Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus)

Order: Charadriiformes   | Family: Charadriidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

snowy-plover
Age: Adult |  Sex: Male | Loc. Paracas, Ica

snowy-plover
Age: Adult |  Sex: Male | Loc. Paracas, Ica

snowy-plover
Age: Adult |  Sex: Male | Loc. Paracas, Ica

snowy-plover
Age: Adult |  Sex: Female | Loc. Paracas, Ica

Identification & Behavior: ~16 cm (6.2 in). The Snowy Plover has gray upperparts and top of the head. The forehead and underparts are white. The male has a black forecrown stripe, black stripe behind the eye, and an incomplete black breast band. The same markings on the female are less saturated. Both sexes have gray legs. It is distinguished from other plovers by having a paler coloration, gray legs, and incomplete breast band, but see Collared Plover and Semipalmated Plover.

Status: The Snowy Plover is fairly common along sandy beaches in the western lowlands. It also occurs in Co, Ec, and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Chorlo Nevado.

Sub-species: Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus occidentalis), Cabanis 1872.

Meaning of Name: Charadrius= A yellowish bird mentioned in the Vulgate Bible. nivosus: snowy.

See more of the Family Charadriidae   peru aves

Distribution Map
snowy ploverVoice

References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 01/01/2015.