North American field guide

Wilson's Plover

Charadrius wilsonia

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Identification

Field notes

20 cm (8") Uncommon. Beaches, mudflats, sandy islands. Mostly southeastern Atlantic coast but may reach northeaster coast and California.

Similar to smaller Semipalmated Plover but it has a broader dark neck band (black in male, brown in female), a large heavy black bill and pinkish gray legs.

Song: sharp whistled "whit".

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Credit: shell game

Credit: Len Blumin

Credit: Len Blumin

Credit: Dan Irizarry

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

The Semipalmated Plover at beach in São Miguel dos Milagres by Mathieu Woldhuis

Credit: Mathieu Woldhuis

Wilson's Plover (GH2 + 100-300mm) 2012-04-28

Credit: MackM48

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

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

Wilson's Plover

2 rules

Rule 1 11 criteria confidence 3

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Red, or pink · 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 ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sandpiper-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:569-wilson-s-plover:1:1 Source: 569 Wilson's Plover, row 1

Rule 2 11 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Red, or pink · 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 ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sandpiper-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southwestern United States

result:569-wilson-s-plover:2:1 Source: 569 Wilson's Plover, row 2