A Piping Plover looks out over Jones Beach Inlet at Jones Beach State Park on New York's Long Island. Piping plovers were common along the Atlantic Coast during much of the 19th century, but nearly disappeared due to excessive hunting. The Piping Plover became a protected species under the Endangered Species Act on January 10, 1986.

A Piping Plover looks out over Jones Beach Inlet at Jones Beach State Park on New York's Long Island. Piping plovers were common along the Atlantic Coast during much of the 19th century, but nearly disappeared due to excessive hunting. The Piping Plover became a protected species under the Endangered Species Act on January 10, 1986.