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Difference between revisions of "Wilson's Plover" - BirdForum Opus

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;[[:Category:Charadrius|Charadrius]] wilsonia
 
;[[:Category:Charadrius|Charadrius]] wilsonia
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[[Image:Wilsons_Plover.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|NIGHTJAR1|NIGHTJAR1}}<br />New Providence, [[Bahamas]], June 2005]]
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[[Image:Wilsons_Plover.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by NIGHTJAR 1<br />Photo taken: New providence, Bahamas.]]
 
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==Description==
 
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This bird was named after the Scottish-American ornithologist Alexander Wilson.
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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This is a small plover at 17-20cm. The adult's upper parts are mainly dark grey, with a short white wing bar and white tail sides. The underparts are white except for a breast band, and the legs are pink, brighter when breeding. The dark bill is large and heavy for a plover of this size. The call is a high weak whistle.
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17-20cm<br />
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'''Adult'''
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The breeding male has a black breast band, lores and forecrown, and a rufous mask. Females and non-breeding males have a similar plumage, but the black of the breeding male is replaced by brown or rufous. Non-breeders have a greyer tint to the head and breast band.
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*Upper parts mostly dark grey
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*Short white wing bar
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Immature birds are similar to the female, but the breast band is often incomplete.
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*White tail sides
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*White underparts apart from breast band
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*Legs are pink, brighter when breeding
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*Bill is dark (larger and heavier than similar-sized plovers) <br />
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'''Breeding male'''
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*Black breast band, lores and forecrown
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*Rufous mask<br />
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'''Female''' and '''non-breeding male''' are similar but have brown or rufous backs. Non-breeding birds have a greyer tinge on the head and breast band<br />
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'''Immature''' birds: similar to the female, however the breast band is not always complete
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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Wilson's Plover is a coastal wader which breeds on both coasts of the Americas from the equator northwards. Its range extends north to include much of the U.S. eastern coast, and the west coast of Mexico in the west.
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[[North America|North]], [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]]<br />
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Breeds on both coasts of [[North America]]. The range includes much of the eastern coast, and the west coast of [[Mexico]].
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A partial migrant. Some birds winter in [[Florida]], the rest move south to [[Brazil]] and [[Peru]]
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==Taxonomy==
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====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>====
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There are 3 subspecies:
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*''C. w. wilsonia'' :
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:*Coastal eastern [[US]] to [[Belize]] and [[West Indies]]; winters to eastern [[Brazil]]
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*''C. w. beldingi'':
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:*Pacific coast of [[Baja California]] to southern [[Peru]]
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*''C. w. cinnamominus'':
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:*[[Colombia]] to [[French Guiana]]; winters to [[Netherlands Antilles]]
  
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It is a partial migrant. Birds leave the United States, except Florida winter south to Brazil. Some Mexican birds leave in winter to reach Peru.
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An additional subspecies ''rufinucha'' is not recognized by all authorities<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>
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==Taxonomy==
 
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''Charadrius wilsonia'' has four subspecies:
 
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*''C. w. wilsonia'';
 
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*''C. w. beldingi'';
 
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*''C. w. cinnamominus''; and
 
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*''C. w. rufinucha''.
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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This strictly coastal plover nests on a bare scrape on sandy beaches or sandbars.
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Sandbars and sandy beaches.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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Wilson's Plovers forage for food on beaches, usually by sight, moving slowly across the beach. They have a liking for crabs, but will also eat insects and marine worms.
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====Diet====
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They move slowly when feeding. The diet consists mostly of crabs, insects and marine worms.
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====Breeding====
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The nest is a bare scrape
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====Vocalisation====
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The call is a high weak whistle.
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug11}}#Wikipedia
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Charadrius+wilsonia}}
 
{{GSearch|Charadrius+wilsonia}}
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Charadrius]]
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<br />
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{{Video|Wilson's_Plover}}
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[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Charadrius]] [[Category:Videos]]

Revision as of 18:48, 10 January 2012

Charadrius wilsonia
Photo by NIGHTJAR1
New Providence, Bahamas, June 2005

Identification

17-20cm
Adult

  • Upper parts mostly dark grey
  • Short white wing bar
  • White tail sides
  • White underparts apart from breast band
  • Legs are pink, brighter when breeding
  • Bill is dark (larger and heavier than similar-sized plovers)

Breeding male

  • Black breast band, lores and forecrown
  • Rufous mask

Female and non-breeding male are similar but have brown or rufous backs. Non-breeding birds have a greyer tinge on the head and breast band
Immature birds: similar to the female, however the breast band is not always complete

Distribution

North, Central and South America
Breeds on both coasts of North America. The range includes much of the eastern coast, and the west coast of Mexico. A partial migrant. Some birds winter in Florida, the rest move south to Brazil and Peru

Taxonomy

Subspecies1

There are 3 subspecies:

  • C. w. wilsonia :
  • C. w. beldingi:
  • C. w. cinnamominus:

An additional subspecies rufinucha is not recognized by all authorities1

Habitat

Sandbars and sandy beaches.

Behaviour

Diet

They move slowly when feeding. The diet consists mostly of crabs, insects and marine worms.

Breeding

The nest is a bare scrape

Vocalisation

The call is a high weak whistle.

References

  1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
  2. Wikipedia

Recommended Citation

External Links


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