Page 175 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WADERS
Order Charadriiformes Family Charadriidae Species Pluvialis squatarola
Grey Plover
patchy ADULT (LATE
plumage SUMMER
MOULTING)
black
white white bar on wingpits bold white band
rump upperwings from forehead
to side of chest
thick
black
bill
ADULT ADULT
(SUMMER) (WINTER)
black face
IN FLIGHT

mottled
grey back
heavy bill
black underside
silvery grey and
black spangled
upperparts
pale
underside
ADULT ADULT
(WINTER) (SUMMER)
his is primarily a coastal bird, scattered over mudflats when it is
Tfeeding and gathering in rather static flocks at high tide, unlike
the large, mobile flocks of Golden Plovers. It usually mingles with
godwits, Curlews, and Redshanks. Most Grey Plovers are easy to FLIGHT: quick, with deep wingbeats; sometimes
identify, but some are yellow and may be confused with Golden quite active, twisting descent to roost.
Plovers. At long range,
they can be mistaken for
other medium-sized
waders; close up they
look pale, but far out on
the mud they can look
remarkably dark in
winter plumage.
VOICE High, plaintive HIGH-TIDE ROOST
twee-oo-wee!; also loud, High tide forces dispersed feeding Grey Plovers to gather together in
melancholy, fluted song. more compact flocks.
NESTING Scrape on SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
ground in short Breeds on northern tundra. Mostly
vegetation, usually on dry KNOT found on large muddy estuaries,
rises; 4 eggs; 1 brood; spangled winter; see p.176 but sometimes on sandy or rocky
yellow and
May–July. black above shores, from autumn to spring.
FEEDING Pulls worms, Flocks may roost on adjacent
molluscs, and crustaceans longer pasture, or shallow coastal
from mud, in winter; eats smaller bill lagoons. Rare bird inland.
mainly insects in summer GOLDEN PLOVER Seen in the UK
in Arctic tundra. summer; see p.174 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 27–30cm (10 1 ⁄2 –12in) Wingspan 71–83cm (28–33in) Weight 200–250g (7–9oz)
Social Winter flocks Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Secure†
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