Why are we interested in Interior Least Terns and Piping Plovers?
Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover populations have declined due to:
- broad-scale alteration of natural river systems
- loss of midstream river nesting habitat
- loss of overwintering habitat
- hunting for the restaurant and millinery trades in the late 1800s and early 1900s
Amount of midstream river sandbar nesting habitat has been reduced by
- invasive plant species
- construction of dams and reservoirs
- river channelization
- bank stabilization
- island armoring
- hydropower generation
- water diversion
Threats to overwintering habitat for both species include
- sea level rise
- global climate change
- residential, industrial, and commercial development
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Day-old plover chick running across the sand at Lake McConaughy, NEAllison Johnson -
Interior Least Tern in flightAllison Johnson -
Piping Plover flying across the sandbars of a river bed.Joel Jorgensen -
Interior Least TernJoel Jorgensen -
Adult male plover with chick near water.Wayne Hathaway -
Interior Least Tern chick looking for a little shadeCourtney McCusker -
Two 1-day old plover chicks with unhatched egg.Courtney McCusker -
Adult Interior Least Tern and chickDiane Pratt -
Day-old plover chick at Lake McConaughy, NEAllison Johnson -
Interior Least Tern adult and chick.Diane Pratt -
Weighing Interior Least Tern chick -
Interior Least Tern nest with one chick and egg. -
Piping Plover feigning a broken wing to draw prey from the plover's nest.Joel Jorgensen
Tern and Plover Field Season
May through August