snowy plover

one of the smallest N American shore birds, sand colored and thus hard to spot on the beaches and foredunes where it lives. It is endangered, but recovering on the West Coast, especially Oregon where at one time the species was down to 50 individuals in the entire state. Habitat loss and predators are a constant threat and the species is heavily managed. They nest on the dunes in open scrapes, and when the chicks hatch they follow the male parent to the beach to learn to feed, the female flying off to find another mate. The chicks had once been hampered by europian beach grass used to stabilize the dunes. Now areas are polwed annually, and clear spaces made to allows the young to get to the beach where they feed at the wrackline or at the water's edge and small invertibrates. ONce fledged, the male goes to find a another mate. First wave of fledglings may attempt to nest.

The average lifespan of this bird is under 3 years, however, if they survive past this stage, they will often live into their teens. Chick and nest mortality is extremely high.

Males have the dark eye smudge and scapular markings, females and juveniles are similar - sandy without the dark markings