Plovers take up residence in Escanaba
Plovers take up residence in Escanaba
By NICOLE GEARHART, Daily Press, Escanaba
ESCANABA — Escanaba has recently become home to a couple of very special visitors, and area residents are being asked to leave the welcome wagons — or kayaks — in the garage.
A small island off Escanaba’s Aronson Island is currently home to a small family of piping plovers, an endangered species. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Christie Deloria-Sheffield said this is the first time a breeding pair of piping plover has been found this far west in Delta County.
“This site is a brand new place for these birds, so people should be very excited,” said Sheffield.
The piping plover, which is a small gray-brown and white bird with a banded neck, is similar in appearance to the more common killdeer, said Sheffield.
The plover, however, is lighter in color and lacks the two distinct neckbands found on the killdeer, and is usually one to two inches smaller, with adults averaging about six inches in length. The small, fuzzy chicks, two of which have been spotted on the island, are very mobile and curious but also very fragile, Sheffield said.
One of only 50 breeding pair found in the Great Lakes region this year, Sheffield said the Aronson Island plovers’ decision to return to the area in the future will depend upon the survival of their chicks. If the adults can raise the chicks to the fledgling stage, or age when they become able to fly, they are more likely to return. It generally takes about 28 days for the young to reach this age, with the first 10-14 days the most critical.
Sheffield said because the chicks are recently hatched, their proximity to the park, which will be bustling with activity due to the upcoming holiday, is a bit worrisome.
The Fish and Wildlife Service created an enclosure on the island to protect the birds from any animals that might be in the area, also covering the area with mesh to protect them from aerial predators. Twine barriers with signs warning visitors about the fragility of the birds have also been erected, but show evidence of having been crossed, said Sheffield. She added that, while she understands the draw that these birds may create for outdoor enthusiasts, she hopes people will understand the situation and admire them from afar.
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