Piping Plover Charadrius melodus (Ord, 1824)G3 (Globally rare/local)  -  Threatened (Federal)  -  Endangered (MD)  -  S1B (Highly state rare breeder)    Synonyms: PIPL.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Aves   >   Order Charadriiformes   >   Family Charadriidae   >   Genus Charadrius   

Status:

This species is considered endangered and a highly rare state breeder in Maryland. They nest on open, sandy beaches and flats on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. There's also a breeding population in the northern Great Plains.

Our East Coast populations are threatened by disturbance to their nesting habitat. Competition for beach habitat can be highly contentious throughout this part of their range. Feral cats and imbalanced native mammal populations can also be a serious (and related) problem.

There are 89 records in the project database.

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A Piping Plover on Assateague Island, Maryland (11/7/2009). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)(More of this species)

A Piping Plover on Assateague Island, Maryland (11/7/2009). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)(More of this species)

Piping Plover in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (5/7/2021). (c) Benji Beluga, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Ben Springer. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover on Assateague Island, Maryland (5/14/2010). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)(More of this species)

A Piping Plover in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/21/2011). Piping Plovers are considered endangered breeders in Maryland (S1B). Even though there are records for many counties in Maryland, Piping Plovers are only found with regularity on coastal beaches of Worcester County. Photo by Dan Haas. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover found at Rocky Gap in Allegany Co., Maryland (5/1/2005). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Piping Plovers in Worcester Co., Maryland (3/29/2012). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/7/2006). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Piping Plovers in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (5/7/2021). (c) Benji Beluga, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Ben Springer. (MBP list)

Piping Plover in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/14/2016). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Piping Plover in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (10/14/2022). First MBP record for Queen Anne's County. (c) Jeff S., some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by eaglescouter2003 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Piping Plover in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/6/2017). (c) David Kidwell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). Photo by Dave Kidwell. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover in flight off Assateague Island, Worcester Co., Maryland (8/18/2015). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/27/2021). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover in flight at Kiawah Island, South Carolina (8/21/2012). Photo by Jon Corcoran. (MBP list)

A baby Piping Plover at South Beach, Chatham, Massachusetts (7/22/2012). Photo by Marshall Iliff. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover chick in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/10/2016). Photo by Mike Burchett. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover hatchling in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/6/2015). Photo by Mike Burchett. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover chick less than 24-hours old in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/21/2017). Photo by Mike Burchett. (MBP list)

Piping Plover in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/20/2016). (c) nycticorax, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by nycticorax via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Piping Plover in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/25/2021). (c) Dany Sloan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Dany Sloan via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Piping Plover in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (10/14/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover nest in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/10/2016). Photo by Mike Burchett. (MBP list)

Piping Plovers well-camouflaged on the beach on Assateague Island, Worcester Co., Maryland (9/8/2004). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Piping Plover in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/22/2009). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover nest on Assateague Island, Maryland (5/12/1979). Photo by Bob Ringler. (MBP list)

Piping Plover in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (10/14/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

Piping Plover tracks (and Northern Diamond-backed Terrapin tracks) in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/17/2017). Photo by Mike Burchett. (MBP list)

A Piping Plover on Hart-Miller Island in Baltimore Co., Maryland (9/15/1991). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)


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