Pluvialis apricaria
The Golden Plover is a medium-sized shorebird with distinctive gold-speckled upperparts. In breeding plumage, males display a striking black face, neck, and belly, contrasting sharply with white borders.
Females are similar but have less extensive black areas. Both sexes adopt a more subdued plumage in winter, with mottled brown upperparts and pale underparts.
Juvenile golden plovers look the same as non-breeding adults but have lighter grey fringes to the feathers on their flanks and belly.
Length
26cm to 29cm
Wingspan
67cm to 76cm
Weight
160g to 280g
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
Golden Plovers breed in Arctic and subarctic tundra across northern Europe and Russia. During winter, they migrate to temperate and subtropical regions, including western Europe and the British Isles.
Golden plovers' breeding grounds are typically found in tundra landscapes, bogs, heathlands, and peat-rich areas. In winter, agricultural pastures, salt marshes, mudflats, and estuaries attract large flocks of golden plovers.
In the UK, they are common winter visitors, especially between November and February, to coastal areas and inland grasslands, with some populations breeding in Scottish highlands and northern England. They also breed in the Peak District, North Yorkshire, parts of Wales, and Devon.
Sea level to 1,200 meters
Subarctic, Temperate, Subtropical
This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Golden Plover. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.
A few things to keep in mind:
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