Snowy Plover (Birds of Alabama)

Snowy Plover

Charadrius nivosus

Summary ⁷

The Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus) is a small wader in the plover bird family. It breeds in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, the southern and western USA and the Caribbean. Although it was long considered to be a subspecies of the Kentish Plover, recent genetic research strongly suggests it should be regarded as a distinct species, and both the American Ornithologists' Union and the International Ornithological Congress recognise it as such.

Taxon biology ⁸

Kentish plovers used to breed in Kent England, but not only do they no longer breed in Kent, they don't even breed in England. They are small waders found in salty or brackish terrains. They run back and forth among washed up material, in search of snails, small worms and insects. They nest on bare open grounds, preferably covered with shells. Being left alone is an absolute must, which makes them very susceptible to disturbances from beach recreation and dogs. They have been declining in number since 1990.