American Golden-Plover
Pluvialis dominica
ORDER: Charadriiformes
FAMILY: Charadriidae
Description
A sleek long-distance migrant that crosses Texas between its Arctic breeding grounds and South American wintering fields. In spring it wears black underparts framed by gold-spangled upperparts, and flocks pause to feed in short-grass and freshly plowed fields.
Location
Granger Lake, Williamson County, Texas
Habitat
short-grass and plowed fields, prairie
Season
spring and fall migrant
Size
~10.5 in / 27 cm
Diet
insects, invertebrates, seeds
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Found some of these while hiking around Lake Granger. The lake level was really low then which makes for nice numbers of shorebirds and the like there.
Nikon Z9
|
800mm
|
f/8
|
1/2500
|
ISO 640
Want to see an American Golden-Plover in the wild?
Join one of my guided birding tours!
Join one of my guided birding tours!