We observed this Piping Plover (right) and Sanderling (left) at the CAPE MAY MIGRATORY BIRD REFUGE, Cape May, New Jersey.


The Piping Plover is a globally threatened and endangered species bird.
It has been listed by the United States as "endangered" in the Great Lakes region and "threatened" in the remainder of its breeding range.
Total population is currently estimated at about 6,410 individuals.
A preliminary estimate showed 3,350 birds in 2003 on the Atlantic Coast alone, 52% of the total.
The population has been increasing since 1991.
The Piping Plover lives the majority of its life on open sandy beaches or rocky shores, often in high, dry sections away from water.
They can be found on the Atlantic Coast of the U.S., on the ocean or bay beaches in Canada, and on the Great Lakes shores.