The Tri-Town is renowned for the natural beauty that pervades the landscape, from the thick, lush forests of Rochester to the white sandy beaches of Mattapoisett and Marion. People from all over are drawn to these regions whether they are on vacation, relocating for retirement, or simply looking for a beautiful place to be for an afternoon. But no matter where you go around the region, you are sure to see a beautiful assortment of unique plants and animals, with whom we all share this breathtaking space.
The beaches of Mattapoisett are home to several varieties of wildlife, including many migrant birds listed as threatened or endangered species. Ellen Jedrey, the assistant director of the coastal water bird program at Mass Audubon, is heavily involved in the preservation and conservation of these bird species.
“There are many different bird varieties around here. The piping plover is listed as ‘threatened’ by both the state and federal Endangered Species Acts,” she said.
The piping plover is a small, plain bird of gray and brown, the same colors as the rocks of the beaches where it makes its nest. Jedrey warns that if you see one, follow its lead.
“Often times when they see a predator near its nest or chicks, the birds will perform a ‘broken wing’ dance, or will walk in the opposite direction of the nest, leading you away,” Jedrey said. “If they do that, follow them, because you might pose a risk to their young.”
Another bird that frequents the area is the American Oystercatcher, a larger, more striking animal with a bright orange beak and eyes with striped wings. Though they are not listed as being endangered, their numbers aren’t as plentiful as they used to be.
According to Jedrey, the oystercatchers could be found from the eastern coast of Canada down to Virginia, as far back as the 1800s.
“People used to hunt the birds for sport, trade, and a lot were actually made into women’s hats,” she said.
Today, there aren’t many left in Canada, and the numbers in the U.S. Atlantic region are estimated to be about 11,000, with 200 breeding pairs in Massachusetts.
“These birds have a lot of natural predators around, because most any animal will eat a plover’s egg or chicks. Red foxes, raccoons, gulls, and crows present a big problem to plovers, especially. But domesticated dogs and cats can pose a threat, too,” said Jedrey. “If the birds believe you or your pet to be a threat, they will leave their nests to try to protect their eggs from you. But this means that other predators could take advantage of the absence of the parent birds. If they spend too much time away from their nests, the eggs could die, growth could be stunted, or they could even be cooked in the heat of the sun.”
The preservation of these species of birds is important to the local ecosystems and you don’t have to be a scientist or nature expert in order to do your part to help make sure the animals remain mostly undisturbed.
Here are some easy tips to follow in order to help ensure the survival of these local endangered birds:
• Keep trash locked up at home. Predators like raccoons and gulls are infamous for their penchant for eating our garbage.
• If you spend time on the beach, make sure to take back with you everything you brought. Leaving waste on the beach can pollute the water, kill the animals, or feed predators.
• Don’t bring your dog to the beach, if you know there are migrant birds in the area. If you do, keep your pup on a leash so they won’t be apt to disturb nests.
• Obey all posted signs and fencing that may be placed around the birds’ habitats.
While we have extensive laws in place to help preserve the numbers of our nation’s threatened and endangered species, Jedrey says that the things local residents and governments do can make the biggest difference.
“We are so thankful to the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission, the Mattapoisett Land Trust, and many private residents for showing support for conservation. It has to work at the local level, so their support is critical. It really is the people that help make the difference,” Jedrey said.
By Eric Tripoli