Snowy Plover Program

Snowy Plover chicks with their parent - July 18, 2008

The Snowy Plover is a threatened species, mainly due to loss of its preferred breeding habitat, the beach. Coal Oil Point Reserve, with its sandy beach, sand dunes, and adjacent estuary mouth is one of a few choice west coast locations where the snowy plovers can breed and thrive. But they must compete for the beach with beach users, unleashed dogs, and predators like crows. Without help, the plovers lose. With public education and symbolic fences the plovers at UCSB made a come back. Please click on the topics below to read about how it is working, and how you can help.

Coal Oil Point Links

Why Protect Snowy Plovers?

Population Status at COPR

Snowy Plover Docent Program

Protocol for Hatching and Raising Western Snowy Plovers (Word doc.)

Management Plan: Plover Protection (You may view and print this and other "pdf" pages with Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download a free copy from Adobe, click her)

Plover Docent Training Manual (ask Snowy Plover Program director)

Article: Habitat Use and Plovers (pdf file)

Article: Disturbances to Plovers (pdf file)

Snowy Plovers - Fox News Video

Snowy Plover Chicks, May 2005 (Quick Time Move 2.24MB)