Difference between revisions of "European Golden Plover" - BirdForum Opus

Latest revision as of 22:15, 7 November 2022

Alternative names: Golden Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, European Golden-Plover

Adult breeding plumage
Photo © by Digiscoper321
West Sweden, 25 July 2005

Pluvialis apricaria

Identification

Adult non-breeding plumage
Photo © by J. H. Johns
Camborne, Cornwall, December 2010

Length 26-29 cm (10¼-11½ in), wingspan 67-76 cm
Breeding adult is stocky with gold-on-black spangled back and cap; black face and belly with white supercilium which goes down neck along flanks; white undertail coverts. Amount of black on face and throat varies; most on northern males, least on southern females.
Non-breeding adult has buffy supercilium, buffy unmarked throat, and golden spotted breast grading to white belly.
Juvenile is very similar to non-breeding adult, differing in fine pale gold barring on the belly.

All plumages have short bill, bright golden spangled back, and white underwing coverts.

Similar Species

Overall more golden coloured than the other Pluvialis plovers.
American Golden Plover in all plumages has longer primary projection, darker golden coloured back, white contrasting supercilium, and grey underwing; in breeding plumage has totally black undertail coverts and belly; in nonbreeding and juvenile plumages has grey weakly barred belly and grey back with dark golden spots.

Pacific Golden Plover in all plumages has darker golden coloured back, white contrasting supercilium, slightly longer legs, and grey underwing; in breeding plumage has white on flanks with black barring; nonbreeding plumage has greyish not as defined breast markings, whitish supercilium; juvenile has yellowish wash to face, barred yellowish breast and belly markings.

Grey Plover is somewhat larger, with a longer, stouter bill, white undertail, black and white spotted back, and white uppertail coverts and rump.

Non-breeding plumage in flight
Photo © by the late Mahsleb
Southwold, Suffolk, 10 February 2012

Distribution

Breeds in northern Europe and northwestern Asia; winters western and southern Europe, southwestern Asia and northern Africa.
Europe: Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Greenland (rare), British Isles, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Portugal, Spain (including Ibiza, Mallorca, Canary Islands, Extremadura), Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria, Italy (including Sardinia), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, , Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Greece (including Corfu] Lesvos, Crete), Malta, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Moldova
Northern Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, cid.] Middle East: Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel
Arabian Peninsula: Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia
Asia: Russia, Siberia, Turkestan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan

Vagrant in winter west to the Azores and Canary Islands, south to Mauritania, Gambia and east to Pakistan, and in summer west to Newfoundland in Canada, and north to Svalbard and Jan Mayen.

Flock overhead
Photo © by cheersm8
Cambridgeshire, UK, 20 September 2010

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Two subspecies are accepted by a few authors^[1], but the variation is clinal with extensive intergradation, with other authorities treating the species as monotypic^[2]:

P. a. altifrons:

Breeds east-central Greenland, Iceland and Faeroes to Taymyr Peninsula. Breeding males with solid black face, breeding females with mostly black face.

P. a. apricaria:

Breeds British Isles to southern Scandinavia and the Baltic States; winters Mediterranean and Persian Gulf. Breeding males with mostly black face, breeding females with little black on the face.

The two subspecies are indistinguishable in winter and juvenile plumages. An additional subspecies P. a. oreophilos is generally considered to be invalid^[7].

Habitat

Breeds on moors and tundra, winters around coasts and on ploughed farmland or closely grazed grassland.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes insects, crustaceans, and berries.

Breeding

Ground nesters. The nest is usually just a hollow in the open ground, relying on the egg colouration for camouflage. The clutch consists of 4 eggs, which vary from stone-coloured through buff to pale olive; they are well marked with reddish-brown or black streaks, spots and splotches^[8].

Vocalisation

European Golden Plover voice clip

References

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/
Gill, F & D Donsker (Eds). 2018. IOC World Bird List (v8.2). doi : 10.14344/IOC.ML.8.2. Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
Chandler, R. (2009). Shorebirds of North America, Europe, and Asia: A photographic guide. Princeton.
Béchet, A. 2009. European Union Management Plan 2009-2011 for Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg.
Gudmundsson, G. A. (1997). - Winter distribution of Icelandic Golden Plovers Pluvialis apricaria. Bliki, 18, 55-58.
Wiersma, P., Kirwan, G.M. & Boesman, P. (2018). Eurasian Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/53817 on 6 October 2018).
Avibase
Swain, H. D. 1954. The Observer's Book of Birds' Eggs. Frederick Warne / Observer ISBN 0723200602

