endangered birds 7/10/02 11:51 AM Page 1 Interior Least Tern © Bob Gress © Bob © Bob Gress

For further information about Piping Plovers and Least Terns, please contact:

Piping © Bob Gress Colorado State Parks John Martin Reservoir State Park Plover PO Box 149 The Least Tern is a small swallow- Hasty, CO 81044 like bird with black outer wing 719-336-1690 The adult breeding Piping Plover is a small feathers and a slightly forked tail. www.parks.state.co.us sandy-gray colored bird with a white breast The black head, white forehead with and one distinctive dark band around its Colorado Division of Wildlife black eye stripes, yellow legs, and Lamar Area Office throat. Smaller than a robin, the Piping yellow bill contrast with its pale 1204 East Olive Plover has orange legs and an orange bill Lamar, CO 81052 gray body and white belly. Least with a black tip. The Piping Plover searches 719-336-6600 Terns eat mainly small fishes and catch them by diving into shallow the shorelines for insects to eat. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers John Martin Reservoir water areas. 29955 County Road 25.75 Sharing Hasty, CO 81044 719-336-3476 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 755 Parfet Street, Suite 361 Shoreline Lakewood, CO80215 303-275-2370

© Bob Gress Help us conserve

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Cover photos: Piping Plover hatchling © Bob Gress; © Piping Plover and Interior Least Tern © D. Robert Franz and Piping Plovers Printed on recycled paper with at least 30% post-consumer waste endangered birds 7/10/02 11:51 AM Page 2

The Interior Least plovers for nesting. Both birds nest in small, shallow It is impossible to mark all of birds and their young may reside at John Martin AREA CLOSED Tern and the Piping depressions that they excavate and raise their TO ALL PUBLIC the nesting sites. Regardless Reservoir until late September before they begin ACCESS (INCLUDING PETS) Plover share the young along the shorelines and on man-made of whether or not the areas are their migration south.

THREATENED AND shorelines of John islands. The nests are very hard to see. ENDANGERED SPECIES marked with signs, harassment LEAST TERN / PIPING PLOVER With continued public education and research, as Martin, Adobe NESTING AREA elson or harm of either terns or uane N Nesting success varies from year to year well as habitat protection and restoration, progress © D erns. Creek (Blue Lake), ast T ior Le depending upon water levels, vegetative plovers (including adults, is being made towards securing a future for these Inter Adult Great Plains, Timber Lake, and many encroachment, local weather conditions, young, eggs, or nests) is birds, but much remains to be done. Please help us other reservoirs of southeast Colorado with a predators, and human disturbance. While conserve these endangered species by avoiding growing number of campers, fishermen, and other Violationsa violation are of bothpunishable state andby fines federal up to considerable research still needs to be done, active nesting areas and not disturbing the birds. outdoor enthusiasts. These two species of birds $100,000law. , up to three years in jail, suspension nest and chick loss appear to be a major factor are also threatened with extinction. of hunting and fishing privileges, and/or limiting the growth of both species. At John Martin forfeiture of any vehicles/vessels used The Least Tern was federally listed as endangered Reservoir, predation and human disturbance are in the disturbance. Any trespass into in 1985 under the Endangered Species Act and major causes of nest and chick loss. listed by Colorado as endangered in 1996. Piping a closure area by people or pets Of these causes, human disturbance is the most Plovers were federally listed as threatened in is viewed as harassment and/or manageable. In addition to public education efforts January of harm of an endangered species. such as this brochure, portions 1986 and added to of the shoreline are closed The best action to take upon Colorado’s to all public access (including observing a closure or an unmarked An adult Piping Plover on the shoreline. © Duane Nelson threatened pets) during the nesting Bothnest birds site will is layto avoidcreamy it completely!white to tan colored, list in 1996. and brooding season. This speckled eggs in the nest. Terns typically lay up Outdoor action is necessary to to three eggs and plovers up to four eggs. They enthusiasts prevent disturbance to or often share the same nesting areas but the Piping enjoy a Plover usually nests singly and Least Terns typically destruction of nests, adult variety of nest in colonies. Terns defend their nesting colonies An Interior Least Tern nest. © Duane Nelson Thesebirds, closures or hatchlings. are posted with recreation by calling and diving at intruders and dropping signs and/or simple fencing, alerting people on shore activities at John Martin Reservoir. Unfortunately, excrement on those that get too close to the nests. to the presence of active bird nesting sites. Buoys the shoreline areas that people use for recreation with signs warn boaters and swimmers to the Piping Plovers typically arrive in Colorado in mid- elson uane N are often the same areas used by terns and © D lings. presence of nesting sites. April and Least Terns arrive in mid-May. The adult hatch d new est an lover n ing P A Pip