Threatened Shorebird Returns to East Bay Beach

The threatened western snowy plovers are back this year at Crown Beach in Alameda, their winter site. According to the Contra Costa Times, the small, speckled birds have been spotted foraging for food along the beach.

The small shorebird is federally listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as threatened. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, intensive beach use by humans are key factors in the ongoing decline in the breeding sites and populations of western snowy plovers.

In an effort to give the birds their necessary space, the East Bay Regional Park District, which manages the beach, has erected signs, poles and strings to create a “symbolic fence” around the birds’ roosting area. The public is asked to give these birds plenty of room and remember to keep dogs off the beach.

--Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service