Family Plovers (Charadriidae)
Least Concern
Eurasian Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Taxonomy
French: Pluvier doré German: Goldregenpfeifer Spanish: Chorlito dorado europeo
Other common names:
European Golden Plover
Taxonomy:
Charadrius apricarius
Linnaeus
, 1758,Lapland
.Owing to considerable variation within local populations and no apparent differences in measurements, validity of subspecific division regularly debated. Birds of British Is to N Germany formerly considered a separate race, oreophilos. Two subspecies normally recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution
P. a. altifrons
(C. L. Brehm, 1831) – EC Greenland, Iceland and Faeroes to N Fennoscandia, thence E to Taymyr Peninsula.
P. a. apricaria
(Linnaeus, 1758) – N British Is through W Germany, Denmark and S Fennoscandia to Baltic States.
Winters from British Is through Mediterranean to S Caspian Sea.
Descriptive notes
26–29 cm; 140–312 g; wingspan 67–76 cm. Largest and bulkiest of golden plovers, with underwing white, as opposed to brownish grey; also differs in shape and... read more
Voice
Most-frequently heard call away from breeding grounds a mellow, drawn-out, pure whistle, “puuuu”,... read more
Habitat
Race altifrons breeds in humid moss, moss-and-lichen and hummock tundra, shrub tundra,... read more
Food and feeding
Mainly invertebrate prey, especially beetles (including pupae and larvae) and earthworms; sometimes plant material, e.g. berries, seeds and... read more
Breeding
Lays late Mar to mid May in Britain, mid May to late Jul further N; also generally earlier at lower altitudes. Monogamous, with lifelong... read more
Movements
Migratory, but only partially so in Britain and Ireland, and also well known for cold spell-induced... read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Breeding population of race apricaria estimated at 1,800,000 birds (1994), and is declining; no overall population estimates... read more
Illegal trapping of Golden Plover in Malta
look at website of CABS = Comittee against Bird Slaughter
www.komitee.de