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Great Lakes Piping Plovers
Conservation Team

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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

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Central Michigan University

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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.

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