An adult Piping Plover with characteristic markings. Photo: UMBS archive.

Dr. Francie Cuthbert’s career-long effort to conserve and restore the endangered piping plover has yielded many impressive results.

To name a few: The Great Lakes population of piping plovers -- a federally endangered shorebird -- is bouncing back from the brink of extinction. An intensive captive rearing and re-release program is installed and thriving at the U-M Biological Station. Recovery efforts have attracted significant national attention and funding.

And most recently (and unexpectedly): An airplane was named in honor of Cuthbert and her cherished study species.

In a surprise move, Frontier Airlines opted to christen its latest Airbus A32neo “Francie the Piping Plover” as part of their campaign highlighting special animals and conservation initiatives. Notably, the Airbus A32neo features 30% lighter weight seat design, contributing to decreased fuel usage and environmental footprint.

“Having a namesake Piping Plover on this new aircraft is an incredible honor and not only recognizes my efforts over a long career but all the people who have been part of the North American team protecting Piping Plovers,” says Cuthbert. “I applaud Frontier's efforts to highlight endangered species by featuring them on their plane tails.”
 

It’s a bird, it’s a plane… It’s a bird on a plane! The tail of Frontier’s Airbus A32neo features a Piping Plover in flight. Photo: Frontier Airlines.
Dr. Cuthbert in her natural habitat.

Origin Story

Cuthbert, a professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at University of Minnesota, has long been interested in underdog birds. In the mid-1980s, she started studying colonial waterbirds, leading her to the Michigan shorelines where plovers nest.

“They were incredibly rare at this time, right before they were listed as endangered,” Cuthbert reflects. “I began thinking and reading about the Great Lakes population, started some initial work on their distribution in Michigan, and worked with a graduate student to figure out captive rearing methods.

At some point I realized that no one else would likely invest in research on this species and literally, one day I said, ‘well, I better get going; no one else is better positioned than I am to try to make a difference.’ At that point there were only 12-17 pairs left in the Great Lakes.”

Due to its central location and critical facilities infrastructure, UMBS became Cuthbert’s research home. She and collaborators continue to use the Station as a base of operations for plover banding and abandoned egg recovery on beaches across northern Michigan, as well as for egg hatching and chick rearing in partnership with the Detroit Zoo.

In the plover chick incubator, a feather duster hangs from above to simulate contact from parents.

Thanks to these efforts - and the foresight of Cuthbert and partners - the number of nesting Great Lakes pairs has steadily increased to about 70 per year, give or take. The ultimate goal is to increase the population to a level that is sustainable without intensive management. Until then, the Piping Plover remains vulnerable to excessive predation, inclement weather, and beach development. The work continues.

Sky’s the limit

National attention like that of Frontier’s naming program has provided a boost for the charismatic plover. Media coverage not only leads to funding and partnership opportunities, but also raises critical public awareness. If more are privy to the plight of the plover, more caution may be taken in preserving their delicate habitat -- especially since plovers often nest on the same sandy beaches popular with tourists.

Figure courtesy of the Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team.


“I see Frontier's campaign to bring endangered species to the public as an exceptionally creative educational tool. It is a new approach, and for all of us who work to recover endangered species, we can now include Frontier as a strong partner in our ongoing efforts,” says Cuthbert.

Those who know Cuthbert are unsurprised by her humility and gratitude in light of this honor. In addition to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Minnesota Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, she gives a special shout out to UMBS.

“Without UMBS, all of the plover work would not have been accomplished,” says Cuthbert. “The Station has been the research home for me, my grad and undergrad students plus captive rearing since I first started research on the Great Lakes population in the mid-1980s. So this is a big honor for UMBS too.”

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More on Frontier Airlines plane tail program: https://www.flyfrontier.com/plane-tails