Beach Season Is Here For The Rockaways' Endangered Baby Birds

FAR ROCKAWAY, QUEENS — When city beaches officially open for swimming July 1, New Yorkers won't be the only ones filling the sandy shores of the Rockaways. They'll join the endangered piping plovers and other shorebirds that use the Rockaway peninsula shoreline each year for nesting.

The NYC Parks Department and NYC Audubon Society are warning beachgoers to watch out for the tiny piping plover chicks, which can be hard to spot with their sandy gray coloring.

Visitors to Rockaway Beach, Fort Tilden and Breezy Point can protect nesting shorebirds by keeping their dogs leashed and off the beach, taking their trash with them and staying close to the water.

Conservationist and wildlife photographer Chris Allieri shared pictures of Queens' newborn piping plovers with Patch to raise awareness about the vulnerable species, as well as other nesting shorebirds like the American oystercatcher and the black skimmer.

"These birds are threatened and endangered and defy incredible odds just to make it past fledgling," Allieri said. "I ask all New Yorkers to open their eyes, obey roped off areas and help protect these beautiful birds that so desperately rely on our help."

Share the beach with the shorebirds nesting at Rockaway Beach right now by giving them plenty of space & taking your trash with you. Thank you, @NYCAudubon for helping us #SharetheShore with these vulnerable birds. https://t.co/4K17cCkxbd
— NYC Parks (@NYCParks) June 23, 2020

As we get closer to the holiday weekend, we’ll be sharing beach tips for bird lovers! Please walk close to the water on the lower beach, so travel-weary birds can rest on the upper beach. Share the love, #ShareTheShore! More here: https://t.co/iK5ZmmP4jK pic.twitter.com/4KESKtQIFu
— NYC Audubon (@NYCAudubon) June 29, 2020

"Plovers, like most New Yorkers, prefer to spend their summer months by the shore," the city says. "It is not all fun and games for them though. Due to human-related habitat loss, the piping plovers are here searching for a safe place to start a family of their own as they attempt to save their species from extinction."

Click here to report a piping plover sighting to the city.