golden plover
Quick Summary
The golden plover is a species of plump-breasted bird belonging to the shorebird family Charadriidae. These birds are typically 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) long, with long wings, moderately long legs, short necks, and straight bills shorter than their heads. Many species are plain brown, gray, or sandy in color, with a whitish underside.1
Golden plovers, specifically those in the Pluvialis genus, are finely patterned with dark and light markings above and black below when in breeding plumage. They are known for their migratory habits, with species like the Eurasian golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) and the American golden plover (P. dominica) breeding in the Arctic and wintering in the Southern Hemisphere. These birds often feed by running along shorelines and snapping up small invertebrates. Plovers are known for their alarm calls and swift, direct flight. They build nests in shallow ground hollows, laying two to five spotted eggs, with both parents caring for the young.1
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migrationIn North America…winter quarters for the American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica dominica), which travels in an enormous loop over much of the New World. After nesting in the tundras of Alaska and Canada, the plover assemble in Labrador in easternmost Canada and then fly to Brazil over an oceanic route (the shortest…
Read More…winter quarters for the American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica dominica), which travels in an enormous loop over much of the New World. After nesting in the tundras of Alaska and Canada, the plover assemble in Labrador in easternmost Canada and then fly to Brazil over an oceanic route (the shortest…
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HawaiiPlant and animal lifeEvery autumn the small golden plover make an awe-inspiring, nonstop 3,000-mile (4,800-km) flight from Alaska to Hawaii, where they spend the winter, together with ducks from Alaska, Canada, and the northwestern United States.
Read MoreEvery autumn the small golden plover make an awe-inspiring, nonstop 3,000-mile (4,800-km) flight from Alaska to Hawaii, where they spend the winter, together with ducks from Alaska, Canada, and the northwestern United States.
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