Snowy Plover Similar Species Comparison
Similar Species
Piping Plover
Breeding adult
Piping Plovers have a shorter, orange-based bill (during breeding) than Snowy Plovers. Piping Plovers have yellow legs while Snowy Plovers have dark legs.
© Gates Dupont | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, June 04, 2015Similar Species
Piping Plover
Juvenile
Juvenile Piping Plovers have a stubbier bill and yellow (not dark) legs compared to Snowy Plovers.
© Sue Barth | Macaulay LibraryNew York, August 15, 2016Similar Species
Piping Plover
Adult
In flight, Piping Ploverss have a white band on the tail, but Snowies have white outer tail feathers.
© Tom Johnson | Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, August 03, 2016Similar Species
Semipalmated Plover
Nonbreeding adult
Semipalmated Plovers are darker brown overall than Snowy Plovers with a thicker and more obvious breastband in nonbreeding plumage. The legs are yellow on Semipalmated but dark on Snowy Plovers.
© Daniel Jauvin | Macaulay LibraryQuebec, October 01, 2016Similar Species
Semipalmated Plover
Juvenile
Juvenile Semipalmated Plovers are darker brown overall than Snowy Plovers with a more obvious breast band.
© Alix d'Entremont | Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, August 27, 2014Similar Species
Wilson's Plover
Nonbreeding adult
Wilson's Plovers are darker brown overall and have a longer and chunkier bill than Snowy Plovers.
© Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryGeorgia, September 28, 2016Similar Species
Wilson's Plover
Breeding adult
Wilson's Plovers are darker brown overall and have a longer and chunkier bill than Snowy Plovers.
© Chris Wood | Macaulay LibraryFlorida, April 23, 2007Similar Species
Semipalmated Plover
Breeding adult
Semipalmated Plovers are darker brown overall than Snowy Plovers with a thicker breast band.
© Ross Gallardy | Macaulay LibraryIllinois, June 11, 2016Similar Species
Sanderling
Nonbreeding adult
Nonbreeding Sanderlings have a longer bill and are grayer overall than Snowy Plovers.
© Ryan Schain | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 16, 2014Similar Species
Killdeer
Adult
Killdeers are larger than Snowy Plovers with a longer, thinner bill and 2 dark breast bands instead of 1.
© Davey Walters | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, May 27, 2016Main Species
Snowy Plover
Breeding adult
Small shorebird with a horizontal posture and a short neck. Breeding adults have a black crown stripe, a dark ear patch, and a black patch on the side of the neck. Pale sandy gray above and white below. Bill is black in all seasons.
© Sharif Uddin | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, May 16, 2020Nonbreeding/immature
Nonbreeding birds lack the dark crown stripe and have a paler neck stripe. Sandy gray above and white below with a black bill and gray legs.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 12, 2013Nonbreeding adult
Rests and forages on the higher parts of the beach with loose sand. Often hunkers down in depressions in the sand to rest.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 12, 2013Not all videos have sound
Nonbreeding/immature
Small shorebird with a horizontal posture and a short, black bill. The facial marks on nonbreeding birds are paler. Note gray legs.
© Collin Stempien | Macaulay LibraryAlabama, November 05, 2018Breeding adult
Some breeding birds show a darker ear patch in addition to the black crown and neck stripe. The bill is dark in all seasons.
© Darren Clark | Macaulay LibraryIdaho, April 24, 2020Breeding adult
Breeds on sparsely vegetated sandy beaches and lake shores.
© Luke SeitzCalifornia, March 25, 2013Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Plovers and Lapwings(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Charadriidae)
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