Piping plovers have another record-breaking nesting season in Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 1, 2026

Conservationists are working to protect vulnerable chicks during the busy beach season. Beachgoers who spot a sandy-gray bird darting across the shoreline on bright orange legs may be looking at one of Maine’s biggest conservation success stories. After wintering along the southern Atlantic coast, endangered piping plovers returned to Maine’s beaches this spring and are nesting in record numbers. As of Wednesday, Maine Audubon reported 185 nesting pairs statewide — surpassing the previous record of 174 pairs set in 2025.