Golden Plover
The European Golden Plover, also known as the Eurasian Golden Plover or just the Golden Plover within Europe, is a largish plover. It is similar to 2 other Golden Plovers: the American Golden Plover and the Pacific Golden Plover which are both smaller, slimmer and relatively longer-legged than the European Golden Plover and have grey rather than white axillary feathers.
The Golden Plover is a medium sized plover with a distinctive gold and black summer plumage. In winter the black is replaced by buff and white. It typically stands upright and runs in short bursts.
The Golden Plover breeds on the ground in a dry open area on moorland, mountains and fells, tundra and marshland in northern Europe and western Asia as far west as Iceland and as far east as central Siberia. It is migratory and winters in western and southern Europe and in north Africa where it tends to gather in large flocks in open areas and on agricultural plains, ploughed land and short meadows.
In the UK, the Golden Plover can be found from May to September on the upland moorlands in the southern uplands of Scotland, the Scottish Highlands, the Western and Northern Isles, the Peak District, north Yorkshire, Wales and Devon. Winter flocks start to appear at lower levels and around the coasts after the breeding season with the largest numbers seen between November and February when Golden Plovers often form large flocks with Lapwings.
Date: 13th June 2014
Location: Grinton Moor, Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Yorkshire
Date: 13th June 2014
Location: Grinton Moor, Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Yorkshire
The Golden Plover is a medium sized plover with a distinctive gold and black summer plumage. In winter the black is replaced by buff and white. It typically stands upright and runs in short bursts.
The Golden Plover breeds on the ground in a dry open area on moorland, mountains and fells, tundra and marshland in northern Europe and western Asia as far west as Iceland and as far east as central Siberia. It is migratory and winters in western and southern Europe and in north Africa where it tends to gather in large flocks in open areas and on agricultural plains, ploughed land and short meadows.
In the UK, the Golden Plover can be found from May to September on the upland moorlands in the southern uplands of Scotland, the Scottish Highlands, the Western and Northern Isles, the Peak District, north Yorkshire, Wales and Devon. Winter flocks start to appear at lower levels and around the coasts after the breeding season with the largest numbers seen between November and February when Golden Plovers often form large flocks with Lapwings.
Date: 13th June 2014
Location: Grinton Moor, Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Yorkshire
Date: 13th June 2014
Location: Grinton Moor, Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Yorkshire
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Also in: Plovers
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