Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Charadriiforme
- Family: Charadriidae
- Genus: Charadrius
- Species: melodus
There is uncertainty whether Piping Plovers should be divided into two separate subspecies:
- Charadrius melodus melodus: This subspecies would consist of the Piping Plovers that nest along the Atlantic Coast
- Charadrius melodus circumcinctus: This subspecies would consist of the Piping Plovers that nest in the interior of North America including the Great Plains and Great Lakes.