Size: 18 cm (7.25 in) in length. Color: Breeding season: Pale brown above, lighter below; black band across forehead; bill orange with black tip; legs orange; white rump. Male: Complete or incomplete black band encircles the body at the breast. Female: Paler head band; incomplete breast band. Winter coloration: Bill black; all birds lack breast band and head band.

Current Listing Status

Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed 12/11/1985 Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region 3) Great Lakes watershed 12/11/1985 Northeast Region (Region 5) except Great Lakes watershed

The FWS is currently monitoring the following populations of the Piping Plover 

• Population location: Great Lakes watershed in States of IL, IN, MI, MN, NY, OH, PA, and WI and Canada (Ont.)
  Listing status:  Endangered
  States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:   Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
  USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur:   AMAGANSETT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, ELIZABETH ALEXANDRA MORTON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, FERGUS FALLS WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, MORRIS WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, TARGET ROCK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
  Countries in which this population is known to occur:   Canada
  For more information, please see:  http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/life_histories/B079.html
  
• Population location: Entire, except those areas where listed as endangered above
  Listing status:  Threatened
  States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:   Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin
  USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur:   ANAHUAC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, ARANSAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, ARROWWOOD NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, AUDUBON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, AUDUBON WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, BACK BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, BAYOU SAUVAGE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, BENTON LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, BIG BOGGY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, BIG BRANCH MARSH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, BLACKBEARD ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, BON SECOUR NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, BOWDOIN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, BRAZORIA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, BRETON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, BUFFALO LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, CAPE ROMAIN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, CEDAR ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, CEDAR KEYS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, CHARLES M. RUSSELL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, CHASE LAKE PRAIRIE PROJECT WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, CHINCOTEAGUE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, CLARENCE CANNON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, COTTONWOOD LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, CROSBY WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, CURRITUCK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, DELTA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, DESOTO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, DEVILS LAKE WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, EDWIN B. FORSYTHE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, FISHERMAN ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, HAGERMAN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, HOBE SOUND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, HUTCHINSON LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, IOWA WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, J. CLARK SALYER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, J. CLARK SALYER WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, KULM WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, LACREEK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, LAGUNA ATASCOSA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, LAKE ALICE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, LAKE ILO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, LAKE NETTIE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, LONG LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, LONG LAKE WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, LOSTWOOD NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, LOSTWOOD WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, LOWER SUWANNEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, MARAIS DES CYGNES NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, MASHPEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, MCFADDIN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, MEDICINE LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, MERRITT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, MONOMOY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, NANTUCKET NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, NINIGRET NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, PARKER RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, PEA ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, PINCKNEY ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, POND ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, QUIVIRA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, RACHEL CARSON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, RAINWATER BASIN WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, SACHUEST POINT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SAN BERNARD NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SAND LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SAND LAKE WETLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, SANTA ANA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SHELL KEYS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, ST. MARKS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, ST. VINCENT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, TEXAS POINT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, TISHOMINGO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, TRINITY RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, TRUSTOM POND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, TYBEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, UPPER SOURIS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, WACCAMAW NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, WASSAW NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, WILLOW LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, WINTERING RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, WOLF ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
  Countries in which this population is known to occur:   Canada, Mexico
  For more information, please see:  http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/life_histories/B079.html