Piping+Plover+Research+Report

Species details and conservation efforts The Piping Plover is a short and stout bird that is sandy in color. Its size is sometimes compared to that of a House Sparrow. Its name derives from the song it makes often times before you see the bird itself. The Atlantic Coast Piping Plover is found along the sandy and rocky shores of the Eastern coast of southern Canada and the United States. It forages for food on the beach and wrack line feeding on small insects and crustaceans. The Plover nests on open sand and also lays highly camouflaged eggs also out in the open. The Plover’s camouflage is their best adaptation for survival from predators. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service along with the National Park Service and other conservation agencies have been protecting the Plover for many years since the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918 was passed. The population crested in the 1940s and started a steady decline due to expanded sprawl and increased human recreation close to their habitat. Why should these birds be protected? The Atlantic Plover feeds on shore insects, small crustaceans and other marine worms. These birds help keep various shoreline populations in balance within their habitat. The human population has been expanding rapidly over the last hundred years and shows no sign of slowing down soon. It is with this point that we must be careful not to oversee the obvious and selfless reason for conservation. We are not the only species on the planet and why should we be more important than any other species? The Atlantic Coast piping Plover needs to be protected from predators including human expansion into their habitat. Many times humans don’t realize about the Plover’s close proximity to “their” coastal recreation areas.   What are their threats? Again, due to the expansion of the human population and influx of construction in and around the coastal areas, the Plover’s environment is severely threatened. Major encroachment of housing development has seen much of the Plover’s home destroyed and/or interrupted. This impediment of their habitat affects much of their daily behaviors such as feeding, reproducing, mating, and nesting. With human contact come feral cats, raccoons, dogs and other issues that come along with human settlements.  How do scientists study Piping Plovers in the wild? Scientists have been tracking Plovers by use of leg banding for many years. On occasion these bands have been reported to have hurt the bird with some resulting in limping or loss of leg all together. Scientists surveying these shorebirds should do so during the wintering months since they are the most inactive. They are studied a few times over the course of their sintering months and during the daytime.

 What efforts are being done to protect them?  The Endangered Species Act on January 10, 1986 adopted the Plover as one of its species it was protecting. The Act, “provides penalties for taking, harassing or harming the piping plover and affords some protection to its habitat” (Retrieved on November 16, 2009 from []). The National Park Service and other conservation agencies often times will fence off the known breeding and nesting ground of the birds if they are close to public beaches and recreation areas. These enclosures will sometimes also protect the nesting grounds from predators such as raccoons, skunks, dogs, and cats. The National Audubon Society along with many other conservation groups lobbies to protect these animals by limiting or even prohibiting beach use in known nesting grounds. In addition to limiting pedestrian usage, all terrain vehicles and driving along beaches are also sometimes restricted.  The connection between my curriculum and the activity concepts  In the New York City public schools, sixth graders during their fourth unit are taught Interdependence. The following standard strands will be able to be applied to this series of lessons and activities:
 * Unit 4: **Ecosystems and Interdependence**
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Populations and definition of species LE 1.1h LE 7.1a
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Communities LE 7.1a
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Ecosystems (including basic abiotic factors such as water, nitrogen, CO2, and oxygen)
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"> Factors affecting the population growth of organisms — Predator/ prey relationships
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"> Effects of environmental changes on humans and other populations LE 7.2a-d LE 7.1e ICT 5.2


 * Taken from the NYC DOE [[file:Scope and Sequence.pdf]]