Plover ID? (1 Viewer)

[Glen Tepke]

Is this Black-bellied Plover, also known as Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) or American Golden-Plover (P. dominica)? And is it a juvenile or molting adult? The pictures were taken Nov. 1 at dusk, hence the low quality, in a farm field in Ipswich, Massachusetts, about a mile from the coast. The bright eyebrow stripe, dark ear patch and long primary projection (more visible in #479) suggest to me American G-P, though juvenile Black-bellies can have a similar facial pattern. But the bill seems too long and heavy for American, and the pattern of the belly, with the sharp vertical break between dark and white, doesn't fit either. Actually, I could not locate any illustration of either species with that underside pattern, but I suppose a Black-belly molting out of breeding plumage might look like that. Note that some of the spotting towards the rear is pale yellow/gold. We did not see the bird in flight. In this area at this time of year, Black-bellied Plovers are common, though they are usually seen on the immediate coast, while American Golden-Plovers are very uncommon, but not rare. Thanks for your thoughts. Glen

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Glen,

American Golden Plover (without a hyphen!!). The bill is too tapered and lightweight for Grey Plover, and as you point out, the primary extension too long. It also just doesn't (to me) have Grey Plover 'jizz' but does have golden plover jizz.

Michael

 

[Glen Tepke]

Thanks for the quick reply, Michael. A juvenile? BTW, the hyphen is used in the American spelling of the name. Why, I do not know. Glen

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

It looks like AGP to me as well, although I agree with you that the bill looks a bit heavy.

 

[Michael Frankis]

BTW, the hyphen is used in the American spelling of the name. Why, I do not know. Glen

Hi Glen,

Because the current AOU spelling was invented (only a few years ago, older American books don't have this barbarism) by a museum worker of the worst 'ivory tower' sort who knew nothing about the structure of the language he speaks - a silly individual's pseudo-scientific bright idea of making the vernacular name for Pluvialis different to distinguish it from Charadrius.

One of the tenets of the English language is that capitals do not follow a hyphen

Michael

 

[HH75]

Hi Glen,
Seems like a juvenile American Golden Plover,as adults often seem to keep some breeding plumage until quite late(though,having said that,I have never seen one as late as this)
Harry H