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Life on the Beach with Wilson's Plovers
Life on the beach can be tough for birds
© Under the same moon / FCC
Along the Gulf of Mexico, you’ll find undeveloped sandy flats and shallow lagoons. This is prime habitat for Wilson’s Plovers to nest and raise their chicks. But life on the beach can be tough for birds. In many parts of its U.S. range on the Gulf and south Atlantic coasts, Wilson’s Plover habitat is at risk. One practice that has helped these beach birds is to place low, temporary fencing around key nesting areas.
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BirdNote®
Life on the Beach with Wilson’s Plovers
Written by Bob Sundstrom
This is BirdNote.
[introductory beach birds ambient with occasional Wilson’s Plover calls, https://www.xeno-canto.org/538376, especially 0.20-.34]
Along the Gulf of Mexico, just above the high tide line, you’ll find undeveloped sandy flats and shallow lagoons. This is prime habitat for Wilson’s Plovers to nest and raise their chicks.
The Wilson’s Plover is a bit smaller than a robin and has a surprisingly long and thick beak for its size.
[Wilson’s Plover calls, https://www.xeno-canto.org/551094, 0.08-.11]
It’s a beak well suited to grappling with the plover’s favorite prey: small fiddler crabs that share its habitat. To catch a crab, a plover runs swiftly across the sand and then strikes quickly with that sturdy beak.
But life on the beach is tough for birds. In many parts of its U.S. range on the Gulf and south Atlantic coasts, Wilson’s Plover habitat is at risk. Beachfront development, off-road vehicles, dogs running free, and mechanized beach-raking are all serious threats.
One practice that has helped other beach birds is to place low, temporary fencing around key nesting areas. That way, the plovers can walk through the mesh of the fence, and their nest sites are protected within, making life on the beach just a little easier.
For BirdNote, I’m Michael Stein.
[Wilson’s Plover calls, https://www.xeno-canto.org/551094, 0.08-.11]
Today’s show brought to you by the Bobolink Foundation.
Find us at BIrdNote.org.
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Producer: John Kessler
Executive Producer: Sallie Bodie
Editor: Ashley Ahearn
Producer: Mark Bramhill
Associate Producer: Ellen Blackstone
Bird sounds provided by Xeno-Canto. XC538376 throughout recorded by I Rodriguez. XC551094 :28 and 1:25 recorded by I Rodriguez.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2020 BirdNote August 2020 / July 2022 Narrator: Michael Stein
ID# WIPL-01-2020-08-06 WIPL-01
https://abcbirds.org/bird/wilsons-plover/
https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/wilplo/cur/conservation
https://biodiversityworksmv.org/beach-nesting-bird-protection/
Bob Sundstrom
Writer