DWR Reminds Barrier Island Visitors to Follow the Rules Regarding the Protection of Piping Plovers

Don Freiday/USFWS

ACCOMACK CO., Va. – According to an article on WBOC.com, The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is spreading awareness of an Eastern Shore ecological icon – the Atlantic Coast piping plover.

According to DWR, every year from April to September, piping plovers migrate to Virginia’s barrier islands, including Chincoteague, Assateague, and Wallops, for breeding season. In fact, the Department of Wildlife Resources says that 100% of the breeding activity in Virginia has occurred on the Eastern Shore’s barrier islands since the late 1990s.

In 1986, the Atlantic Coast piping plover was listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Recovery and protection efforts led to their numbers gradually improving, and the DWR says the population was either stable or increasing between 2000 and 2016.

From 2016 to now, though, the piping plover population has dropped by 44 percent, according to the Department’s coastal terrestrial biologist Ruth Boettcher . The cause of this decline remains a mystery.

“We’re not really sure what’s happening,” said Boettcher in a DWR blog post. “Most of the islands are protected in perpetuity. They’re remote. It’s a best-case scenario for the birds, so we are at loss as to what is driving this downward trend.”

Possible causes for the decline include loss of nesting habitat and reduced foraging area access due to an absence of significant hurricanes that scour the beaches and create the ideal environment for the birds to nest and feed. Other causes listed were predators such as other birds and ghost crabs, as well as high-tide waters submerging the nests.

Human visitors to the islands can unknowingly also take a toll on the piping plovers, as summer holidays such as Memorial Day fall within the breeding season. The Department of Wildlife Resources offers the following tips for visitors to the barrier islands this summer to help mitigate disturbing the birds:

-Keep pets at home since they are not allowed on most islands. Unleashed dogs will often flush incubating adults from their nests or chase after young birds.

-Always remain as close to the water’s edge as possible. Avoid wandering over dry beach or vegetated areas (i.e., dune grass, marsh grass, and scrub/shrub habitats) where birds might nest and stay away from mudflats where young chicks and adults actively feed.

-Keep out of all posted nesting areas and stay at least 100 yards from any nesting bird or bird colony. People venturing near nesting sites may cause adult birds to leave the nest thereby exposing unattended eggs or chicks to predators or excessive temperatures. People may also inadvertently step on well-camouflaged eggs or chicks.

-Always pay attention to the birds around you. The birds will let you know if you are too close by vocalizing, taking flight, and/or exhibiting defensive behaviors.

-Avoid disruptive activities such as camping, campfires, fireworks, kite-flying and loud parties. These activities are generally not allowed on any of the islands.

-Take all trash with you when you leave the islands.

The Department of Wildlife Resources also reminds visitors that many of the islands are closed to the public either during breeding season or year round. The Department encourages those with questions about the closures or those who want to learn more about the piping plovers to visit the Explore the Seaside websi