American Golden-Plover

Pluvialis dominicaOrder: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Plovers (Charadriidae)

Codes: Common Name: AMGP Scientific Name: PLUDOM ITIS Taxonomic No.: 176564

Breeding Location:

Tundra

Breeding Type:

Monogamous

Breeding Population:

Yes but uncommon

Egg Color:

White to buff with black and brown spots

Number of Eggs:

3 - 4

Incubation Days:

26 - 27

Egg Incubator:

Both sexes

Nest Material:

Lined with leaves, grass, and lichens.

Migration:

Migratory

General

American Golden-Plover: Medium-sized sandpiper with black face and underparts. Back is dark brown with yellow spots; has a white S-shaped mark along head and sides. Markings provide camouflage to blend in with tundra breeding grounds. Bill is black, thin, and short. Sexes are similar, but female has less black. Winter adult and juvenile are brown overall with darker upperparts and lack distinctive black-and-white markings.

Range and Habitat

American Golden-Plover: Among the widest ranging birds in the world, this species breeds on tundra from Alaska east to Baffin Island and migrates south over the Atlantic Ocean from Canadian Maritimes to South America; some birds winter on islands in Pacific and appear along west coast during migration. Preferred habitats include shores and prairies.

Breeding and Nesting

American Golden-Plover: Three to four black- and brown-spotted, white to buff eggs are arranged in a circle with narrow ends pointing to the center to help keep them warm. Incubation lasts 27 days and is carried out by both parents in turn; male by day, female at night. Nest is a scrape on the ground in tundra, lined with moss and leaves.

Foraging and Feeding

American Golden-Plover: Diet consists mainly of mosquitoes, butterflies, other insects, small mollusks, and crustaceans.

Vocalization

American Golden-Plover: Utters a shrill "ku-wheep" in flight.

Similar Species

American Golden-Plover: Pacific Golden-Plover has shorter bill, longer tertials, and less contrasting crown. Mountain Plover appears plainer overall without markings on lower breast or belly and has pale legs. In winter, Black-bellied Plover is similar but has black axillaries and white rump.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

American Golden-Plover

American Golden-Plover: Medium sandpiper with black face, underparts. Back is dark brown with yellow spots; has a white S-shaped mark along head and sides. Markings provide camouflage to blend in with tundra breeding grounds. Bill is black, thin, and short. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats.

● Song: "ku-wheep"

● Foraging & Feeding: American Golden-Plover: Diet consists mainly of mosquitoes, butterflies, other insects, small mollusks, and crustaceans.

● Breeding & nesting: American Golden-Plover: Three to four black- and brown-spotted, white to buff eggs are arranged in a circle with narrow ends pointing to the center to help keep them warm. Incubation lasts 27 days and is carried out by both parents in turn; male by day, female at night. Nest is a scrape on the ground in tundra, lined with moss and leaves.

● Similar species: American Golden-Plover: Pacific Golden-Plover has shorter bill, longer tertials, and less contrasting crown. Mountain Plover appears plainer overall without markings on lower breast or belly and has pale legs. In winter, Black-bellied Plover is similar but has black axillaries and white rump.

Flight Pattern

Direct flight with steady quick wing beats.

American Golden-Plover Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: American Golden-Plover: Among the widest ranging birds in the world, this species breeds on tundra from Alaska east to Baffin Island and migrates south over the Atlantic Ocean from Canadian Maritimes to South America; some birds winter on islands in Pacific and appear along west coast during migration. Preferred habitats include shores and prairies.

^BreedingMonogamous

^PopulationYes but uncommon

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight5.1 Ounces

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Face

The front part of the head consisting of the bill, eyes, cheeks and chin.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America