Piping plover egg project hatching results

A pilot research project at Kouchibouguac and Prince Edward Island National Parks to aid the endangered piping plover is proving to be successful, say Parks Canada officials.

A handful of the small,sand-coloured birds were hatched at the Magnetic Hill Zoo in Moncton, after their nests at Kouchibouguac National Park were abandoned.

National park staff collected the eggs and brought them to the zoo.Sixteen eggs were collected this year, five hatched, and all five are on track to be released.

Deborah Austin, a spokeswoman for Parks Canada, said the project is the first of its kind in Canada and the United States.

"For now we're testing a method so it's hard to say if five chicks are going to make a difference at this point but we are certainly going to be watching for them," said Austin.

"They're banded birds so that we'll know if they're coming back to any of our beaches in the next few years."

Austin said the rearing program is one more tool in the bigger effort to conserve and increase the number of plovers in the region.

Parks Canada is now setting up small cameras to monitor the activity around the bird nests and any eggs that have been abandoned in Kouchibouguac and PEI national parks will be retrieved and cared for at the Moncton zoo.

"We are anxious as well. We want this project to be successful and after putting all the effort and time into these birds we would love to see them come back," said Magnetic Hill Zoo manager Bruce Dougan.

The birds' population is currently estimated at about 6,400, with more than half of the population living alongthe Atlantic coast.

Piping Plovers breed throughout the region and are found in Kouchibouguac, PEI and Kejimkujik National Parks.

Piping plovers are known for a distinctive black band that runs across their foreheads from eye to eye, and also for a black ring around their necks.