Collection of eggs on the breeding grounds for food and the hunting of adult birds for plumage to be used in the fashion industry, may have caused its extinction. Of the five to 30 million species on earth, only 1.4 have been identified by humankind. In 1990, species were becoming extinct at the rate of one per hour. If present land use trends continue, one million more species will become extinct before the year 2000. The piping plover is a small, robin sized, shorebird.
Shorebirds live, nest and feed on or near the shores of oceans and wetlands.
They are usually long-legged and many have long narrow bills for probing for food. The piping plover is well camouflaged with head, back, and wings a pale sandy grey, and white underparts. A white wing-stripe and rump are visible in flight. In the fall, adults moult their distinctive breeding plumage and adopt a duller winter plumage. The adult male and female are similar in size and colour.