Mountain Plover

Charadrius montanus

There has been a decline in the population of the mountain plover throughout its North American range. This species is a rare visitor in Canada, where it is found in very low numbers. A major limiting factor for mountain plovers is the loss of habitat which occurs when agricultural development eats into natural grasslands. Once native grassland is cultivated the original habitat is essentially lost forever, since the grasses that take hold are not of the original species. The mountain pPlover is protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act of 1917, and the Alberta Wildlife Act of 1991.