The piping plover was federally listed as threatened in 1986 in its Atlantic Coast breeding range. Along the New Jersey coast, it breeds between March 15 and August 31, nesting above the high tide line, usually on sandy ocean beaches. Soon after hatching, chicks are led by their parents down to the water to feed, and they learn to fly after 25-35 days. Its threats include coastal development and habitat loss, disturbance of adults and chicks by people and dogs, predators such as gulls, crows, foxes, skunks, and cats, and vehicles on the beach. To help protect this threatened species and its habitat and ensure that its populations continue to prosper on New Jersey coastal beaches, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and local governments are working in partnership to manage and maintain beaches in a protective manner.