Western Snowy Plover. The snowy plover is a small, sparrow-sized shorebird in the family Charadriidae. It is pale gray-brown above and white below, with a white hind neck collar and dark lateral breast patches, forehead bar, and eye patches. The bill and legs are blackish. In breeding plumage, males usually have black markings on the head and breast; in females, usually one or more of these markings are dark brown. Early in the breeding season, a rufous crown is evident on breeding males, but not on females. In nonbreeding plumage, sexes cannot be distinguished because the breeding markings
Western Snowy Plover. The snowy plover is a small, sparrow-sized shorebird in the family Charadriidae. It is pale gray-brown above and white below, with a white hind neck collar and dark lateral breast patches, forehead bar, and eye patches. The bill and legs are blackish. In breeding plumage, males usually have black markings on the head and breast; in females, usually one or more of these markings are dark brown. Early in the breeding season, a rufous crown is evident on breeding males, but not on females. In nonbreeding plumage, sexes cannot be distinguished because the breeding markings disappear. Fledged juveniles have white edges on their wing coverts and scapulars and can be distinguished from adults until approximately July through October, depending on when the eggs hatch. During this period, molt and feather wear makes fledged juveniles indistinguishable from adults. ().
Size: 1754px × 1140px
Photo credit: © Natural History Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: animal, animals, archive, conservation, conserve, education, fauna, fish, flora, habitat, history, image, learning, management, natural, nature, plover, preservation, preserve, record, reference, refuge, service, snowy, states, united, usfws, western, wildlife, world
