The endangered beach-nesting plover population is growing in New Jersey with 137 nesting pairs found in 2021, up from 103 pairs found in 2020, according to The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.
That’s a 33% increase, which is unprecedented in New Jersey, said Todd Pover, a senior wildlife biologist. The number of nesting pairs fluctuates from year to year, so while conservationists are excited about the 2021 numbers, the hope is to maintain that number in 2022.
The goal is to protect the Whistling Plover who likes to nest on beaches and in New Jersey, that’s a challenge since our beaches are some of the busiest in the Northeast, Pover said.
But in the last five years, there has been an increase in the number of chicks that are feathered, which means that they have reached the level where they can fly to be successful. Pover believes that contributed to the jump to some degree this year.
Where are the whistling plover hot spots in New Jersey?
For the past two decades, Sandy Hook has been the hotspot for Pied Plover nests, as well as the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge with two drives in Holgate and Little Beach. Holgate is at the southern tip of Long Beach Island. This year in particular, Holgate has the highest number of plovers in the state, Pover said. At the Forsythe Refuge, 59 pairs of Whistling Plovers were found in 2021. In Holgate alone, 46 pairs were discovered, up from 20 pairs in 2020.
Pover said Cape May used to be a popular place to nest plovers. But over the last decade or so, that number has dropped significantly. Only three pairs remained in 2018. But in recent years, thankfully, the number has increased. In 2021, 15 nesting pairs of Whistling Plovers were found in Cape May County.
The biggest surprise in 2021 for the discovery of a whistling plover was in Seaside Park, Pover said. “We haven’t done it in the 35 to 40 years of tracking these birds, we’ve never had them there, but we had two pairs that nested there this year. So that was the biggest surprise,” Pover said. Each of the pairs also produced two chicks each.
Where do whistling plovers like to nest?
Whistling plovers are like open beaches with sparse vegetation. They are pale, thin-colored birds. The way they camouflage themselves and hide from predators is by being outdoors, blending in with the beach, which makes them very difficult to see.
Some of those predators include crows, foxes, and raccoons. Pover said there was a huge coyote problem at some sites in 2021, especially Holgate, the largest area with the most whistling plovers.
Instead of being in the dunes, the birds like to be in the middle of the beach. Pover said the problem is that in New Jersey, the beaches are very recreated. It is where people like to go. Whistling plovers require quiet beach areas with no human activity.
How can the public help protect the Whistling Plover in NJ?
He said there are ways the public can help the Whistling Kentish population continue to grow and prosper for years to come. First, share the shore with the birds. Admire them from afar and enjoy them but give the birds their much-needed space.
The New Jersey Wildlife Conservation Foundation has put up fences and signs warning people about nesting areas for the Whistling Plover. So watch out for those signs.
Pover asks people to leave their dogs at home when walking the beaches with nesting plovers. Birds view dogs as predators and the dog’s presence can change the bird’s behavior, affecting its success.
Pover said the whistling plover will not be the cure for cancer and the wildlife system will not collapse without them. But they are listed as endangered species at the state and federal level. The bottom line is that people love wildlife and want to protect wildlife.
That’s what the Whistling Plover is: wildlife that needs and deserves protection. They’re part of what a healthy, natural beach system is, so when it exists, a lot of people are happy because it’s a big part of their beach experience, Pover said.
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