Why hundreds of bird lovers will head to eastern Colorado this weekend to spot the elusive Mountain Plover

Mountain Plovers are a celebrated bird species in parts of Colorado. But if you’ve never seen one, you’re in the majority.  Mountain Plovers nest on Colorado’s eastern plains and are sometimes referred to as the “prairie ghost” because their sandy-colored plumage makes them hard to spot.  The annual Mountain Plover Festival in Karval – which begins this Friday – celebrates this bird.   The festival draws hundreds of visitors each year, and owes much of its success to support from local ranchers, who have gotten involved in preserving Mountain Plover habitat. Angela Dwyer is a manager for the stewardship program of the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. She joined Erin O’Toole last year to talk about the ranchers, the festival and the plovers — including why this prairie-loving bird has “mountain” in its name. We’re revisiting their conversation today. The sound of Mountain Plovers used in this episode can be found in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Macaulay Library.  * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!  Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner  Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.