1. ECOS
2. Species Profile for western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus ssp. nivosus)

western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus ssp. nivosus)

Listing Status:   

General Information

The Snowy Plover is a small shorebird with moderately long legs and a short neck. Their back is pale tan while their underparts are white, and have dark patches on the sides of their neck which reach around onto the top of their chest. Juveniles are similar to nonbreeding adults, but have scaly pale edging on their back feathers.

References cited in Species Profile

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 2015. Snowy Plover. All About Birds. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Plover/id
• Gilligan, J., D. Rogers, M. Smith, and A. Contreras. 1994. Birds of Oregon: status and distribution. Cinclus Publ. McMinnville, OR.
• Herman, S. G., J. B. Bulger, and J. B. Buchanan. 1988. The Snowy Plover in southeastern Oregon and western Nevada. J. Field Ornithol. 59:13-21.
• Monson, G. and A. R. Phillips. 1981. Annotated checklist of the birds of Arizona. 2nd ed. Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson.
• Page, Gary W., Lynne E. Stenzel, G. W. Page, J. S. Warriner, J. C. Warriner and P. W. Paton. 2009. Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/154
• Page, G. W. and L. E. Stenzel. 1981. The breeding status of the Snowy Plover in California. West. Birds 12:1-40.
• Paton, P. W. C. and T. C. Edwards, Jr. 1990. Status and nesting ecology of the Snowy Plover at Great Salt Lake-1990. Utah Birds 6:49-66.
• Rosenberg, K.V., D. Pashley, B. Andres, P. J. Blancher, G.S. Butcher, W.C. Hunter, D. Mehlman, A.O. Panjabi, M. Parr, G. Wallace, and D. Wiedenfeld. 2014. The State of the Birds 2014 Watch List. North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee. Washington, D.C. 4 pages.
• Shuford, W. D., S. Abbott, and T. D. Ruhlen. 2008. Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus). Pages 173-179 in California bird species of special concern. Studies of Western Birds 1. (Shuford, W. D. and T. Gardali, Eds.) Western Field Ornithologists, Camarillo, CA.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2007. Recovery Plan for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus). In 2 volumes. Sacramento, California. xiv + 751 pages.
  • States/US Territories in which the western snowy plover, Pacific Coast population DPS-U.S.A. (CA, OR, WA), Mexico (within 50 miles of Pacific coast) is known to or is believed to occur:  California , Oregon , Washington
  • US Counties in which the western snowy plover, Pacific Coast population DPS-U.S.A. (CA, OR, WA), Mexico (within 50 miles of Pacific coast) is known to or is believed to occur:  View All
  • USFWS Refuges in which the western snowy plover, Pacific Coast population DPS-U.S.A. (CA, OR, WA), Mexico (within 50 miles of Pacific coast) is known to occur:  Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge, Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge, San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Willapa National Wildlife Refuge  ... Show All Refuges
    
  • Countries in which the the western snowy plover, Pacific Coast population DPS-U.S.A. (CA, OR, WA), Mexico (within 50 miles of Pacific coast) is known to occur:  Mexico
   
  Current Listing Status Summary

  Status	Date Listed	Lead Region	Where Listed
  	1993-03-05	California/Nevada Region (Region 8)	Pacific Coast population DPS-U.S.A. (CA, OR, WA), Mexico (within 50 miles of Pacific coast)

