Nest site is on ground, amid sparse plant growth or on bare open gravel or sand, sometimes placed close to large rock or other landmark. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA. Version 1019 Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Bird Banding Laboratory 2019. This plover nests in the northern tundra right to the Arctic Ocean. Plovers and Lapwings(Order: Charadriiformes, Family:Charadriidae). Spread the word. Spends winters on mudflats, salt marshes, and lakeshores along the West Coast from Washington south to coastal Mexico, along the southern Atlantic Coast, the Gulf Coast, and the West Indies. Semipalmated Plover is not on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List. In breeding season and during migration inland, may feed mostly on insects, including flies and their larvae, also earthworms. On its breeding grounds in the north, it avoids the tundra habitat chosen by most shorebirds, nesting instead on gravel bars along rivers or ponds. Chicks also swim short distances … Lutmerding, J. Bald Eagle. Feeds on mudflats and beaches, often mixed with other shorebirds. They nest on the ground in an open area with little or no plant growth. Longevity records of North American birds. A. and A. S. Love. Let us send you the latest in bird and conservation news. Migrates mostly late in spring and early in fall, with peak southbound flights in August. A., P. A. Smith, R. I. G. Morrison, C. L. Gratto-Trevor, S. C. Brown, and C. A. Friis (2012). Runs several steps, stops, stares, and then pecks or quickly snatches at prey.Back to top, The Semipalmated Plover is among the few plovers whose numbers are apparently increasing, perhaps owing to its versatility in food and habitat choice, its wide-spread coastal winter distribution, or its habitat expansion in the sub-Arctic as a result of disturbance by both humans and arctic geese. Age at first flight about 23-31 days. On coast, eats many marine worms, crustaceans, small mollusks. Both parents tend young, but young find all their own food. 44 Perfect Gifts for the Bird and Nature Lovers in Your Life, How the Evening Grosbeak Got Its Misleading Name. (2014). Small shorebird; smaller than Killdeer. Shores, tideflats. Are the Trump Administration's Environmental Rollbacks Built to Last? Sibley, D. A. (2014). The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds, birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation. Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect this bird’s range in the future. Text © Kenn Kaufman, adapted from During the winter months, it is seen on the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines including the Gulf of Mexico. Has a very extensive winter range, along coasts from United States to southern South America. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY, USA. Learn more about these drawings. Photo: Gail Bisson/Audubon Photography Awards. The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. Nol, Erica and Michele S. Blanken. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too. It’s the least you can do. Searches for prey visually. Often appears stocky with no neck. Their breeding habitat is open ground on beaches or flats across northern Canada and Alaska. Overwhelmed and Understaffed, Our National Wildlife Refuges Need Help. Age at first flight about 23-31 days. Breeds in the north, mostly on open flats of sand or gravel near water. The Sibley Guide to Birds, second edition. Speak out against the Yazoo Backwater Pumps which would drain 200,000 acres of crucial bird habitat. Habitat During migration and in winter, Semipalmated Plovers inhabit coastal mudflats and exposed sandy beaches. Both parents tend young, but young find all their own food. Incubation is by both sexes, 23-25 days. (2014). The most common of the small plovers on migration through most areas. Typically they run a few steps and then pause, then run again, pecking at the ground whenever they spot something edible. Type in your search and hit Enter on desktop or hit Go on mobile device. Visit your local Audubon center, join a chapter, or help save birds with your state program. Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus), version 2.0. National Audubon Society On ground, male may display by crouching with tail spread, wings open, and feathers fluffed up, while he gives calls with an excited sound. Photo: Howard Arndt/Audubon Photography Awards, Great Egret. (2019). Downy young leave nest soon after hatching. Short bill with orange base and black tip. Seriously depleted by unrestricted shooting in late 19th century, but has recovered well, currently widespread and common. Lives of North American Birds. In breeding season, male displays over territory by flying in wide circles with slow, exaggerated wingbeats, calling repeatedly. Our email newsletter shares the latest programs and initiatives. Legal Notices Privacy Policy Contact Us. Audubon protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Wader Study Group Bulletin 119:178–194. Help power unparalleled conservation work for birds across the Americas, Stay informed on important news about birds and their habitats, Receive reduced or free admission across our network of centers and sanctuaries, Access a free guide of more than 800 species of North American birds, Discover the impacts of climate change on birds and their habitats, Learn more about the birds you love through audio clips, stunning photography, and in-depth text. The Semipalmated Plover is among the few plovers whose numbers are apparently increasing, perhaps owing to its versatility in food and habitat choice, its wide-spread coastal winter distribution, or its habitat expansion in the sub-Arctic as a result of disturbance by both humans and arctic geese.