PACIFIC COUNTY, Wash. — A western snowy plover nest was destroyed after someone drove over it at Pacific County's Grayland Beach State Park recently, according to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.
The plover nest was in sand dunes in an area closed to vehicles. Two eggs were destroyed, according to Fish & Wildlife.
Western snowy plovers are listed as endangered in Washington state and federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Anyone who may have information about the incident is asked to call Fish & Wildlife police at 877-933-9847 or report using the online form here.
Plovers' breeding season runs from mid-April to mid-September. This is a "crucial" time of year for breeding, according to Allison Anholt, the coastal birds lead biologist for Fish & Wildlife. It takes a month for eggs to hatch.
The plovers spend their entire lives between high tide lines and dunes. The shorebirds lay eggs that resemble shells directly in the sand. Though this makes it more difficult for predators to find them, it can also make it more difficult for people to spot them.
According to Anholt, the biggest threats to plovers are predators, changing habitat and humans.
The Pacific coast breeding populations of plovers extend from Washington state to Mexico, according to Fish & Wildlife. In Washington state, they are found only in Pacific and Grays Harbor counties.
As of 2021, the Washington state population consisted of fewer than 100 adult birds.
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