  » Federal Register Documents

  Federal Register Documents

  Date	Citation Page	Title
  2005-08-16 00:00:00.0	70 FR 48094 48098	Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover: notice of availability of draft economic analysis.
  2011-05-25 00:00:00.0	76 FR 30377 30382	Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of Species in California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin of Oregon
  1989-06-26 00:00:00.0	54 FR 26811	ETWP; Notice to Close Comment Periods on Petitions to List Mono Lake Brine Shrimp, Edgewood Blind Harvestman, and Western Snowy Plover; 54 FR 26811
  2001-08-14 00:00:00.0	66 FR 42676 42677	Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover for Review and Comment
  2012-01-17 00:00:00.0	77 FR 2243 2254	Designation of Critical Habitat and Taxonomic Revision for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover:Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.
  1988-11-14 00:00:00.0	53 FR 45788	Findings on Petitions to List Populations of Western Snowy Plover & CA Mountain Lion; 53 FR 45788
  2004-03-22 00:00:00.0	69 FR 13326 13329	90-Day Finding on a Petition to Delist the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover and Initiation of a 5-Year Review
  2012-06-19 00:00:00.0	77 FR 36727 36869	Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover; Final Rule
  2007-11-05 00:00:00.0	72 FR 62485 62486	Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Habitat Conservation Plan for the Western Snowy Plover Along the Oregon Coast
  1999-12-07 00:00:00.0	64 FR 68508 68544	ETWP; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover
  2005-05-03 00:00:00.0	70 FR 22898 22899	Availability of Environmental Document and Receipt of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit ssociated with a Safe Harbor Agreement for Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Ormond Beach Property, Ventura County, CA
  2005-09-29 00:00:00.0	70 FR 56970 57119	Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover; Final Rule
  2006-04-21 00:00:00.0	71 FR 20607 20624	12-Month Finding on a Petition to Delist the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover
  2006-04-21 00:00:00.0	71 FR 20625 20636	Proposed Special Rule Pursuant to Section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act for the Pacific Coast Distinct Population Segment of the Western Snowy Plover
  1992-01-14 00:00:00.0	57 FR 1443 1449	ETWP; Proposed Threatened Status for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover
  2004-09-29 00:00:00.0	69 FR 58181 58183	Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Document for Issuance of an Incidental Take Permit Associated With a Habitat Conservation Plan at the Fort Ord Military Installation, Monterey County, CA
  2006-06-20 00:00:00.0	71 FR 35406 35407	Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Special Rule Pursuant to Section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act for the Pacific Coast Distinct Population Segment of the Western Snowy Plover: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.
  2011-03-22 00:00:00.0	76 FR 16045 16165	Revised Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover; Proposed Rule
  1993-03-05 00:00:00.0	58 FR 12864 12874	Determination of Threatened Status for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover
  2004-12-17 00:00:00.0	69 FR 75608 75656	Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover; Proposed Rule
  1991-11-21 00:00:00.0	56 FR 58804 58836	ETWP; Animal Candidate Review for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species; 56 FR 58804 58836
  2007-02-14 00:00:00.0	72 FR 7064 7084	Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of 58 Species in California and Nevada; Availability of Completed 5-Year Reviews in California and Nevada
  2004-06-04 00:00:00.0	69 FR 31632 31635	Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for an Incidental Take Permit for the Multiple Habitat Consrevation Program, Carlsbad, CA
  2007-09-24 00:00:00.0	72 FR 54279 54280	Recovery Plan for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover
  1995-03-02 00:00:00.0	60 FR 11768 11809	ETWP; Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover

  Special Rule Publications

  Date	Citation Page	Title
  2006-04-21 00:00:00.0	71 FR 20625 20636	Proposed Special Rule Pursuant to Section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act for the Pacific Coast Distinct Population Segment of the Western Snowy Plover

  » Recovery

  • Recovery Plan Information Search
  • Information Search FAQs
  Current Recovery Plan(s)

  Date	Title	Plan Action Status	Plan Status
  2007-08-13	Final Recovery Plan for the Western Snowy Plover	View Implementation Progress	Final

