13.10.2020 Views

Loup Generator — Fall 2020

The Ruthie cabin cruiser makes a big splash in 1939, the Lake Babcock Amusement Resort works to develop the lake into a "boating mecca", protecting the piping plover and interior least tern at the Genoa Headworks.

The Ruthie cabin cruiser makes a big splash in 1939, the Lake Babcock Amusement Resort works to develop the lake into a "boating mecca", protecting the piping plover and interior least tern at the Genoa Headworks.

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

PIPING PLOVER<br />

STATUS: Threatened<br />

DESCRIPTION: Small migratory shorebird bird about<br />

the size of a robin. Named for the melodic “piping”<br />

of its call. Sandy-colored back and white underparts.<br />

Single black neck band and a short orange bill with a<br />

black tip.<br />

NEBRASKA HABITAT: In Nebraska, the habitat of the<br />

piping plover has been reduced due to years of humancaused<br />

changes to natural river systems. Today piping Photo by Kate Asmus<br />

plovers nest along portions of the Missouri, Platte,<br />

Niobrara, <strong>Loup</strong>, and Elkhorn Rivers in Nebraska. They<br />

nest on river sandbars, lakeshore housing developments, reservoirs, and sand and gravel mines.<br />

NESTING: Piping plovers make shallow scrapes in the sand and line them with small pebbles. The female lays<br />

three to four eggs. Both parents share incubation duties. Eggs hatch in about a month and young leave the nests<br />

within hours, but remain near parents for a few weeks. The young can fly in 18–28 days.<br />

REASONS FOR DECLINE: Heavily hunted in the late 1800s for their feathers, which were used in the millinery (hat)<br />

trade. They started to rebound, but dam construction and water diversion changed river flow and reduced nesting<br />

habitat in the 1930s and 40s. Humans have also caused changes to the landscape and increased the number of<br />

predators. In the wintering grounds in Texas, beach development and sea level rise have also decreased habitat.<br />

DIET: Insects and small aquatic invertebrates.<br />

DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOR: Adults defend nests with a broken wing display. They make alarm calls, limp, and pretend<br />

to be injured to lead the intruder away from nest and chicks<br />

There are three populations of piping plovers. The Great Lakes population of piping plovers is endangered.<br />

The Northern Great Plains and Atlantic Coast populations are threatened.<br />

INTERIOR LEAST TERN<br />

STATUS: Endangered<br />

DESCRIPTION: The smallest members of the tern<br />

family, a little smaller than a robin. Deep forked tail.<br />

White body, black cap with white forehead, and light<br />

gray wings. Yellow bill with a black tip.<br />

NEBRASKA HABITAT: Interior least terns were once<br />

found in Nebraska throughout the major river systems,<br />

but their range has been reduced because of habitat<br />

loss. Today they nest along portions of the Missouri,<br />

Platte, Niobrara, <strong>Loup</strong>, and Elkhorn Rivers. They nest<br />

on river sandbars, reservoirs, lakeshore housing<br />

developments, and sand and gravel mines.<br />

NESTING: Nest in colonies. Lay 2 to 3 eggs in a small depression in bare sand. Eggs take about 21 days to hatch.<br />

The chicks typically leave the nests within two days of hatching, but depend on their parents for food and<br />

protection for about three weeks.<br />

REASONS FOR DECLINE: At the time of listing in 1985, the interior least tern was believed to have been eliminated<br />

from much of its summer nesting range by the construction of dams and other forms of river engineering, such as<br />

channelization, that inundated and destroyed their nesting islands and bars and altered flow regimes.<br />

DIET: Small fish.<br />

Photo by Platte River Recovery Implementation Program<br />

DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOR: Adults defend nest and chicks by mobbing, dive bombing, and defecating on intruders.<br />

Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service | Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership<br />

FALL <strong>2020</strong> 15

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!