Piping Plover

Charadrius melodus

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

15-20 cm (6-8") Uncommon. Sandy beaches, rivers, lakeshores.

Small, sparrow-sized plover.

Pale sandy upperparts, white underparts. Single, complete or incomplete dark neck-ring; white forehead; short, thick, orange bill with black tip; legs orange. In winter, bill is all dark.

In flight: white rump.

Told from Snowy Plover by thicker bill, paler back and lack of ear patch.

Human activity on beaches is destroying habitat.

Song: whistled "peep" or "peep-lo".

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Credit: Len Blumin

Credit: hjhipster

Credit: Len Blumin

Credit: hjhipster

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Piping Plovers, Plymouth Beach

Credit: Migration Productions Exploring the Natural World

Piping Plover Feeding

Credit: webwildlife

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 3 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Piping Plover

3 rules

Rule 1 12 criteria confidence 2

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Dark band or bands running across the breast or neck · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sandpiper-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:570-piping-plover:1:1 Source: 570 Piping Plover, row 1

Rule 2 12 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Dark band or bands running across the breast or neck · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sandpiper-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:570-piping-plover:2:1 Source: 570 Piping Plover, row 2

Rule 3 13 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sandpiper-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:570-piping-plover:3:1 Source: 570 Piping Plover, row 3