American Golden Plover

The American golden-plover (Pluvialis dominica) is a medium-sized plover with a distinctive seasonal plumage. During the breeding season, adults exhibit a striking black face, neck, breast, and belly, contrasted with a white crown and nape that extends to the side of the breast. Their back is adorned with mottled black and white, and pale gold spots. Females are similarly patterned but with less extensive black. In winter, both sexes don a more subdued grey-brown upperparts and pale grey-brown underparts, with a whitish eyebrow. The species is known for its small head and bill.

Identification Tips

When identifying the American golden-plover, look for its length of 24–28 cm, a wingspan of 65–67 cm, and a weight ranging from 122–194 g. The bird's dusky back and axillaries are visible in flight. It can be distinguished from the European golden plover by its smaller size, slimmer build, and relatively longer legs, as well as the lack of white in the axillary feathers. The Pacific golden plover is a closer look-alike but is generally slimmer, has a shorter primary projection, longer legs, and a typically yellower back.

Habitat

The American golden-plover breeds on the Arctic tundra across northern Canada and Alaska, preferring dry open areas for nesting.

Distribution

This migratory bird winters in southern South America and follows an elliptical migration path. Northbound birds pass through Central America between January and April, staging in significant numbers in places like Illinois before heading north. In the fall, they take a more easterly route over the western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea to reach their wintering grounds in Patagonia. They are known for one of the longest migratory routes of over 40,000 km, including a non-stop 3,900 km stretch over open ocean.

Behaviour

The American golden-plover is territorial, especially on its breeding grounds where it displays aggressively towards neighbors. Some individuals maintain territories even in their wintering grounds.

Song & calls

The vocalizations of the American golden-plover include plaintive, melodious whistles.

Breeding

The species nests on the ground, creating a scrape nest lined with lichens, grass, and leaves. It lays a clutch of four white to buff eggs, heavily blotched with black and brown spots, which are incubated for 26 to 27 days. The male incubates during the day, and the female at night. Chicks are precocial, leaving the nest within hours and feeding themselves within a day.

Diet and Feeding

American golden-plovers forage on tundra, fields, beaches, and tidal flats, primarily by sight. Their diet includes terrestrial earthworms, snails, insects and their larvae, crustaceans, fish, berries, and seeds.

Conservation status

The species is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, large numbers were historically shot in the late 19th century, and the population has not fully recovered since then.