Snowy Plover

About the Snowy Plover

The Snowy Plover is a small wading bird found in parts of North and South America. It is closely related to the Kentish Plover; the two species were once considered the same (and some taxonomic references still consider them so).

Snowy Plovers grow up fast! Baby Snowy Plovers leave their nest scrape within three hours of hatching, though they remain with their parents for shelter and safety. They take their first flight around 30 days after hatching.

Beachfront development negatively impacts Snowy Plover populations, as this species is a dune and beach nesting species. They also face threats from fishing debris (discarded nets and lines) and environmental toxins like pesticides. The species is considered threatened by several states in the U.S., including Oregon, Florida, and Kansas.

Snowy Plover Find cute products & gifts with our Birdorable Snowy Plover
Shop Now

Details & Statistics

Added to Birdorable
Hatched on 27 November 2008
Scientific Name
Charadrius nivosus
  • Charadriiformes
  • Charadriidae
  • Charadrius
  • C. nivosus
Birdorable Family
Conservation Status
Near Threatened (as of 8 April 2020)
NT
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Near Threatened (NT)
  • Vulnerable (VU)
  • Endangered (EN)
  • Critically Endangered (CR)
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW)
  • Extinct (EX)
Source: IUCN Red List
Measurements
Units: Imperial / Metric
5.9 to 6.7 inches
13.4 inches
1.2 to 2 ounces

Range

Conservation

From IUCN Red List:
The Snowy Plover is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and was last assessed in 2014 by BirdLife International. This newly-split plover seems to have declined rapidly in parts of its range, although the population may have remained stable in others. Overall a moderately rapid population decline is suspected, owing to the effects of habitat loss and degradation, and disturbance to nesting sites. The species is therefore listed as Near Threatened.

International Names

Chinese (汉语) 环颈鸻
Czech (Cesky) Kulík Mořský
Danish (Dansk) Hvidbrystet Præstekrave
Dutch (Nederlands) Strandplevier
Finnish (Suomi) Mustajalkatylli
French (Français) Pluvier à Collier Interrompu
German (Deutsch) Seeregenpfeifer
Italian (Italiano) Fratino
Japanese (日本語) シロチドリ (Shirochidori)
Korean (한국어) 흰물떼새 (Huinmulttesae)
Norwegian (Norsk) Hvitbrystlo
Polish (Polski) Sieweczka Morska
Russian (русский язык) Морской зуек
Spanish (Español) Frailecillo Blanco
Swedish (Svenska) Svartbent Strandpipare
More Products

Cute gifts with this bird

Related articles & downloads

The Snowy Plover

The Snowy Plover

One of the latest birds we added at Birdorable is the Snowy Plover. There are five separate races of Snowy Plovers throughout the world. The one in Europe is known as the ... more
Snowy Plover Coloring Page

Snowy Plover Coloring Page

The Snowy Plover is a small species of shorebird found across parts of the New World. The plumage of the Snowy Plover ranges from pale tan on the back to white underparts ... more
Baby Birdorable: Snowy Plover

Baby Birdorable: Snowy Plover

If you think our Birdorable birds are cute as adults, what about when they are babies? Below are some baby photos (shared via Flickr) of the Snowy Plover. Snowy Plovers are ground-nesting ... more