The piping plover is already one of the most endangered birds in the Great Lakes area of the northern United States. Now, the rising water levels of Lake Michigan further threaten the birds and the areas where they live. Pools of water are forming behind several plover nests along Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the state of Michigan. The waters of Lake Michigan are now only a few meters from the plovers’ nesting area. Their home could be one storm away from destruction. Water levels on the Great Lakes are reaching some of their highest points since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began keeping records 101 years ago. Streets, businesses and houses in the area have flooded, the Associated Press reports. Many sandy areas near the water are getting smaller, while others are underwater. The birds are forced to move closer to places with trees and bushes, or even to urban areas.