Nature Saskatchewan encourages beach goers to watch out for endangered piping plover nests

It’s the season for summer fun at the beach, but Nature Saskatchewan is asking the public to limit activities that could disturb or destroy the nests of endangered piping plovers.

The birds have been listed as an endangered species since 1995, the conservation group explained, and often build their highly-camouflaged nests directly on the province’s shorelines, which means human activity can put their reproductive cycle at risk.

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“Since the plovers nest on the ground and mostly rely on not being seen, activities like ATV traffic, trucks heading down to fish, and loose dogs on beaches are a risk to them,” said Emily Putz, the co-ordinator of Nature Saskatchewan’s Plovers on Shore program.

“Limiting these kind of activities on beaches where plovers are known to nest can go a long way.”

Female plovers typically lay four eggs in a shallow scrape in the sand, which they line with pebbles, Nature Saskatchewan explained, and it takes 28 days for the eggs to incubate, with peak hatching in mid June and early July.

Piping plovers are masters of camouflage, according to Nature Saskatchewan, and typically lay their eggs directly on shorelines in nests lined with pebbles. (Kaytlyn Burrows/Submitted)

“It’s just being mindful that we are sharing these spaces with these small creatures that can use our help,” Putz said.

“Something as insignificant as a deep footprint to us can mean life or death if a small chick falls and is trapped in it.”

Putz said the endangered birds have been found in the Lake Diefenbaker area, as well as the South Saskatchewan River and lakes east of Saskatoon, but they can nest on any exposed shoreline between the end of the vegetation and the water.

She said while plovers are masters of camouflage, to the point where they’ve been nicknamed “moving rocks,” the birds are territorial and defensive around their nests, and will typically make their presence quite apparent if a beach goer simply walks around the area before before engaging in any activities that could potentially disturb or damage nests.

The organization said plovers look very similar to the common killdeer, with grey backs, white bellies and orange feet and bills, but plovers can be distinguished by their black headband marking and single black neck band, while killdeer have two neck bands.

Anyone who spots a piping plover was encouraged to report the sighting to Nature Saskatchewan.

“All caller information is kept private, and every sighting goes towards helping learn more about these endangered shorebirds,” the organization said.