Semipalmated Ploverr
Credit: Greg Schneider

North American field guide

Semipalmated Plover

Charadrius semipalmatus

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

15-20 cm (6-8") Common. Widespread in migration on beaches, mudflats, lakeshores.

Small, sparrow-sized, plump plover. Dark brown upperparts, white underparts. Single broad dark band across breast; white from throat encircles neck; white forehead; small orange bill with black tip; legs orange or yellow.

Told from Piping and Snowy Plover by its dark back; from larger Wilson's Plover by its much smaller bill.

Song: upward "chu-wee".

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 1 rule

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

Semipalmated Plover

1 rule
Rule 1 10 criteria confidence 5
What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?
Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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
result:567-semipalmated-plover:1:1 Source: 567 Semipalmated Plover, row 1