Wasaga Beach collaborating with Birds Canada to protect endangered Piping Plovers

A Piping Plover is shown standing on a beach. (Great Lakes Piping Plover Recovery Effort/Facebook)

An endangered bird is returning to the shores of the world’s longest freshwater beach and this year, it’s getting improvements for its care and protection.

Wasaga Beach is one of the homes Piping Plovers return to year after year for finding nesting spots to breed.

This year, the Town of Wasaga Beach has announced its collaboration with Birds Canada to continue the protection and preservation of the Piping Plovers.

The Ontario government has stopped Provincial Park protections for the breeding and nesting habitats of endangered Piping Plovers in Wasaga Beach, so communities are relying on collaborations to preserve and protect the birds.

The collaboration is expected to ensure best practices are followed for endangered species.

How the collaboration will work

Birds Canada will provide workshops to the Town of Wasaga Beach’s staff with a focus on monitoring and surveying protocols, threat migration, habitat protection and education.

The collaboration will support public outreach and education, create signage, and enforce bylaws to protect the habitats. Together, they will also work to install fencing and enclosures to ensure the birds are protected during such a vulnerable time.

“Effective conservation requires coordination, consistency and clear protocols,” said Jennifer Vincent, Chief Administrative Officer with the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA). “This collaboration with Birds Canada will build on the important work already underway by NVCA to strengthen the Town’s capacity to protect species at risk.”

The Town said nesting outcomes have been declining over the past decade.

In 2025, only four Piping Plover nests were successful across the Great Lakes, according to Birds Canada.

“Protecting species at risk is a core responsibility of the Town of Wasaga Beach as we take on an expanded stewardship role,” said Wasaga Beach Mayor Brian Smith. “This collaboration ensures the Town’s work is informed by recognized expertise and grounded in best practices. There is nobody more qualified than Birds Canada to deliver this training, or to deliver on-the-ground support to our municipal stewardship team throughout the nesting season.”

Habitat

The Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program said the birds will be looking for dunes or mounds of sand they use to nest on. They may also nest behind the dunes where it’s protected from waves. The dunes are rich with vegetation. Even a small amount of foot traffic can kill the vegetation which can cause a blowout, where the dune falls apart and erodes, hence the need for fencing and enclosures.

The conservation program said while there are no sightings yet this year at the beach, last year broke a record for the earliest arrival date of April 4. Over the last 5 years, April has been the month that sees the first Plovers.

Piping Plovers are expected to arrive in Wasaga within the next week or two, according to Birds Canada.

Georgian Bay is still frozen over but the rare species have been spotted in various parts of Ontario already.

What to do if you see a Piping Plover

Experts say to observe the Plovers from a distance. Use binoculars, a scope or a camera to see them up close.

Record any leg bands at [e-mail]. The recorded information will help the Great Lakes Piping Plover team to learn more about migration patterns, survival rates and supporting the recovery of Plovers.

Piping Plover predators include foxes, raccoons, skunks, bay gulls, crows, merlins, other birds of prey and off-leash dogs that can target eggs and chicks.