Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Semipalmated Plover
Charadrius semipalmatus
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) is a member of the Charadriidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 46.7 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 Charadrius
- Species semipalmatus
Where it lives
Inland high Arctic to extreme northeastern Russia and subarctic Alaska and Canada: eastern Chukotskiy Pen. (northeastern Russia), central, eastern Aleutian Is., all Alaskan mainland and northwestern British Columbia to Banks and Baffin is., south to western James Bay, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia (northwest to northeastern, southeastern Canada)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 46.7 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Charadriidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Semipalmated Plover hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Semipalmated Plover is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) is a species of plovers in the family Charadriidae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in North America — inland high Arctic to extreme ne Russia and subarctic Alaska and Canada: e Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Russia), c, e Aleutian Is., all Alaskan mainland and nw British Columbia to Banks and Baffin is., s to w James Bay, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia (nw to ne, se Canada).
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Semipalmated Plover?
The Semipalmated Plover is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 46.7 g.
Where does the Semipalmated Plover live?
The Semipalmated Plover is found across North America with a range covering NA inland high Arctic to extreme ne Russia and subarctic Alaska and Canada: e Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Russia), c, e Aleutian Is., all Alaskan mainland and nw British Columbia to Banks and Baffin is., s to w James Bay, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia (nw to ne, se Canada), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Semipalmated Plover belong to?
The Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) belongs to the Charadriidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Semipalmated Plover eat?
The Semipalmated Plover hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Semipalmated Plover migrate?
The Semipalmated Plover is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Semipalmated 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 Semipalmated Plover make?
1 real field recording of the Semipalmated 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 Semipalmated Plover's range?
The Semipalmated Plover has a mapped global range of about 4.9 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.
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