General

Pacific Golden-Plover: Medium-sized plover with 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. Female is paler with white cheeks and undertail. Winter adult and juvenile are mottled brown overall, have darker upperparts, and lack distinctive black-and-white markings.

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.

Breeding and Nesting

Pacific Golden-Plover: Four white to buff eggs marked with brown and black are laid in a shallow ground depression lined with moss, grass, and dead leaves. Nest is built by the male; incubation is carried out by both parents for about 25 days. Young start to fly at 26 to 28 days.

Foraging and Feeding

Pacific Golden-Plover: Diet includes terrestrial invertebrates, berries, leaves and seeds as well as some freshwater and marine invertebrates; forages on the ground.

Vocalization

Pacific Golden-Plover: Call is a loud, rich "chu-wheet."

Similar Species

Pacific Golden-Plover: American Golden-Plover has solid black flanks and undertail, thicker bill, and longer legs; female has brown cheek patch; winter adult and juvenile are more gray.