Semipalmated Plover Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesSemipalmated Plover
Breeding adult
Small shorebird with a round head and a stubby bill. Breeding birds have orange at the base of the bill and a black crown, eye patch, and breast band. Note yellow legs.
© Darren Clark / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, May 01, 2019Nonbreeding adult
Small shorebird with a round head and a stubby bill. Nonbreeding birds have a brown (instead of black) crown, breast band, and eyepatch.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, October 01, 2016Breeding adult
Plump shorebird with a short neck and round head. Note single dark band on chest and fairly small, orange-and-black bill.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 25, 2013Not all videos have sound
Breeding adult
In flight, note brown tail with a darker tip (a common pattern among plovers) and long wings.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, July 31, 2019Juvenile
Juveniles look like adults but have paler collar and facial markings.
© Alix d'Entremont / Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, August 27, 2014Breeding adult
Small shorebird with a round head and a stubby bill. Note that the breast band goes all the way around the breast.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, June 01, 2015Breeding adult
Walks or runs with its head up. Stops and tilts forward to pick invertebrates from the ground. Note yellow legs and solid black breast band.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, August 10, 2016Habitat
Found on mudflats, estuaries, lagoons, ponds, lakeshores, agricultural ponds, and beaches during migration and the winter months.
© Brooke Miller / Macaulay LibraryTexas, February 21, 2017Similar SpeciesPiping Plover
Breeding adult
Piping Plovers are paler overall than Semipalmated Plovers, with a narrower and incomplete breast band.
© Gates Dupont / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, June 04, 2015Similar SpeciesPiping Plover
Juvenile
Juvenile Piping Plovers are paler and do not have a complete dark breast band like juvenile Semipalmated Plovers.
© Sue Barth / Macaulay LibraryNew York, August 15, 2016Similar SpeciesPiping Plover
Adult
In flight, Piping Plovers look much paler and have a white band across the top of the tail. Semipalmated Plovers have a darker brown tail.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, August 03, 2016Similar SpeciesWilson's Plover
Breeding adult
Wilson's Plovers have a longer bill than Semipalmated Plovers. They also have beige legs while all plumages of Semipalmated Plovers have yellow legs.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, April 23, 2007Similar SpeciesSnowy Plover
Nonbreeding adult
Snowy Plovers are paler overall than Semipalmated Plovers and do not have a complete breast band like Semipalmated Plovers.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 12, 2013Similar SpeciesSnowy Plover
Breeding adult
Snowy Plovers are paler overall than Semipalmated Plovers and do not have a complete breast band like Semipalmated Plovers.
© Sam Heinrich / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, February 17, 2016Similar SpeciesKilldeer
Adult
Killdeer are larger than Semipalmated Plovers with two breast bands instead of one.
© Davey Walters / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, May 27, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Plovers and Lapwings(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Charadriidae)
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