Charadrius melodus
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.
Length
17cm to 18cm
Wingspan
35cm to 39cm
Weight
43g to 63g
Males and females have similar plumage
Primary Colour
White Grey
Secondary Colour
Black
Beak Colour
Orange Black
Leg Colour
Orange
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
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.
Sea level
Temperate, Subtropical
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:
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