• Skip to Content
  • Skip to Main Navigation
  • Skip to Local Navigation
  • Skip to Search
  • Skip to Sitemap
  • Skip to Footer
Help develop a Bird ID tool!

Mountain Plover

Charadrius montanus ORDER: CHARADRIIFORMES FAMILY: CHARADRIIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Mountain Plover Photo

© Tom Johnson

A native of the short-grass prairie, the Mountain Plover is a dull-colored shorebird of open, dry areas. Despite its name, it breeds in the high tablelands, not the mountains.

Learn About Celebrate Urban Birds!
ML Essential Set

Appearance

Shorebirds
Shorebirds
Typical Voice

Adult Description

Medium-sized to large shorebird. Legs moderately long. Neck short. Bill short. Head large and rounded. Back uniform sandy brown. Underside and face white. Underside of wings white. Thin white line shows on top of wing in flight. Tail brown with dark patch near tip. Breeding adult has black forehead and black line connecting eyes to bill.

Immature Description

Similar to nonbreeding adult.

Range Map Help

Mountain Plover Range Map
View dynamic map of eBird sightings

Field MarksHelp

  • Adult
    Zoom In

    Mountain Plover

    Adult
    • © 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Pawnee National Grasslands, Colorado, July 2000

Similar Species

  • American Golden-Plover is more distinctly marked with spots on back, and lacks dark tail band and white stripe in wings.
  • Killdeer has two dark bands on chest.