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GrasslandScrapeMedium · 151 g
What the American Golden Plover sounds like
ID tip
Measurements: Length: 24–28 cm (9+1⁄2–11 in) Weight: 122–194 g (4+5⁄16–6+13⁄16 oz) Wingspan: 65–67 cm (25+1⁄2–26+1⁄2 in) The breeding adult American golden plover has a black face, neck, breast, and belly, with a white crown and nape that extends to the side of the breast. The back is mottled black and white with pale, gold spots. The breeding female is similar, but with less black. When in winter plumage, both sexes have grey-brown upperparts, pale grey-brown underparts, and a whitish eyebrow. The head is small, along with the bill.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the American Golden Plover
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 7 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is September, the month with the most records.
Where to see the American Golden Plover
The map shades 72 countries with regular records, and 12 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Morocco, Taiwan, New Zealand, Falkland Islands, Russia, Ghana, St. Barthélemy, Austria.
About the American Golden Plover
The American golden plover is a medium-sized plover. The genus name is Latin and means relating to rain, from pluvia, "rain". It was believed that golden plovers flocked when rain was imminent. The species name dominica refers to Santo Domingo, now Hispaniola, in the West Indies.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulvaAdults are about 25 cm (9.8 in) long with a wingspan averaging 61 cm (24 in) At their lightest, fat free, the birds weigh around 135 g (4.8 oz) In March, the birds begin gaining weight.
European Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaThe European golden plover is quite thickset, with its wings only being slightly longer than its tail.
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaThe grey plover is 27–30 cm (11–12 in) long with a wingspan of 71–83 cm (28–33 in) and a weight of 190–280 g (6.7–9.9 oz) (up to 345 g (12.2 oz) in preparation for migration).
Side by side: American Golden Plover vs Grey Plover · American Golden Plover vs European Golden Plover · American Golden Plover vs Pacific Golden Plover
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