Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
European Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricaria
European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) is a member of the Charadriidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 214 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Charadriidae Plovers
- Genus Pluvialis
- Species apricaria
Where it lives
Inland low Arctic (mainly) to temperate zone: east-central Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Is., British Isles, northern Germany and Denmark, Fennoscandia, Baltic east to Taimyr Pen. (north-central Russia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 214 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Charadriidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The European Golden Plover is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The European Golden Plover is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) is a species of bird in the Charadriidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL inland low Arctic (mainly) to temperate zone: ec Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Is., British Isles, n Germany and Denmark, Fennoscandia, Baltic e to Taimyr Pen. (nc Russia).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 214 g, with a wing length of about 18.1 cm and a tail of around 7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the European Golden Plover?
The European Golden Plover is a large bird that weighs around 214 g.
Where does the European Golden Plover live?
The European Golden Plover is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL inland low Arctic (mainly) to temperate zone: ec Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Is., British Isles, n Germany and Denmark, Fennoscandia, Baltic e to Taimyr Pen. (nc Russia), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the European Golden Plover belong to?
The European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) belongs to the Charadriidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the European Golden Plover eat?
The European Golden Plover is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the European Golden Plover migrate?
The European Golden Plover is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the European Golden Plover endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the European Golden Plover make?
1 real field recording of the European Golden Plover — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the European Golden Plover's range?
The European Golden Plover has a mapped global range of about 3.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Charadriidae
Extinct
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Shorebirds
Near Threatened
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened