Bird Watcher's Digest: Home Bird Watcher's Digest Magazine The Backyard Birds Newsletter The Bird Watcher's Digest App Bird Watcher's Digest Nature Shop

Bird Identification

in

Piping Plover

Charadrius melodus L 7 ¼" (18 cm)

Illustration by Julie Zickefoose

Listen to a piping plover.

One of the species of small plovers in North America that show a single breast band. The piping plover is pale above, with bright orange legs and a white rump conspicuous in flight. The bill shape is distinctive—chunky or seeming swollen, with the upper and lower edges of the bill appearing almost curved. These edges are in actuality straight, but the bill is so thick at the base and through much of its length that an impression of roundness is created. In winter the bill is mostly all black, but will often show at least some orange at the base and is extensively orange during the breeding season.

You will most likely encounter the piping plover on an ocean beach, lake or river shore, or mudflats. It is endangered and generally uncommon—a rare breeder in the Midwest and a casual winter visitor to coastal California.

The call is a distinctive clear peep, peeto, or peep-lo, and the display song is whistled pooeep pooeep with variations.

This sound file requires RealPlayer. Bird song courtesy of Lang Elliott, NatureSound Studio.

Wading Birds

SECTION FEATURES - FESTIVAL

You Might Like

Timelapse PlantCam

Watch your plants grow in fast-forward with the new Timelapse PlantCam. The PlantCam is rugged and weatherproof, and automatically takes photos and videos at set time intervals. It then stitches the photos together to create a video showing in minutes or seconds what usually can't be seen with the naked eye. The result is a seamless movie of your plants growing! Only $79.95 in our store!

Buy now »

Jack Pine Firebird—Kirtland's Warbler

The Jack Pine Firebird—Kirtland's Warbler lithograph by Charley Harper (1922-2007) is an open (unnumberd) edition hand-titled and stamped with his audio seal. The image was commissioned by Ford Times magazine and appeared in 1978. A certificate of authenticity from the Charley Harper Art Studio will accompany each print. Starts at $50.00 in our store.

Buy now »

Hummingbirds of the Backyard DVD

Come along with Sheri Williamson, author of the Peterson Guide to Hummingbirds, on this fascinating video journey into the secret lives of North America's favorite birds. She'll introduce you to 13 species that nest in the U.S. and Canada and she'll show you how to attract them to your yard. Running time is approximately 50 minutes. Only $19.99 in our store!

Buy now »