The piping plover (Charadrius melodus), a sparrow-sized, coastal dwelling bird, is a true North American treasure. Found only along the Atlantic coast, surrounding the Great Lakes, and on the alkalai flats of the northern Great Plains, the piping plover derives its name from the bell-like whistled peeps it uses for communication. The inland populations are endangered and the coastal population is listed as threatened according to the Endangered Species Act of 1973.