Photo: Mdf derivative work: User:Tmv23 (talk) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Piping Plover
Charadrius melodus
Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) is a member of the Charadriidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 54.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Charadriidae Plovers
- Genus Charadrius
- Species melodus
Where it lives
Inland southeastern Alberta to southwestern Ontario (south-central Canada) and Great Lakes south to eastern Colorado and northern Kansas; coastal southern Newfoundland (eastern Canada) to North Carolina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 54.4 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Charadriidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
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Near Threatened
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Piping Plover hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of coastal habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Piping Plover is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) belongs to the Charadriidae family of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA inland se Alberta to sw Ontario (sc Canada) and Great Lakes s to e Colorado and n Kansas; coastal s Newfoundland (e Canada) to North Carolina.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 54.4 g, with a wing length of about 11.5 cm and a tail of around 5 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 501,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Piping Plover?
The Piping Plover is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 54.4 g.
Where does the Piping Plover live?
The Piping Plover is found across North America with a range covering NA inland se Alberta to sw Ontario (sc Canada) and Great Lakes s to e Colorado and n Kansas; coastal s Newfoundland (e Canada) to North Carolina, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Piping Plover belong to?
The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) belongs to the Charadriidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Piping Plover eat?
The Piping Plover hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Piping Plover migrate?
The Piping Plover is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Piping Plover endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Piping Plover make?
1 real field recording of the Piping 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 Piping Plover's range?
The Piping Plover has a mapped global range of about 501,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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