Least Tern (Sterna A. athalassos)

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Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Current Status: The piping plover is threatened in Colorado, and endangered federally. The plover was originally listed in December 1985. According to a recent study, the population of the piping plover is approximately 5600. Biology: The piping plover, which stands about 7 '/a inches at maturation, belongs to a family of birds generally termed shorebirds. This term was derived from the bird's fondness for inhabiting beaches, marshes and other wetlands.. The piping plover is one of three plovers that can be found in Colorado. The plover's color is a pale gray -brown during most of the year. However, during the spring breeding season when the plover is likely to be spotted in Colorado, the plover can be distinguished by a black breastband, a black bar across the forehead, and a bright orange bill and orange legs. Plovers generally feed in exposed wet sand by probing for invertebrates just below the surface. They can often be found foraging along ocean or lake beaches, ponds, lagoons, streams or salt marshes. Habitat: The piping plover seems to prefer a sparsely vegetated habitat. Generally it tends to favor lakeshore beaches or sandbars within riverbeds. This is thought to be due to its color, which allows the bird to blend with the sand. Plovers tend to nest in shallow depressions lined with pebbles and shell fragments, often adjacent to a beach. The 3 or 4 eggs that are laid blend well with the surroundings. Both the male and female plover help incubate the eggs, which hatch within 30 days. Both sexes also feed the young until they are able to fly, which is generally about 30 days after hatching. Migration: The piping plover tends to winter along South Atlantic, Gulf Coast and Caribbean beaches and barrier islands. Plovers leave their winter retreats in early March and depart for one of three geographic areas in North America: the Northern Great Plains, the Atlantic coast and the Great Lakes. It is during migration that piping plovers are found in Eastern Colorado; generally along The Arkansas and South Platte River drainages. They tend to first appear in the state in early April through the end of May, and again in early August through the end of September. Recovery Efforts: Restoration is primarily focused on preserving the wintering grounds as well as ensuring successful breeding. Citizens of Colorado can help recover this species by first learning to identify the bird, and then avoiding interaction with the plover and its habitat during the short time that it is in the state.