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GrasslandScrapeMedium · 135 g
What the Pacific Golden Plover sounds like
ID tip
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.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Pacific Golden Plover
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 10 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is January, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Pacific Golden Plover
The map shades 99 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 Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Gabon, Mayotte, Uganda, Ecuador, Azerbaijan, Switzerland, Ukraine, Pitcairn Islands.
About the Pacific Golden Plover
The Pacific golden plover is a migratory shorebird that breeds during summer in Alaska and Siberia. During nonbreeding season, this medium-sized plover migrates widely across the Pacific.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
American Golden PloverPluvialis dominicaMeasurements:
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.
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: Grey Plover vs Pacific Golden Plover · European Golden Plover vs Pacific Golden Plover · American Golden Plover vs Pacific Golden Plover
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