List of references

Recommended Citation

BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) European Golden Plover. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/European_Golden_Plover

External Links

Search for photos of European Golden Plover in the gallery

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-;Pluvialis apricaria
+'''Alternative names: Golden Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, European Golden-Plover'''
-[[Image:Eurasian_or_European_Golden_Plover.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Digiscoper321 <br>Photographed:  West Sweden]]
+[[Image:Eurasian_or_European_Golden_Plover.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Adult breeding plumage<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Digiscoper321|Digiscoper321}}<br />West [[Sweden]], 25 July 2005]]
+;[[:Category:Pluvialis|Pluvialis]] apricaria
 ==Identification==
-The Eurasian Golden Plover, Pluvialis apricaria, is a largish plover.This species is similar to two other golden plovers. American Golden Plover, Pluvialis dominiica, and Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva, are both smaller, slimmer and relatively longer-legged than Eurasian Golden Plover, and both have grey rather than white axillary feathers (only properly visible in flight
+[[Image:Golden-plover-0103.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Adult non-breeding plumage<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|john-henry|J. H. Johns}}<br />Camborne,  [[Cornwall]], December 2010]]
+Length 26-29 cm (10¼-11½ in), wingspan 67-76 cm<br />
+'''Breeding adult''' is stocky with gold-on-black spangled back and cap; black face and belly with white supercilium which goes down neck along flanks; white undertail coverts. Amount of black on face and throat varies; most on northern males, least on southern females.<br />
+'''Non-breeding adult''' has buffy supercilium, buffy unmarked throat, and golden spotted breast grading to white belly.<br />
+'''Juvenile''' is very similar to non-breeding adult, differing in fine pale gold barring on the belly. <br />
-Breeding adults are spotted gold and black on the crown, back and wings. Their face and neck are black with a white border; they have a black breast and a dark rump. The legs are black. In winter, the black is lost and the plover then has a yellowish face and breast and white underparts.
+'''All plumages''' have short bill, bright golden spangled back, and white underwing coverts.<br />
+===Similar Species===
+Overall more golden coloured than the other [[:Category:Pluvialis|''Pluvialis'' plovers]].<br />
+[[American Golden Plover]] in all plumages has longer primary projection, darker golden coloured back, white contrasting supercilium, and grey underwing; in breeding plumage has totally black undertail coverts and belly; in nonbreeding and juvenile plumages has grey weakly barred belly and grey back with dark golden spots.<br />
+[[Pacific Golden Plover]] in all plumages has darker golden coloured back, white contrasting supercilium, slightly longer legs, and grey underwing; in breeding plumage has white on flanks with black barring; nonbreeding plumage has greyish not as defined breast markings, whitish supercilium; juvenile has yellowish wash to face, barred yellowish breast and belly markings.<br />
+[[Grey Plover]] is somewhat larger, with a longer, stouter bill, white undertail, black and white spotted back, and white uppertail coverts and rump.
+[[Image:MG 0241 1-bf.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Non-breeding plumage in flight<br />Photo &copy; by the late '''[https://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showgallery.php/ppuser/50827/cat/500 Mahsleb]'''<br />Southwold, [[Suffolk]], 10 February 2012]]
 ==Distribution==
-They are migratory and winter in southern Europe and north Africa. Around 500,000 birds winter in Ireland and Great Britain. Although generally common, its range has contracted somewhat in the past due to habitat destruction. For example, in the 19th century it disappeared as a breeding bird in Poland and only occurs there as a migrant nowadays; its breding population in Central Europe apparently was a relict of the last ice age (Tomek & Bocheński 2005).
+Breeds in northern [[Europe]] and northwestern [[Asia]]; winters western and southern Europe, southwestern Asia and northern [[Africa]].<br />
