Semipalmated Plover

Semipalmated Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Breeding plumage, Nunavut, Canada
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Charadrius
Species: C. semipalmatus
Binomial name
Charadrius semipalmatus
(Bonaparte, 1825)
Synonyms

Charadrius hiaticula semipalmatus

Nonbreeding plumage

The Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) is a small plover.

This species weighs 22–63 g (0.78–2.2 oz) and measures 14–20 cm (5.5–7.9 in) in length and 35–56 cm (14–22 in) across the wings.[1] Adults have a grey-brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with one black neckband. They have a brown cap, a white forehead, a black mask around the eyes and a short orange and black bill.

Their breeding habitat is open ground on beaches or flats across northern Canada and Alaska. They nest on the ground in an open area with little or no plant growth.

They are migratory and winter in coastal areas ranging from the United States to Patagonia. They are extremely rare vagrants to western Europe, although their true status may be obscured by the difficulty in identifying them from the very similar Ringed Plover of Eurasia, of which it was formerly considered a subspecies.

These birds forage for food on beaches, tidal flats and fields, usually by sight. They eat insects, crustaceans and worms.

"Broken wing" display

This bird resembles the Killdeer but is much smaller and has only one band.[2] The term "semipalmated" refers to its partly webbed feet. Like the Killdeer and since its nest is on the ground, it uses a "broken-wing" display to lure intruders away from the nest.

References

  1. ^ CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (1992), ISBN 978-0849342585.
  2. ^ Kaufman, Kenn. (2000) Kaufman Field Guide to Brds of North America. New York: Houghton-Mifflin.
  • BirdLife International (2004). Charadrius semipalmatus. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • semipalmated plover — Plover Plov er, n. [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See {Float}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • semipalmated plover — noun : a small ring plover (Charadrius hiaticula semipalmatus) breeding in arctic America and migrating to So. America that is similar to the common ring plover of Europe but has semipalmate feet * * * a New World plover, Charadrius semipalmatus …   Useful english dictionary

  • semipalmated plover — amerikinis kirlikas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Charadrius semipalmatus angl. semipalmated plover vok. Amerikanischer Sandregenpfeifer, m rus. перепончатопалый галстучник, m pranc. pluvier semipalmé, m ryšiai:… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • semipalmated plover — a New World plover, Charadrius semipalmatus, having a black ring around the chest and semipalmate feet, inhabiting beaches and salt marshes. [1820 30, Amer.] * * * …   Universalium

  • Plover — Plov er, n. [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See {Float}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plover's page — Plover Plov er, n. [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See {Float}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plover — For other uses, see Plover (disambiguation). Plovers Killdeer Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • Bastard plover — Plover Plov er, n. [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See {Float}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • blackbellied plover — Plover Plov er, n. [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See {Float}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • blackbreasted plover — Plover Plov er, n. [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See {Float}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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