December 1997 Issues Online June 2007 April 2007 February 2007 December 2006 October 2006 August 2006 June 2006 April 2006 February 2006 December 2005 October 2005 August 2005 June 2005 April 2005 February 2005 December 2004 October 2004 August 2004 June 2004 April 2004 February 2004 December 2003 October 2003 August 2003 June 2003 April 2003 February 2003 December 2002 October 2002 August 2002 June 2002 April 2002 February 2002 December 2001 October 2001 August 2001 June 2001 April 2001 February 2001 December 2000 October 2000 August 2000 June 2000 April 2000 February 2000 December 1999 October 1999 August 1999 June 1999 April 1999 February 1999 December 1998 October 1998 August 1998 June 1998 April 1998 February 1998 December 1997 October 1997 August 1997 June 1997 April 1997 February 1997 December 1996 October 1996 August 1996 June 1996 April 1996 February 1996 December 1995 October 1995 August 1995 June 1995 April 1995 February 1995 December 1994 October 1994 August 1994 June 1994 April 1994 February 1994 December 1993 October 1993 August 1993 Select any issue from the menu in this bar.

Humans and Canines Bedevil Beach Bird

Snowy plovers made headlines recently when dog-owners at San Francisco's Ocean Beach bitterly protested the enforcement of leash laws to protect the sparrow-sized birds. But the real action has been behind the scenes, where the National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife and others have been quietly working to craft long-term plans to help the waning beach bird.

In 1993 Fish & Wildlife listed the coastal population of the Western snowy plover as a threatened species. Much of the bird's decline is due to loss of habitat, as well as habits that make it susceptible to predators and careless humans. Plovers like to nest in shallow depressions on sparsely vegetated stretches of beach. Because the sand-colored birds blend into their surroundings, walkers, joggers, dogs, horseback riders and vehicles can inadvertently crush nests or drive off adult birds, leaving the eggs and chicks to die of exposure or predation. The plover's nesting season runs from mid-March through mid-September, which coincides with the heaviest human beach use. "You can definitely see why they've become a threatened species," says Fish & Wildlife's Dan Burford.

Early in 1998, the Park Service expects to release a plover management plan for Ocean Beach that addresses the full range of factors affecting plovers and their habitat, with a particular focus on sand management and recreational beach use.

"Ocean Beach is just one piece of the picture, but if you don't have that piece the entire picture falls apart - each site is important for recovery," says Fish & Wildlife's Ruth Pratt. Just 28 plover nesting areas remain in California, Oregon and Washington. Plovers are remarkably consistent, according the Park Service's Daphne Hatch, who says she has seen banded birds return year after year not only to the same roosting area, "but also to the same part of the beach, where they hang out with the same crowd of birds."

Plovers nest at several locations around the Bay, including the salt ponds of the South Bay. The Hayward Area Recreation District recently acquired 155 acres of the former Oliver Brothers salt ponds near Highway 92, which it plans to manage for plover habitat.

Fish & Wildlife is currently developing a recovery plan covering the entire West Coast, and Pratt says she hopes to complete a preliminary draft next summer. The plan will include specific range wide management actions designed to protect the plover. However, according to Pratt, one of the most important parts of the plan will be a massive public education effort to raise awareness among beachgoers and others about the tiny birds underfoot.

Contact: Ruth Pratt (916) 979-2725

«To @@(newsletter_title)@@ Index

[ ABAG HOME | SFEP HOME ]

Copyright © 2002, San Francisco Estuary Project