Piping Plover

Charadrius melodus

This nimble shorebird darts along sandy beaches, leaving delicate tracks as it hunts for insects and crustaceans in the surf.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Piping Plover is a small shorebird with pale gray upperparts, white underparts, and a white rump. It has a short, stout orange bill with a black tip and bright orange legs. During the breeding season, adults display a distinctive black band across the forehead and a black breast band.

Non-breeding adults and juveniles have a less pronounced breast band and may lack the black forehead marking. The plumage becomes slightly duller in winter, but the overall appearance remains similar year-round.

Size

Length

17cm to 18cm

Wingspan

35cm to 39cm

Weight

43g to 63g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

White Grey

Secondary Colour

Black

Beak Colour

Orange Black

Leg Colour

Orange

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Piping Plover is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Piping Plover is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Piping Plover can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Piping Plover can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Piping Plover is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Piping Plover is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Piping Plover is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Piping Plover is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Piping Plover is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Piping Plover is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Piping Plover is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Piping Plover is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Piping Plovers inhabit sandy beaches, alkali flats, and gravel shorelines along the Atlantic coast, Great Lakes, and northern Great Plains of North America. During the breeding season, they are found in the northern United States and southern Canada.

In winter, these birds migrate to the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States and the Caribbean. They are present in the eastern United States coastal areas during breeding and non-breeding seasons.

Elevation Range

Sea level

Climate zones

Temperate, Subtropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Piping Plover. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons