Snowy plover
Charadrius alexandrinus
Identification Tips:
- Length: 5.25 inches
- Small shorebird
- Short, fairly thin, dark bill
- Legs black
Adult alternate
- Black bar at side of breast
- White forehead and supercilium
- Black patches above white forehead and behind eye
- Pale gray upperparts
- White underparts
- Gray upperparts and white underparts
- Basic and juvenile plumages are similar to adult but black patches are
absent
Similar species:
In all plumages, the similarly-sized Semipalmated Plover has a complete
breast band. Piping Plover is quite similar but in alternate plumage has an
orange-based bill and different black patterning on the face. In basic and
juvenile plumages the Piping has a shorter bill, and orange legs.
Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.