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<br />of Piping Plovers (Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act). <br />Information presented in this p+an outlines a strategy for <br />recovery of inland breeding Pip~ng Plovers in the U.S. that <br />.,~~. <br /> <br /> <br />winter along the Gulf of Mexico .'~ <br /> <br />Description <br />The Piping Plqver, whose name describes its melodic mating <br />call, is one of six North American species of belted plovers. <br />Piping Plovers have a body lengt~ of 17 cm (Palmer 1967) and <br />weigh between 46 and 64 g (x = 55 g) (Wilcox 1959; S. Haig, <br />National Zoo). Wing lengths span 11.0-12.7 cm, tarsi range from ' <br />2.1-2.4 cm, and culmen lengths vary from 1.0 to 1.4 cm (Wilcox <br />1959; Prater et al. 1977; S. Haig" National Zoo). Throughout the <br />year, adults have a sand-colored upper body, white undersides, <br />and orange legs. A white win~ stripe and white rump are also <br />visible in flight. During the breeding season, adults acquire <br />single black forehead and breast bands, and orange bills. In <br />general, males have more complete :bands than females, and inland <br />birds have more complete bands than Atlartic coast birds (Wilcox <br />\ <br />1959, Prater et al. 1977, Haig and Oring 1988a). Nonbreeding <br />birds lose the bands and orange on. their 'bill, but are easily <br />distinguished from Snowy Plovers '(Charadrius al~xandrinus) and <br />Collared Plovers (Charadrius collaris) by their slightly larger <br />size and orange legs (Haig and Oring 1987a). Juvenile plumage is <br />similar to adult nonbreeding plumage. Juveniles acquire adult <br />plumage the spring after they fledge (Prater et al. 1977). <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br /> <br />........- <br />