Piping Plovers Enjoy Nesting Success With Slight Numbers Dip; Least Terns Get Big Bump from DNREC Protection

Piping plovers forage on a Delaware beach in 2026. The federally-listed threatened species enjoyed increased nesting success
at Cape Henlopen State Park though plover pairs were down slightly statewide /Delaware DNREC photo: Chris Bennett

2026 Season Recap Shows Beach-nesting
Birds Made Gains Across Several Species

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that piping plovers - a federally-listed threatened and state-listed endangered species - experienced significant Delaware nesting success in 2026 despite a slight decrease in adult plover pairs.

Ten pairs of piping plovers were recorded nesting at The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife in 2026 - a record high for the site since intensive monitoring began in 1989. Fifteen nesting pairs were documented this year at Fowler Beach on Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, for a total of 25 nesting pairs statewide, slightly down from 30 pairs in 2025.

Statewide, Delaware's piping plovers produced fewer fledglings than in 2025, with 25 chicks raised to fledging, or flying age (25 days old), compared to 27 last year, but doing so with five fewer breeding pairs. Productivity - calculated as fledglings per breeding pair - was 1.08 in 2026, just below the average productivity since 2020 of 1.29 fledglings per pair.

Piping plovers still face many challenges across their breeding territories in Delaware. The ever-present threat from red foxes, coyotes, ghost crabs and other predators pose a significant hazard to nests and chicks. Weather conditions also created challenges for the birds this year, with severe storms, prolonged heat waves and drought contributing to chick and nest loss during this critical and vulnerable period.

Working towards piping plover recovery in Delaware and along the East Coast involves partnerships between DNREC's Division of Fish and Wildlife and Division of Parks and Recreation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services.

Least terns - a Delaware state endangered species - experienced notable increases in both breeding population and productivity in 2026. Delaware has colonies of least terns located at The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park and Fowler Beach at Prime Hook NWR. In 2026, new predator fencing at both sites protected their nesting areas, which increased adult pairs in the state from 127 to 208, numbers last seen in the state during the late 1990s. The fencing also increased nest success, resulting in an encouraging increase in the number of fledges from 45 in 2025 to 138 in 2026.

Meanwhile, the increased least tern presence attracted a pair of common terns to the colony at Cape Henlopen State Park, the species' first nest in the park since the 1990s. Moving forward, DNREC beach-nesting bird staff will attempt to attract common tern and black skimmer to the protected nesting areas at Cape Henlopen.

American oystercatchers nested at several beach sites throughout the state - Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware Seashore State Park and Prime Hook NWR. Seven pairs were monitored across these sites, where they were able to successfully hatch five chicks from three nests. For the first time since 2019, DNREC staff also observed the fledging of an oystercatcher chick from a mainland beach. Predation plays a large role in the lack of productivity of beach nesting oystercatchers - with pairs in the Inland Bays typically producing more fledges than pairs on mainland beaches due to decreased mammalian predation.

For more detailed information on the 2026 season and the ongoing beach-nesting bird projects, visit DNREC's Beach-Nesting Bird webpage or email [email protected].

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state's natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware's fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 75,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, [email protected]; Beth Kuhles-Heiney, [email protected];