Both subspecies of Piping Plovers are monitored in Canada through dedicated surveys initiated in 1991 (see below). Results from these surveys suggest that the number of birds in the prairie population (circumcinctus) has varied widely, primarily due to prairie flood and drought regimes. The most recent census shows an all-time low since these surveys began, but massive flooding of breeding habitat may have biased these results. The smaller eastern population (melodus) has also shown a decrease since 1991. Results from migration monitoring also show a moderate decrease in the continental population, though precision is low and these results reflect an unknown proportion of birds from Canada and the United States. Considering the results for both subspecies, the national population of Piping Plover is thought to have decreased relative to the early 1970s, though reliability is considered to be medium because of the lack of information prior to 1991. Recovery goals are available for both subspecies (813 pairs for the circumcinctus subspecies [Environment Canada 2006a] and 310 pairs for the melodus subspecies [Environment Canada 2012b], see regional graphs below). It is clear that both Canadian populations of the species are below their population goals.
Additional information on: Analyses of Shorebird Migration Monitoring Data