  Other Recovery Documents

  Date	Citation Page	Title	Document Type
  2007-09-24	72 FR 54279 54280	Recovery Plan for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover	Notice Final Recovery Plan Availability
  2005-08-16	70 FR 48094 48098	Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover: notice of availability of draft economic analysis.	Notice Doc. Availability
  2001-08-14	66 FR 42676 42677	Notice of Availability of a Draft Recovery Plan for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover for Review and Comment	Notice Recovery Plan Avail.
  2011-05-25	76 FR 30377 30382	Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of Species in California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin of Oregon	Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
  2007-02-14	72 FR 7064 7084	Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of 58 Species in California and Nevada; Availability of Completed 5-Year Reviews in California and Nevada	Notice 5-year Review, Completion
  2004-03-22	69 FR 13326 13329	90-Day Finding on a Petition to Delist the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover and Initiation of a 5-Year Review	Notice 5-year Review Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial

  Five Year Review

  Date	Title
  2006-05-31	Western Snowy Plover - Pacific Coast Population 5-Year Review

  » Critical Habitat

  Date	Citation Page	Title	Document Type	Status
  2012-06-19	77 FR 36727 36869	Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover; Final Rule	Final Rule	Final designated
  2011-03-22	76 FR 16045 16165	Revised Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover; Proposed Rule	Proposed Rule	Not Required
  2005-09-29	70 FR 56970 57119	Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover; Final Rule	Final Rule	Not Required
  2004-12-17	69 FR 75608 75656	Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover; Proposed Rule	Proposed Rule	Not Required
  1999-12-07	64 FR 68508 68544	ETWP; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover	Final Rule	Not Required
  1995-03-02	60 FR 11768 11809	ETWP; Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover	Proposed Rule	Not Required

  To learn more about critical habitat please see http://ecos.fws.gov/crithab

  » Conservation Plans

  Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) (learn more)

  HCP Plan Summaries
  Cal. Dept. of Corrections Statewide Electrified Fence Project
  Humboldt Redwood Company (formerly Pacific Lumber, Headwaters)
  Kern Water Bank
  MHCP, City of Carlsbad Habitat Management Plan
  MSCP, City of Chula Vista Subarea Plan
  MSCP, City of La Mesa Subarea Plan
  MSCP, City of Poway Subarea Plan
  MSCP, City of San Diego Subarea Plan
  MSCP, County of San Diego Subarea Plan
  OR State Parks & Rec Western Snowy Plover HCP
  San Diego Gas & Electric

  Safe Harbor Agreements (SHA): (learn more)

  SHA Plan Summaries
  Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Ormond Beach Property

  » Petitions

  » Life History

  Habitat Requirements

  Barren to sparsely vegetated sand beaches, dry salt flats in lagoons, dredge spoils deposited on beach or dune habitat, levees and flats at salt-evaporation ponds, river bars, along alkaline or saline lakes, reservoirs, and ponds. Nests are a natural or scraped depression on dry ground usually lined with pebbles, shell fragments, fish bones, mud chips, vegetation fragments, or invertebrate skeletons.

  Food Habits

  Terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates are their main food items. Walking and hopping are employed in feeding, as well as several other activities.

  Movement / Home Range

  The Snowy Plover breeds along the Pacific coast of the U.S., with this range also covering several southwestern states, while wintering along the coasts of the Baja Peninsula, western Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico and Guatemala. Distances of migratory movements are relatively short, with the direction of movement to winter areas being either northward or southward for the Pacific coast breeders, but northeast or southwest for birds breeding in the interior of western North America.

  Other

  Habitat alteration and increased use of recreational beaches threaten the conservation of this species. Also at risk from sea level rise and stochastic events such as oil spills. The breeding population has likely decreased on the Gulf Coast since late 1800s. This species is on the 2014 State of the Birds Red Watch List, which lists species most in danger of extinction without significant conservation action. For more information about this species, including occurrence, conservation strategies and recovery actions in specific states or regions, refer to the following resource:

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2007. Recovery Plan for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus). In 2 volumes. Sacramento, California. xiv + 751 pages. http://www.westernsnowyplover.org/pdfs/WSP%20Final%20RP%2010-1-07.pdf

  » Other Resources

  NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

  ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

  FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.