golden plover
Pluvialis apricaria

numbers of European importance

Compare with:
grey plover

Key facts

Medium sized plover, black and gold in summer, gold and white in winter

Habitat: moors, heaths, fields and marshes

Winter visitor to S. Britain; breeds in Iceland and N. Britain

Recognition

Summer: gold-spangled upperparts, black from face to belly; winter: gold upperparts, white below; short bill

Feeds in a slow manner, a few steps then feeding; often in substantial flocks

Eats worms and insects

Lifecycle

Nest is a scrape on ground

1 Brood April – June ; 4 eggs buff blotched black

golden plover
owner

Other photos:
flock | original