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Wilson's Plover
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae Genus: Charadrius Species: C. wilsonia
Binomial name
Charadrius wilsonia (Ord, 1814)

The Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) is a small plover.

Wilson's Plover is a coastal wader which breeds on both coasts of the Americas from the equator northwards. Its range extends north to include much of the U.S. eastern coast, and the west coast of Mexico in the west.

It is a partial migrant. Birds leave the United States, except Florida winter south to Brazil. Some Mexican birds leave in winter to reach Peru.

This strictly coastal plover nests on a bare scrape on sandy beaches or sandbars.

This is a small plover at 17-20cm. The adult's upper parts are mainly dark grey, with a short white wing bar and white tail sides. The underparts are white except for a breast band, and the legs are pink, brighter when breeding. The dark bill is large and heavy for a plover of this size. The call is a high weak whistle.

The breeding male has a black breast band, lores and forecrown, and a rufous mask. Females and non-breeding males have a similar plumage, but the black of the breeding male is replaced by brown or rufous. Non-breeders have a greyer tint to the head and breast band.

Immature birds are similar to the female, but the breast band is often incomplete.

Wilson's Plovers forage for food on beaches, usually by sight, moving slowly across the beach. They have a liking for crabs, but will also eat insects and marine worms.

This bird was named after the Scottish-American ornithologist Alexander Wilson.

• BirdLife International (2004). Charadrius wilsonia. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

• Shorebirds by Hayman, Marchant and Prater ISBN 0-395-60237-8