facts about the snowy plover
By zteve t evans
The Snowy plover and the Kentish plover were once regarded as different varieties of the same species but now DNA evidence has shown that they are in fact two.
Dr Clemens Küpper, from the University of Bath's Department of Biology & Biochemistry says, "Although they look similar, for them to have stayed as a single species they would have had to be able to breed with each other, but this wasn't possible because they were separated by thousands of miles of water!
For the first time we’ve shown that these birds have been separated for a long time and evolved in different directions.”
Two Subspecies
There are two recognised subspecies the Snowy plover in North America; the Western snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrius nivosus) and the Cuban snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus tenuirostris).
Locations
The Western snowy plover breeds west of the Rocky Mountains while the Cuban snowy plover is located on the Gulf Coast from western parts of Florida to parts of Texas. The preferred locations of Snowy plovers are lagoons, beaches and flats on sparsely vegetated coastlines. They also have a few inland colonies in North America in Saskatchewan, Texas and California.
Description
The adult Snowy plover is a small sparrow sized shorebird with moderately long legs which are dark in colour. They have a short neck with a back that is pale tan in colour and their under parts are white. There are dark patches to the neck which continue round on to the breast. Immature Snowy plovers are similar to non-breeding adults but on their backs the feathers have a pale edging.
For the first time we’ve shown that these birds have been separated for a long time and evolved in different directions.”
Two Subspecies
There are two recognised subspecies the Snowy plover in North America; the Western snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrius nivosus) and the Cuban snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus tenuirostris).
Locations
The Western snowy plover breeds west of the Rocky Mountains while the Cuban snowy plover is located on the Gulf Coast from western parts of Florida to parts of Texas. The preferred locations of Snowy plovers are lagoons, beaches and flats on sparsely vegetated coastlines. They also have a few inland colonies in North America in Saskatchewan, Texas and California.
Description
The adult Snowy plover is a small sparrow sized shorebird with moderately long legs which are dark in colour. They have a short neck with a back that is pale tan in colour and their under parts are white. There are dark patches to the neck which continue round on to the breast. Immature Snowy plovers are similar to non-breeding adults but on their backs the feathers have a pale edging.
Breeding
These plovers build their nest on the ground in the open. It is not unusual for their clutches to be damaged or destroyed by human activity, weather or predators. This can happen 5-6 times in some areas but they make new nests and start again and may have two or even three broods in a long breeding season. When nests are damaged the females often leave when the chicks hatch to try and breed with other males.
Within three hours of hatching the young are ready to leave the nest. If a parent signals the presence of predators the young birds will flatten themselves to the ground to make it more difficult to be seen. Although they are capable of swimming, walking and running and foraging for food without parental help they still require regular brooding for a number of days after hatching.
Diet
They are small wading birds and forage in the water as well as on shore. Snowy plovers eat mainly soft invertebrates, small crustaceans and small insects.
Population and Conservation
The Snowy plover population in the USA is estimated to be 21,000 individuals and the numbers for the rest of North America are unknown all though thought to be to be sparse. It is known that the population along the US Pacific and Gulf are diminishing because of human activity such as increasing recreational use of beaches and pollution. The US Fish and Wildlife Service now designate the Snowy plover population along the Pacific coast as Threatened.
© date zteve t evans
These plovers build their nest on the ground in the open. It is not unusual for their clutches to be damaged or destroyed by human activity, weather or predators. This can happen 5-6 times in some areas but they make new nests and start again and may have two or even three broods in a long breeding season. When nests are damaged the females often leave when the chicks hatch to try and breed with other males.
Within three hours of hatching the young are ready to leave the nest. If a parent signals the presence of predators the young birds will flatten themselves to the ground to make it more difficult to be seen. Although they are capable of swimming, walking and running and foraging for food without parental help they still require regular brooding for a number of days after hatching.
Diet
They are small wading birds and forage in the water as well as on shore. Snowy plovers eat mainly soft invertebrates, small crustaceans and small insects.
Population and Conservation
The Snowy plover population in the USA is estimated to be 21,000 individuals and the numbers for the rest of North America are unknown all though thought to be to be sparse. It is known that the population along the US Pacific and Gulf are diminishing because of human activity such as increasing recreational use of beaches and pollution. The US Fish and Wildlife Service now designate the Snowy plover population along the Pacific coast as Threatened.
© date zteve t evans
References and Attributions
Copyright October 27, 2009 zteve t evans
Copyright October 27, 2009 zteve t evans