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About Western Snowy Plovers

“Historically, Western Snowy Plovers nested on beaches along the entire Pacific Coast.  Now they are rarely seen.”

                                                                          - USFWS Western Snowy Plover Recovery Plan -

The Plight of the Plover…  

The Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) was once common along the west coast of the US from Washington to Baja. As human population increased over the past century, shoreline development and recreational uses have contributed to habitat destruction and degradation, resulting in dramatic population declines of this small shorebird. Reaching critically low numbers, the pacific coast population of the Western Snowy Plover was listed as threatened in 1993 under the Federal Endangered Species Act.

Life & Lifestyle…

Western Snowy Plovers live on flat, sandy beaches and sand dune areas that offer ample food sources and provide safe roosting opportunities. Their diet consists of small invertebrates that can be picked from the surface of the sand, from low growing vegetation, and from surf-cast marine debris such as kelp. When not feeding, snowy plovers roost in small depressions in the sand or on the leeward side of objects such as driftwood, kelp, or dune vegetation.

Some Western Snowy Plovers remain in their breeding areas year-round while others disburse up and down the coast to spend the non-breeding season at other locations. These wintering areas, where they rest and feed, are where Western Snowy Plovers can live for up to nine months of the year, building up the fat reserves they will need to migrate and to endure the breeding season. 

Western Snowy Plovers are gregarious, foraging and roosting in loose flocks, and often associating with other species of small shorebirds.

 Obstacles to Recovery…

Western Snowy Plovers continue to face adverse conditions that threaten the population’s recovery.  In the breeding areas, the most serious threats are those that contribute to high rates of nest failure and chick mortality.  In the wintering areas, Western Snowy Plovers face threats from frequent disturbances which can disrupt caloric accumulation and result in diminished migration and breeding success, and from habitat degradation due to natural and human influenced causes.

“Disturbance by humans and domestic animals causes significant adverse impacts to Western Snowy Plovers.”

                                                                                      - USFWS Western Snowy Plover Recovery Plan –

Because Western Snowy Plovers live in areas that are also popular locations for human recreation, there is often the potential for frequent disturbance.  Recreational activities such as jogging, dog walking, ball games, and kite flying are common sources of disturbance.   

“Feeding wildlife can attract and unnaturally concentrate predators in or near snowy plover habitat.”

                                              - USFWS Western Snowy Plover Recovery Plan –            

There are natural sources of disturbance too, such as crows and ravens that are attracted to human refuse.

The Road to Recovery…

The U.S Fish & Wildlife Service has developed a recovery plan for the Western Snowy Plover which emphasizes management on Federal and State lands, and includes strategies for successful stewardship of coastal habitat areas.  With cooperative efforts at Federal, State and local levels, and with support from rangewide coastal communities, it is hoped that the Western Snowy Plover population can be stabilized and the species fully recovered.  

Through good management and stewardship of our seashore areas, both human recreational needs and the survival needs of wildlife can be met.  Managing some seashore areas as passive recreation areas can greatly reduce disturbance to shorebirds while providing recreational opportunities such as walking, beachcombing, wildlife viewing and photography.  

Additional Resources…

Ocean Beach

Crissy Field

Beach Ecosystem