping plover (Charadrius melodus).
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
09/16/2003 68 FR 54241 54242 Approved Recovery Plan for the Great Lakes Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
  • Notice Final Recovery Plan Availability
08/05/2002 67 FR 50687 50688 Notice of Availability of the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Great Lakes Population Draft Recovery Plan for Review and Comment
  • Notice Draft Recovery Plan Availability
12/28/2001 66 FR 67165 67166 ETWP; Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Northern Great Plains Breeding Population of the Piping Plover; Reopening of Public Comment Period and Notice of Availability of Draft Economic Analysis
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • Notice Reopen Comment
  • Proposed Critical Habitat, Critical habitat--birds
09/19/2000 65 FR 56530 56531 Reopening of Comment Period and Notice of Availability of Draft Economic Analysis on Proposed Critical Habitat Designation for the Great Lakes Breeding Population of the Piping Plover
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • Notice Reopen Comment
08/30/2000 65 FR 52691 52692 Extension of Public Comment Period and Notice of Availability of Draft Economic Analysis for Proposed Critical Habitat Determination for Wintering Piping Plovers
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • Notice Reopen Comment
Date
Title
09/29/2009 Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) 5-Year Review
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