Semipalmated Plover

Charadrius semipalmatus Bonaparte, 1825

47 gWeight

The semipalmated plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) is a small plover.

Busiest months: May and August · Most records: United States, Canada, Costa Rica

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Semipalmated Plover has been recorded at 1,199 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 63 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Fort De Soto ParkUnited States14,383 records
Parker River NWRUnited States12,953 records
Edwin B. Forsythe NWRUnited States9,763 records

More places

Bombay Hook National Wildlife RefugeUnited States9,410 records
Cape Island – South Cape May MeadowsUnited States7,182 records
San Diego River mudflatsUnited States6,977 records
Edwin B. Forsythe NWR – Wildlife DriveUnited States6,658 records
Bolivar Flats Shorebird SanctuaryUnited States6,485 records
Milford Point, CT AudubonUnited States6,201 records
Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, Lincoln Park, ChicagoUnited States6,107 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Canada Costa Rica Mexico Chile Belize Barbados Portugal

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The semipalmated plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) is a small plover. Charadrius is a Late Latin word for a yellowish bird mentioned in the fourth-century Vulgate. It derives from Ancient Greek kharadrios a bird found in ravines and river valleys (kharadra, "ravine").

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Semipalmated Plover?

The Semipalmated Plover weighs around 47 g.

Where does the Semipalmated Plover live?

Its breeding range: North America: inland high Arctic to extreme northeastern Russia and subarctic Alaska and Canada: eastern Chukotskiy Peninsula (northeastern Russia), central, eastern Aleutian Islands, all Alaskan mainland and northwestern British Columbia to Banks and Baffin islands, south to western James Bay, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia (northwestern to northeastern, southeastern Canada). It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Costa Rica.

When is the best time to see the Semipalmated Plover?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in May and August (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Semipalmated Plover endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Semipalmated Plover as Least Concern.

What does the Semipalmated Plover eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Semipalmated Plover in?

It belongs to the family Plovers (Charadriidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Weight: 47 g
Habitat: Wetland
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Migratory
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 118 mm
Tail: 52 mm
Bill: 14 mm
Tarsus: 23 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America: inland high Arctic to extreme northeastern Russia and subarctic Alaska and Canada: eastern Chukotskiy Peninsula (northeastern Russia), central, eastern Aleutian Islands, all Alaskan mainland and northwestern British Columbia to Banks and Baffin islands, south to western James Bay, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia (northwestern to northeastern, southeastern Canada)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2