DELAWARE - The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has announced increased nesting success in Delaware’s endangered piping plover population despite a dip in adult pair numbers in 2024.
According to DNREC, a total of 24 nesting pairs were documented this year in Delaware, including 7 pairs at The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park and 15 at Fowler Beach on Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. That number is down from 31 pairs in 2023, according to DNREC.
“After low productivity in 2023, some former Delaware birds were reported breeding in other states in 2024, and ultimately we were back to hosting 24 pairs of plovers this year,” said Katherine “Kat” Christie, DNREC Coastal Waterbird biologist and leader of the Delaware Shorebird Project.
Despite the population decrease, wildlife officials say there has been a notable increase in the number of chicks raised to flying age across the First State. In 2023, biologists recorded 29 chicks raised to fledgling age after numerous instances of chicks being lost to predators and severe weather. In 2024, researchers say the number of chicks reaching fledgling age rose to 41, marking a notable improvement in nesting success.
This productivity was Delaware’s highest since 2020, according to DNREC, and is a rebound from poor success documented from 2021 to 2023. It is the first time Delaware saw piping plovers reach a productivity above the 1.5 fledglings per pair recovery goal metric since 2020.
