Overview
Pacific Golden-Plover: Medium plover, yellow-spotted, dark brown back, black face, and black underparts with white-mottled flanks; a white S-shaped mark extends from above the eye to along sides. Bill is black, thin, and short. Black legs, feet. Swift direct flight with rapid, steady wing beats.
Range and Habitat
Pacific Golden-Plover: Breeds from northern Siberia to western Alaska. Winters from southern Asia to Pacific islands, but a few occur on the west coast and in central California. Preferred habitats include coastal mudflats and lagoons, sandy beaches, ploughed fields and short grasslands.
Topo Map:
Sandpiper-like Body
Listen to Call
Voice Text
"chu-wheet"
Interesting Facts
The Pacific Golden-Plover was once considered conspecific with the American Golden Plover under the name Lesser Golden Plover.
After breeding in the Arctic, they migrate to spend winter almost half way around the world. Some winter on tiny islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, a feat which requires precise navigation.
The name plover comes from the French word meaning "the rain bird". In Europe, flocks of migratory plovers historically arrived at the beginning of the autumn rainy season.
A group of plovers has many collective nouns, including a "brace", "congregation", "deceit", "ponderance" and "wing" of plovers.
Bird Term Glossary
Author
Gary Owen Dick
Artist
Imran Kahn
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