Poland, March 2025 (2) - Plover (2 Viewers)

[JayFeatherPL]

North-eastern Poland, Biebrza NP, March 2025
Grey or Eurasian Golden Plover?
The golden feathers on the mantle suggest Golden, but I know that many Grey Plovers in winter (or juv.) actually do show golden feathers too.

I'd be most grateful for the features, separating Grey & Golden Plovers in winter/juv. (Apart from the golden feathers in Eurasian Golden, as explained above)

 

[Jos Stratford]

Habitat and location 🙂

But Golden Plover in any case

 

[JayFeatherPL]

Habitat and location

Well...These two birds can be observed together in Poland (same location, same time). Take "Mewia Łacha" for instance...(screenshot)
Plus, birds are not attached solely to one habitat and one location. There will always be some odd, atypical birds and you have to be prepared for them by identifying by feather features (appearance). Relying exclusively on habitat & location will fail you - sooner or later...

 

[Jos Stratford]

Well...These two birds can be observed together in Poland (same location, same time). Take "Mewia Łacha" for instance...(screenshot)

That is coastal, your bird is in an inland meadow in Biebrza in March - usual habitat, location and time for Goldens, absolutely not for Grey in terms of habitat in that location at this time of year.

But plumage, structure, etc, all say Golden too.

 

[johnallcock]

The habitat is a very helpful clue but you're right that they could be seen together (most likely at coastal sites). So check other useful features...
Your bird shows very obvious golden spots in the upperparts - Grey Plover would never be this bright (juveniles can be slightly buffy, but not as yellow as this). The bill on Grey is larger than this bird - longer and heavier, usually with a bulge towards the tip, whereas your bird shows a more gradual point to the bill. The head of Grey usually looks larger and the neck looks shorter (but remember, posture can change), the eye usually looks larger and positioned further back on the head. There is usually a dark spot on the cheek behind the eye and less obvious supercilium. If you see them in flight, the wing pattern is also very different.

Compare your bird against this one, hopefully you can see the differences:

ML632530207 - Black-bellied Plover - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML632530207; © Dave Howes; Zanzibar South, Tanzania

macaulaylibrary.org

 

[JayFeatherPL]

The habitat is a very helpful clue but you're right that they could be seen together (most likely at coastal sites). So check other useful features...
Your bird shows very obvious golden spots in the upperparts - Grey Plover would never be this bright (juveniles can be slightly buffy, but not as yellow as this). The bill on Grey is larger than this bird - longer and heavier, usually with a bulge towards the tip, whereas your bird shows a more gradual point to the bill. The head of Grey usually looks larger and the neck looks shorter (but remember, posture can change), the eye usually looks larger and positioned further back on the head. There is usually a dark spot on the cheek behind the eye and less obvious supercilium. If you see them in flight, the wing pattern is also very different.

Compare your bird against this one, hopefully you can see the differences:

ML632530207 - Black-bellied Plover - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML632530207; © Dave Howes; Zanzibar South, Tanzania

macaulaylibrary.org

Thank you very much! A truly helpful answer with listed helpful features Hope I won't confuse them anymore, especially when I observe them together - at the coast.