Snowy Plover

Facts about the Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus): it’s a shorebird that makes its home on beaches and lake shores; the chicks are ridiculously cute; and, like many other bird species, it’s threatened due to critical loss of habitat. This photo was taken at Sands Beach near UCSB, part of the Coal Oil Point Reserve, and an important protected area for the Snowy Plover.