Western Snowy Plover Nesting Season Brings Beach Closures Near Florence

Starting Saturday, four beaches in Lane and Douglas counties will fall under seasonal restrictions as western snowy plover nesting season opens along the Oregon Coast, with protections running through September 15.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and Siuslaw National Forest issued the reminder this week, activating rules that cover about 40 miles of Oregon's 362 miles of shoreline across 15 designated plover management areas statewide. The restrictions prohibit dogs, cars, bicycles, camping, fires, drones and kites on affected beaches. Walking and equestrian traffic remain permitted on wet sand below the high tide line.

The rules exist because the birds are remarkably easy to kill by accident. Western snowy plovers nest in dry sand above the high tide line, and their small size and camouflaging coloration make them nearly invisible. A single disturbance can be catastrophic.

"One small step could really wipe out an entire family," said Mike Baden, an Oregon Parks and Recreation Department spokesperson. "So we have some areas that we have restricted. They're roped off and there's signage. We just need the public to really respect those areas and steer clear."

When people or animals flush adult plovers off nests, the eggs and chicks left behind can die from exposure or fall to predators. Litter and discarded food scraps compound the problem by drawing additional predators into nesting habitat. Invasive plants contribute to habitat loss as well.

Unlike many shorebirds, western snowy plovers do not migrate, which makes identifying which beaches need protection more straightforward. "They kind of stick to their places along the Oregon shore and Washington and California as well," Baden said. "We have some areas that we recognize that they return to quite frequently."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the species as threatened in 1993, when a survey counted only 45 breeding adults. The 2025 breeding season survey recorded 546, a figure that state and federal land managers attribute in part to the seasonal restrictions now entering their next cycle.

"We appreciate visitors' support in keeping these shorebirds safe," said Laurel Hillmann, ocean shore specialist for Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. "We invite visitors to enjoy permitted recreation in sensitive areas or to recreate without seasonal restrictions on beaches not designated as plover nesting areas."

Signs and rope fencing mark restricted zones at the designated management areas. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and Siuslaw National Forest both maintain websites with maps of affected beaches, including the four in Lane and Douglas counties, for visitors planning weekend trips to the coast near Florence.