Semipalmated Plover - Summertime on the Shoreline
A bird a day keeps the chaos away
Semipalmated Plover
SEMPLO
Charadrius semipalmatus
ORDER: Charadriiformes
FAMILY: Charadriidae
Southwest Florida Coast, summer birds edition
Small, orange-legged plover with solid dark breast band. Medium-brown upperparts are the color of wet sand, noticeably darker than Piping or Snowy Plovers. Look for short, blunt bill with orange base (often indistinct on juveniles). Feeds on mudflats and beaches, often mixed with other shorebirds. Even when in a flock, individuals are typically spread out rather than remaining a tight unit. Breeds on the tundra or rocky beaches at northern latitudes; winters to southern South America. Migrants are common and widespread, inland and coastal. Listen for distinctive two parted “chu-weep!” calls, and assorted chortles and chuckles.
For more information about identifying birds, we suggest the following websites:
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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Sweet Plover!