Snowy Plover

16 cm (6") Uncommon and declining. Sandy beaches, sand flats, alkaline lakes in West.

Small, sparrow-sized plover. Pale brownish-gray upperparts, white underparts. Dark partial neck-ring; white forehead; pointed, black bill; gray legs.

Told from slightly paler Piping Plover by an incomplete dark neck band, a slim black bill and dark ear patch.

A western subspecies, Western Snowy Plover "Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus", is now recognized by the AOU but change in taxonomy is still not completely resolved.

Human activity on beaches is destroying habitat.

Song: low, whistled "chu-weet".

Videos

Images

Credit: Laura Gooch

Credit: Jerry Kirkhart

Credit: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region

Credit: Mike Baird

Credit: Len Blumin

Credit: San Francisco Bay Area National Parks Science and