Great Lakes Piping Plovers
Conservation Team
Recovery actions in the Great Lakes, and on the wintering grounds have helped the plover population to steadily increase. In 2016, there were 75 breeding pairs across the Great Lakes basin. When Piping Plovers were listed as endangered 1986 there were fewer than 20 pairs. The majority of these birds breed in Michigan but there have recently also been breeding Great Lakes Piping Plovers in Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania Ohio and Ontario, Canada. In the winter, the birds have been spotted in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Cuba. Most of the Great Lakes population winters from North Carolina to Florida. It takes many people in many locations working together to help Piping Plovers recover.
​The team is coordinated by The US Fish and Wildlife service and consists of many agencies, non-governmental organizations, educational facilities and dedicated individuals.
Project Oversight and Coordination
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Administers the Endangered Species Act, coordinates partnership efforts
Great Lakes Tribes
Land Management Agencies – Responsible for management of plovers on their lands.
Little Traverse Band of Odawa
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Birds Canada; Oiseaux Canada
The Bad River Band
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Canadian Wildlife Service
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Pennsylvania Game Commission
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
US Forest Service
National Park Service
USDA Wildlife Services
Salvage Captive-rearing
The Detroit Zoo
American Zoo and Aquarium Association
Research
University of Minnesota
Lake Superior State University
University of Michigan Biological Station
Central Michigan University
State University of New York
Additional Land Protection/Monitoring/Support
Non-governmental Organizations
UP Land Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Audubon Society
Volunteers and Private Land-owners
...and more
A few of the people working towards the recovery of Great Lakes Piping Plovers are featured on the "Plover Crew Photos" page.
If we've overlooked your partner organization please click here to send an email. Please include a jpg of your logo.