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Kristen Vale of the American Bird Conservancy reflects on the time she spent with Monty in Texas, and the importance of shorebirds.
Two brave little ones Piping Plovers The hearts of many named Monty and Rose were captured when they chose to nest on a tight sand near Chicago called Montrose Beach in 2019. As members of the Federally Endangered Great Lakes population of Piping Plovers, they are an exciting and surprising additions to the urban beach. Only 70 pairs of species nest in the entire region. Monty and Rose served as ambassadors, giving people a rare opportunity to see up close the members of a population at risk.
Within three years, both birds returned to their breeding grounds in Chicago and successfully raised their chicks. This year, however, Monty died of a fungal infection and Rose never returned from her nonbreeding grounds along the Gulf Coast. As we mourn the loss of this charismatic team, this is also a good time to reflect on their legacy. The couple is gone, but another Piping Plover lives in need of attention and caution.
Piping Plover, copyright Paul Jones, from surfbirds gallery
Member of the Gulf Coast team of the American Bird Conservancy (ABC). Kristen Vale was fortunate enough to spend time with Monty on his nonbreeding grounds on the Texas Gulf Coast while he was alive. ABC Writer/Editor Rachel Fritts sat down with Kristen to ask her about her surprising discovery of Monty in the Bolivar Flats in 2020, the importance of the Gulf Coast to Endangered shorebirds like Monty, and the value of keeping in mind incredible species like the Piping Plover.
Rachel: Kristen, can you tell me a little bit about your role at ABC and how it connected you to Monty?
Kristen: Our Gulf Coastal Program, I am conducting nonbreeding surveys on selected beaches on the upper Texas coast, around Galveston, documenting species of conservation concern, Piping Plovers being one of them. In the fall of 2020, me and another person reported a banded Piping Plover in the Galveston area with bands similar to Monty’s. The banding team informed me that they couldn’t say with 100 percent certainty that it was Monty, because there was another Piping Plover with a similar band combo. At the time, people in Chicago didn’t know where Monty spent his winter and they were eager to know. So I was told that there were some very happy people in Chicago if I could help confirm that the banded bird I saw was in fact Monty.
So one January day I had more time on my hands so I looked for Monty. The water was weak that day and I thought that was the best place to look for him Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, because that sanctuary provides some of the best food finds in the area. After an hour of trekking through mudflats and sorting into approximately 70 individual plovers, I spotted the banded bird. I slowly approached to get enough photos of his bands to positively get to know him. That day, I emailed the banding team and got confirmation-it was Monty! Tomorrow the update will be published on Chicago Piping Plover blog and went to the newspaper in Chicago. This is an exciting time!
R: So, you work in Texas, but Monty got his fame in Chicago. Why did he travel down to your place in the winter? What makes this part of Texas attractive to Piping Plovers in the months without breeding?
K: Texas is a very important coast for Piping Plovers-it supports approximately 50 percent of the entire species population in winter. So keeping the Piping Plover in Texas is incredibly important for the recovery and continued survival of the species. Although Texas supports many Piping Plover, Monty’s wintering on the upper Texas coast is a relatively rare treat. Monty is part of the Endangered Great Lakes population, and most of that population winterizes on the Atlantic coast and the South Florida Gulf coast. We can get some Great Lakes Piping Plover migrating to the upper Texas coast, but usually not an overwintering. So to know that we have a famous plover wintering with us on top of that is a tremendous honor!
At the top of Texas with a mild winter that allows shorebirds to spend the winter comfortably, I suspect Monty was attracted to our region because of the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary. It provides reliable places for searching their vast tidal flats during low tides that can support thousands of shorebirds, with many recording approximately 100 Piping Plover a day. Bolivar Flats is a Globally Important Bird Area and an International site in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.
R: The Gulf Coast is important to so many different types of coastal birds, and your work at ABC gives you a seat at the forefront of their lives. What do Piping Plovers and other shorebirds do during nonbreeding? What did Monty do when he wasn’t in the spotlight?
K: I spent a lot of time studying Piping Plovers on the upper Texas coast and I found that they have a fairly predictable daily routine. During high tides, you can often see them on the beach, feeding and breeding. And during low tides, you’ll often find them on the exposed bayside tidal flat, looking for their favorite prey, polychaete worms (small, segmented marine worms that live in the sands).
From being a family unit in Chicago Monty will attend a Piping Plover convention in tidal flats, which can host 70-plus plovers at times. But he got his lone time when he moved into his individual “beach territory” during high tides. These birds become quite defensive against other Piping Plovers that move into their coastal territory. It was fun to watch them stake their claim. Monty’s high tide is in place East Beach in Galveston, and its low tide territory is in the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary. The two sites are approximately 2 miles apart and separated by the Houston Ship Channel. So he had to watch the cruise ships, cargo ships, and oil tankers coming in and out of the harbor.
R: Monty has reached the average lifespan for his species (they usually don’t live longer than 5 years in the wild), but not all Piping Plover have that chance. The Great Lakes Piping Plover is federally listed as Endangered. What are some of the dangers faced by this species? What obstacles will Monty face on his journey between Texas and the Chicago area each year?
K: A significant threat, both in the breeding and non-breeding range, are birds of prey. Peregrine Falcons at Merlin are regular visitors to the beach in their winter range, often posted near large concentrations of shorebirds. When all the birds have flown to shore, you know there is a falcon nearby coming to hunt. Vehicles and released dogs are some of the daily threats they face from humans. Migration is a very dangerous time in the life cycle of birds. Storms are likely to be widespread at that time, and that puts birds at risk of being caught in the winds or storms. It can deplete the birds and become weak or push them into unfamiliar territory.
R: We’ve already discussed the value of this region to shorebirds, but I want to flip that-what value do these seabirds bring to the area? Why fight to protect them from these dangers and make sure they keep coming back?
K: Coastal birds bring economic value to our area. We are in an area rich in diversity that brings in a lot of birders, especially during the spring migration. I meet so many people on the beach from so many different states and countries, all chasing these amazing birds. Birds are also a selling point for people who live or move in the area. People are interested in living close to nature and this is another way we can help create more stewards for beach birds. Not only is it our responsibility to make sure there is a place for the birds to call, we protect these birds for the same reason that attracts us to the area, to enjoy being outdoors with them.
R: Monty and Rose are gone, but right now there are many more determined Piping Plover parents raising their chicks on beaches throughout the Great Lakes region – chicks that will soon grow up and fly south in your area. What is one thing you would ask people to do to help ensure that beach birds live long, healthy lives?
K: I ask people to know that they share the beach with the beach birds. Birds rely on the shore to nest, raise their chicks, feed, rest, hide in danger. They do everything on the beach. Their lives literally depend on it. We need to make sure we all leave enough space for them to not only live every day, but also to maintain and hopefully increase their populations. And how we can help them is easy: As we often say in my ABC program, Fish, Swim, and Play from 50 Yards Away!
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