Michigan Audubon Society

PIPING PLOVER MONITORING, WHITEFISH POINT UNIT SENEY NWR

THE GREAT LAKES NESTING POPULATION OF PIPING PLOVER (CHARADRIUS MELODUS) IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES FOUND ALONG THE SHORES OF THE GREAT LAKES. THE POPULATION IS CRITICALLY LOW WITH JUST 88 BREEDING PAIRS IN 2025 AND IS VULNERABLE TO EXTINCTION FROM FACTORS THAT INCLUDE HUMAN-CAUSED DISTURBANCE, PREDATION, DISEASE, HABITAT DESTRUCTION, CHANCE MORTALITY OF THE FEW REMAINING INDIVIDUALS, AND UNPREDICTABLE CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENT.REDUCING THE THREAT OF DISTURBANCE AND PREDATION IS ESSENTIAL TO PREVENT EXTINCTION OF THE GREAT LAKES PIPING PLOVER. RECENT INCREASES IN THE POPULATION HAVE COME ABOUT AS THE RESULT OF AN ACTIVE NEST PROTECTION AND MONITORING PROGRAM THAT REDUCES PREDATION AND DISTURBANCE TO PIPING PLOVER NESTS. CONTINUATION OF THESE ACTIVITIES AND OTHERS WILL BE CRITICAL TO PREVENT EXTINCTION AND TO ALLOW FOR POPULATION GROWTH TOWARD RECOVERY AND DELISTING. THE SEASONAL PIPING PLOVER MONITOR PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE IMPORTANT MEASURES.WHITEFISH POINT IS A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR BEACH-GOERS IN THE SUMMER, PARTICULARLY IN SEARCH OF BEACH ROCKS. WHITEFISH POINT IS ALSO THE NORTHEASTERN-MOST BREEDING LOCATION OF PIPING PLOVERS IN MICHIGAN. THE INTERSECTION OF THESE TWO USES FOR THE BEACH CREATES A POTENTIAL DANGER TO THE PIPING PLOVERS AT WHITEFISH POINT. WE PROPOSE TO MONITOR, DOCUMENT, AND PROTECT NESTING PIPING PLOVERS AT WHITEFISH POINT IN 2026 AND 2027. EFFORTS OF PAST MONITORING AND PROTECTION HAVE ENSURED THE SUCCESS OF PIPING PLOVER NESTS AT WHITEFISH POINT AND HAVE COLLECTED IMPORTANT DATA ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND DISPERSAL OF PIPING PLOVERS AS WELL AS INFORMED POPULATION DYNAMICS BY DOCUMENTING THE FATE OF NESTS. WITHOUT THESE EFFORTS, PIPING PLOVER NESTS MAY NOT SUCCEED AT WHITEFISH POINT.