Semipalmated Plover - BirdForum Opus

Breeding
Photo © by shishmarefbirder
Shishmaref, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, June 2008

Charadrius semipalmatus

Identification

Non-breeding
Photo © by Option1
Rio Del Mar Beach, Aptos, California, September 2005

17–19 cm (6¾-7½ in)

• Grey-brown back and wings
• White belly
• White breast
• Black neckband
• Brown cap
• White forehead
• Black mask
• Black-tipped orange bill
• Small amount of webbing between toes

Distribution

North, Central and South America. Breeds in northern Canada and Alaska migrating south in winter.

Immatures can remain in wintering grounds in their second summer.

Taxonomy

Juvenile
Photo © by bievreJJ
Pillar Point, California, USA, August 2018

This is a monotypic species^[1].

Habitat

Mud flats, shore lagoons.

Behaviour

Breeding

They nest on the ground in an open area.

Diet

Photo © by STEFFRO1
Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina, August 2016

The diet includes insects, crustaceans and worms. Also insects, particularly grasshoppers, beetles and ants. They forage for food on beaches and tidal flats.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Wikipedia

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Semipalmated Plover. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Semipalmated_Plover

External Links

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