Pl. CXXXVII
The Birds · Plate CXXXVII
Wilson’s Plover
Anarhynchus wilsonia
Charadriidae · Taxon 1505633
| Length | 16–20 cm (6.3–7.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 43–48 cm (17–19 in) |
| Weight | 55–70 g (1.9–2.5 oz) |
Field marks
- Long, unusually thick black bill
- Large dark eye with a white brow stripe
- Sandy-brown upperparts and white underparts
- Single broad breast band, blackish or brownish
- Fairly long, pale pinkish-gray legs
- Long tapered folded wings over a short tail
HabitatOpen coastal habitats, including sandy, shelly, or gravelly beaches, barrier and dredge-spoil islands, tidal mudflats, salt flats, estuaries, and coastal-lagoon margins; nests above the high-tide line and forages on exposed flats.
BehaviorRuns in short bursts, pauses to watch, then lunges or pecks at prey; forages by day and night, often taking fiddler crabs and shaking off their legs. Nests in a shallow ground scrape, with both adults sharing incubation and chick care.
Palette
sandy brownwhiteblackpale pinksoft gray