Piping Plover
Shore Birds
Figure 16 - Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
The survival of many species of shorebirds is in doubt. One good example from North America is the Piping Plover. This bird nests on open, sandy beaches of the east coast, the Great Lakes, and inland lakeshores. This brings them into direct conflict with mans summer vacation activities. Many nests fail because of disturbance and destruction. It is estimated that less than 20 breeding pairs remain in the Great Lakes area.
Ecological Nichemanship
Shorebirds provide wonderful examples of ecological nichemanship. As you have noticed, the bills of different species of shorebirds are
highly variable. Some are short and stout, some are long and straight, and some are extremely long, narrow and curved. These variations enable
each species to exploit specific food sources unavailable to other birds.
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