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9

European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) Alternate name(s): "Eurasian Golden Plover", "Golden Plover*" German name(s): "Goldregenpfeifer" Size: 26-29 cm; wing span 67-76 cm Weight: 140-310 g

Europe: Family Group 9 Family Group 9 Table Red Phalarope Eurasian Stone-curlew Black-winged Stilt Pied Avocet Collared Pratincole Eurasian Oystercatcher Common Ringed Plover Little Ringed Plover Kentish Plover Grey Plover European Golden Plover Northern Lapwing Spur-winged Lapwing Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description European Golden Plovers are relatively small waders. Their plumage is highly cryptic. When seen in Europe, they are usually, but not always, in eclipse plumage. During the non-breeding season the sides of the head are matt golden, with small darker greyish patches on the ear coverts. Neck and chest are golden, with fine darker greyish streaking. The head and back have darker streaking yet, while the wings are golden and dark-grey scalloped. The underparts, from belly to undertail, are off-white. During the breeding season their front (face below the eyes, front and of the neck, chest and belly) is black, with broad white lining from the forehead via the eyebrow along the sides to the flanks. The vent and undertail coverts are grey. The back (cap, nape of the neck, mantle upperwings and uppertail) remains intricately mottled golden and dark-grey. Note that during the breeding season the axillaries are white! While males and females are very much alike, there are subtle differences during the breeding season. "Northern" males tend to be all-black down the front, while "southern" males have less black. "Northern" females have about the same amount of black on their front as "southern" males, while "southern" females have less black yet, which also tends to be patchy. The irises of both sexes are dark-brown. The bill is dull black, while the legs and feet are dark-grey.

Taxonomy, classification See European Golden Plover at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the European Golden Plover is available HERE . The breeding range of the European Golden Plover extends from some locations in western Greenland, via Iceland and Svalbard to almost all of northern Europe on into the tundra of northwestern and central northern Russia. They overwinter in western Europe, the north-west African coastal fringe, parts of south-eastern Europe and in some locations in Asia Minor, the Middle East and northern Egypt (the Nile delta). In continental Europe the breeding range of the European Golden Plover encompasses almost all of Scandinavia (except the Baltic Sea coastal fringe), the Baltic states, the northern parts of Bielorussia, the north-eastern corner of Poland and north-western Russia. They also breed in Scotland and associated islands and in some locations in north-western Ireland. They are sedentary only in the midlands of England. The migratory populations overwinter in the southern parts of the British Isles, continental Europe westward of a line connecting the German Wattensee with the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, along the Po River in Italy and along the eastern Adriatic coastline, plus parts of Greece (except the Peloponnes) and along its coastline towards the western Black Sea. They can also be found on the Balearic Islands and on the southern tips of Corsica and Sicily. European Golden Plovers are present in a diverse range of habitats. While breeding on moors and tundra, also on mountain sides above the treeline, outside the breeding season they can be found in various habitats such as grassland, pasture, bogs, mudflats and fields. Although also found in coastal habitats, European Golden Plovers are NOT a coastal species.

Sightings Click here for sighting information J. Pires reports spotting European Golden Plovers occasionally during the non-breeding season in various locations in near-coastal southern/central Portugal. All sighting and photographic information presented on this page has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

NON-BREEDING

Full-frontal view of a European Golden Plover in non-breeding plumage; note the streaking down the front of the neck and the chest (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2021]

Near-frontal view of a European Golden Plover in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, January 2019]

Lateral view of a European Golden Plover in non-breeding plumage; note the small bill (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2018]

Lateral view of a European Golden Plover in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Figueira da Foz, near Coimbra, Portugal, February 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a European Golden Plover in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2018]

Dorsal view of European Golden Plovers in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Figueira da Foz, near Coimbra, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of a European Golden Plover in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a European Golden Plover in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcaria Ruiva, Beja, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Small flock of European Golden Plovers in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2015]

Behaviour

Especially during migration, but also while overwintering, European Golden Plovers can form large flocks. As the birds weave on the sky in unison, changing direction, such flocks can alternately show the golden upperparts and the off-white underparts of the birds.

Flock of European Golden Plovers in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2021]

Resting European Golden Plovers in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mondego river estuary, Murraceira island, Figueira da Foz, Portugal, February 2021]

European Golden Plovers in non-breeding plumage resting in grassland (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Flock of European Golden Plovers in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2016]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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