adult winter

adult winter south summer European distribution adult summer

Identification

The small head, short bill, plump, rounded body and run-stop-and-peck feeding manner identifies these birds as plovers. In all plumages they are smaller and browner than Grey Plovers. In summer their backs are beautifully spangled with golden markings and they have a variable amount of black in their head, throat and belly. In flight they look uniformly dull brown above with just a trace of a pale wing bar. The underwing is white. Birds from the north of the breeding range tend to show more black on their head and underparts.

Habitat

Breeds on moorland peat bogs. Winters on estuaries, moorland and farmland.

Migration

Birds which nest in northerly areas are the most migratory. Adults leave their breeding grounds between July-August, followed later by juveniles, and begin to arrive in their wintering areas mainly between October-November. Icelandic birds migrate to Scotland, Ireland and western Iberia, Scandinavian birds migrate via both sides of the North Sea to northern France, and Russian birds migrate to Iberia via central Europe. In severe weather birds from all three populations may continue into Iberia and N Africa. British birds tend to winter in lowland areas adjacent to their nesting sites, returning as early as February if the weather is tolerable.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Golden Plover is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Whitley Bay, Northumbs 31/01/2010	Swords Estuary, Dublin 03/01/2009	Cardurnock, Cumbria 21/01/2010	Balcomie, Fife 18/01/2010	St Mary's Is., Northumbs 10/01/2010
St Mary's Is., Northumbs 10/01/2010	Marazion, Cornwall 11/01/2010	Marazion, Cornwall 11/01/2010	Lauragh, Kerry 08/01/2010	Scatness, Shetland 10/01/2010

 View all pictures of Golden Plover

Golden Plover breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Belarus
Britain
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
Germany
Greenland
Iceland
Ireland
Latvia
Lithuania
Norway
Russia
Svalbard
Sweden

http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob4850.htm   BTO BirdFacts: Golden Plover	Edit this link
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