Pacific Golden Plover
Pluvialis fulva
The Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva) is a common plovers and lapwing found in 111 countries, weighing about 135 g. The Pacific golden plover is a migratory shorebird that breeds during summer in Alaska and Siberia.
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.
How to identify it
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.
What the Pacific Golden Plover sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Netherlands, Finland, Gabon, Mayotte, Uganda, Ecuador, Azerbaijan, Switzerland, Ukraine, Pitcairn Islands.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Pacific Golden Plover?
- 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. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Pacific Golden Plover?
- The Pacific Golden Plover is a medium sized bird weighing about 135 g.
- Where can you see a Pacific Golden Plover?
- The Pacific Golden Plover occurs in 111 countries, including the United States, Taiwan, Australia, India and Mongolia.
- What does a Pacific Golden Plover sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Pacific Golden Plover on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Pacific Golden Plover?
- The Pacific Golden Plover is most easily confused with the American Golden Plover, the European Golden Plover and the Grey Plover.
- Is the Pacific Golden Plover endangered?
- The Pacific Golden Plover is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Pacific Golden Plover for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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