Effective management of piping plover (Charadrius melodus) populations requires knowledge of the habitats that foster successful reproduction. We studied piping plover chick foraging ecology and survival on the central barrier islands of Long Island, New York, 1992 and 1993. Within the 90-km study area, all 1-km beach segments with ephemeral pools or bay tidal flats were used for nesting and brood rearing, whereas