American Golden Plover

Pluvialis dominica

Introduction

Normally a bird that migrates from North to South America, a few individuals are recorded in Britain each autumn.

Adults leave the Arctic in early summer but juveniles linger until late summer; in fact, some adults reach the wintering grounds in South America before the last juveniles have left the Arctic.

Key Stats

Status

Very rare

Weight

157.5g

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

5k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

% expansion

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

Open Close

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

Open Close

BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Fair Isle, 1956

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

Open Close

Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

Open Close

This species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

0.8%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Winter Distribution for American Golden Plover

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution for American Golden Plover

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

Distribution Change

Open Close

This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Seasonality

Open Close

American Golden Plover is a rare vagrant, typically recorded in autumn and sometimes in spring.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about American Golden Plover movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

Open Close

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

Open Close

EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for American Golden Plover, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

Open Close

Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for American Golden Plover

Classification and Codes

Open Close

Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Scientific name: Pluvialis dominica
Authority: Statius Müller, 1776

BTO 2-letter code: ID
BTO 5-letter code: AMGPL
Euring code number: 4841

Alternate species names

Open Close

Catalan: daurada americana
Czech: kulík hnedokrídlý
Danish: Amerikansk Hjejle
Dutch: Amerikaanse Goudplevier
Estonian: ameerika rüüt
Finnish: amerikankurmitsa
French: Pluvier bronzé
Gaelic: Feadag-bhuidhe

German: Prärie-Goldregenpfeifer
Hungarian: amerikai pettyeslile
Icelandic: Gulllóa
Irish: Feadóg Bhuí Mheiriceánach
Italian: Piviere americano
Latvian: zeltainais tartinš
Lithuanian: amerikinis sejikas
Norwegian: Kanadalo

Polish: siewka szara
Portuguese: batuiruçu
Slovak: kulík hnedokrídly
Slovenian: ameriška prosenka
Spanish: Chorlito dorado americano
Swedish: amerikansk tundrapipare
Welsh: Corgwtiad Aur America

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

Find a Species

Search by common or scientific name

Or view the alphabetical list of UK bird species