In 2008, piping plover nests were found at Wasaga Beach. The bird is globally threatened and endangered. The Piping Plover Recovery Program was started at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park.

In the 19th century and early 20th century, the piping plover was utilized for its feathers, as were many other birds at the time, as decorations for women’s hats. These decorations, called plumes, became a symbol of high society.

Photo: Gerry Dincher from Hope Mills, NC, Wikimedia Commons