What Defenders is Doing to Help Piping Plovers
Defenders of Wildlife is working to protect the piping plover population at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, a critical habitat for wintering and migrating plovers. We have worked with the National Park Service to develop a beach management plan that allows people to enjoy the seashore while preserving the area’s unique habitat and wildlife.
Defenders is also fighting to protect piping plover habitat in North Carolina’s Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. A current plan to replace the state’s deteriorating Herbert C. Bonner Bridge would necessitate the ongoing maintenance of a highway that runs through Pea Island, turning it into a permanent construction zone. Defenders is working to find an alternative to the parallel bridge and protect the hundreds of species, including the piping plover, who call the Outer Banks refuge home.
Length: 17-18 cm long, with males slightly larger than females.
Weight: Adults weigh 43-63 grams.
Lifespan: Relatively few birds live longer than 5 years; some individuals may reach 11 years of age.