A plan hatched by an Ottawa music festival to move a tiny plover and its egg-laden nest has been given the go-ahead by federal authorities.
Environment and Climate Change Canada says it is issuing a permit for Ottawa Bluesfest organizers to move the killdeer and its four eggs to a nearby suitable habitat.
The department says in a statement that the relocation will allow the nest to remain — and the eggs to hatch — in a natural environment.
But if the mother abandons the eggs, which is a possibility, the eggs will be transported to a facility where they have the best chance of survival.
The bird and the four eggs — both of which enjoy protected status in Canada — were nestled on a cobblestone patch that would normally be directly underneath the main Bluesfest stage.
Moving the nest required federal approval, which arrived ahead of a deadline that would have caused a cascade of construction problems for the 11-day festival, which gets underway next week.
The Canadian Press