+'''Europe''': [[Iceland]], [[Norway]], [[Sweden]], [[Finland]], [[Denmark]], [[Faroe Islands]], [[Greenland]] (rare), [[British Isles]], [[The Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], [[Luxembourg]], [[France]], [[Portugal]], [[Spain]] (including [[Ibiza]], [[Mallorca]], [[Canary Islands]], [[Extremadura]]), [[Switzerland]], [[Liechtenstein]], [[Germany]], [[Austria]], [[Italy]] (including [[Sardinia]]), [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Belarus]], [[Poland]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Slovakia]], [[Hungary]], [[Slovenia]], [[Croatia]], , [[Montenegro]], [[Albania]], [[Macedonia]], [[Greece]] (including Corfu] [[Lesvos]], [[Crete]]), [[Malta]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Romania]], [[Ukraine]], [[Moldova]]<br />
+'''Northern Africa''': [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]], [[Libya]], [[Egypt]], cid.]
+'''Middle East''': [[Turkey]], [[Cyprus]], [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], [[Israel]]<br />
+'''Arabian Peninsula''': [[Iran]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Georgia]]<br />
+'''Asia''': [[Russia]], [[Siberia]], Turkestan, [[Kazakhstan]], [[Turkmenistan]]<br />
+Vagrant in winter west to the [[Azores]] and [[Canary Islands]], south to [[Mauritania]], [[Gambia]] and east to [[Pakistan]], and in summer west to [[Newfoundland]] in [[Canada]], and north to [[Svalbard]] and Jan Mayen.
+[[Image:Aagolden.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Flock overhead<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|cheersm8|cheersm8}}<br />[[Cambridgeshire]], [[UK]], 20 September 2010 ]]
 ==Taxonomy==
-Kingdom: Animalia
+====Subspecies====
-Phylum: Chordata
+Two subspecies are accepted by a few authors<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>, but the variation is clinal with extensive intergradation, with other authorities treating the species as [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]]<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>:
-Class: Aves
+*''P. a. altifrons'':
-Order: Charadriiformes
+:*Breeds east-central [[Greenland]], [[Iceland]] and [[Faeroes]] to Taymyr Peninsula. Breeding males with solid black face, breeding females with mostly black face.
-Family: Charadriidae
+*''P. a. apricaria'':
-Genus: Pluvialis
+:*Breeds [[British Isles]] to southern [[Scandinavia]] and the [[Baltic States]]; winters [[Mediterranean]] and Persian Gulf. Breeding males with mostly black face, breeding females with little black on the face.
-Species: P. apricaria
+The two subspecies are indistinguishable in winter and juvenile plumages. An additional subspecies ''P. a. oreophilos'' is generally considered to be invalid<sup>[[#References|[7]]]</sup>.
 ==Habitat==
-Their breeding habitat is moorland and tundra in northernmost parts of Europe and western Asia. They nest on the ground in a dry open area.
+Breeds on moors and tundra, winters around coasts and on ploughed farmland or closely grazed grassland.
 ==Behaviour==
-These birds forage for food on tundra, fields, beaches and tidal flats, usually by sight, although they will also feed by moonlight. They eat insects and crustaceans, also berries
+====Diet====
+The diet includes insects, crustaceans, and berries.
+====Breeding====
+Ground nesters. The nest is usually just a hollow in the open ground, relying on the egg colouration for camouflage. The clutch consists of 4 eggs, which vary from stone-coloured through buff to pale olive; they are well marked with reddish-brown or black streaks, spots and splotches<sup>[[#References|[8]]]</sup>.
+====Vocalisation====
+{{ Audio|Pluvialis apricaria (song).mp3 }}
+''[[Media:Pluvialis apricaria (song).mp3|European Golden Plover voice clip]]''
+==References==
+#{{Ref-Clements6thAug18}}#{{Ref-GillDonsker18V8.2}}#Chandler, R. (2009). Shorebirds of North America, Europe, and Asia: A photographic guide. Princeton.
+#Béchet, A. 2009. European Union Management Plan 2009-2011 for Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg.
+#Gudmundsson, G. A. (1997). - Winter distribution of Icelandic Golden Plovers Pluvialis apricaria. Bliki, 18, 55-58.
+#Wiersma, P., Kirwan, G.M. & Boesman, P. (2018). Eurasian Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/53817 on 6 October 2018).
+#[https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=25A20BA6F7EA9D9A Avibase]
+#Swain, H. D. 1954. The Observer's Book of Birds' Eggs. Frederick Warne / Observer ISBN 0723200602
+{{ref}}
-==Bird Song==
-<flashmp3>Pluvialis apricaria (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
-''[[Media:Pluvialis apricaria (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 ==External Links==
-{{GSearch|Pluvialis+apricaria}}
+{{GSearch|"Pluvialis apricaria" {{!}} "European Golden Plover" {{!}} "Eurasian Golden Plover"}}
-*[http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=1029&Bird_Image_ID=3680&Bird_Family_ID=109 View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages]
+{{GS-checked}}
-[[Category:Birds]]
+<br />
+<br />
+[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Pluvialis]]