European Golden Plover vs Pacific Golden Plover: How to Tell Them Apart

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Medium214 gGrassland

The European golden plover is quite thickset, with its wings only being slightly longer than its tail. Its most distinct feature is a white "s"-shaped band stretching from its forehead to its flanks.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Lionel Triboulin · Nocturnal flight call · Arrondissement de Rouen (near Le Mesnil-Esnard), Seine-Maritime, Normandie, France · CC0

Photo: Hobbyfotowiki · CC0

Adults 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. Before leaving for their Arctic breeding grounds, the birds weigh about 200 g (7.1 oz). In breeding plumage, the male is spotted gold and black on the crown, back, and wings. Face and neck are black bordered with white, breast is black, rump is dark. Bill is black, legs are gray to black. Female similar but black breast mottled and less distinct. In nonbreeding plumage, sexes look identical.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Max Karlsson · Flight call · Ottenby, Mörbylånga Municipality, Kalmar län, Sweden · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Satdeep Gill · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

And 5 more countries.

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: European Golden Plover and Pacific Golden Plover.