Western snowy plover

E544977

bird shorebird subspecies

The Western snowy plover is a small, pale shorebird of North America's Pacific and Gulf coasts that nests on sandy beaches and dunes and is considered a conservation-sensitive species due to habitat loss and disturbance.

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Observed surface forms (2)

Surface form	Occurrences
snowy plover	2
western snowy plover	1

Statements (61)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	bird ⓘ shorebird ⓘ subspecies ⓘ
billColor	black ⓘ
bodyLength	approximately 15–17 centimeters ⓘ
bodyMass	approximately 30–50 grams ⓘ
breedingSeason	generally March through September on Pacific coast ⓘ
breedsIn	Gulf coast of North America NERFINISHED ⓘ Pacific coast of North America NERFINISHED ⓘ inland saline lakes and alkali flats in western North America ⓘ
class	Aves ⓘ
clutchSize	typically 2–3 eggs ⓘ
commonName	Pacific coast snowy plover ⓘ Western snowy plover NERFINISHED ⓘ
conservationConcern	habitat loss ⓘ human disturbance ⓘ predation on nests and chicks ⓘ recreational beach use ⓘ
diet	crustaceans ⓘ insects ⓘ marine worms ⓘ small invertebrates ⓘ
eggAppearance	speckled eggs that blend with sand and pebbles ⓘ
family	Charadriidae NERFINISHED ⓘ
foragingBehavior	runs and pauses to pick prey from sand or wrack line ⓘ
genus	Charadrius NERFINISHED ⓘ
habitat	coastal sand dunes ⓘ dry alkaline lakeshores ⓘ salt flats ⓘ sandy ocean beaches ⓘ
hasConservationStatus	threatened (U.S. Pacific coast population) ⓘ
isListedUnder	U.S. Endangered Species Act (Pacific coast population) NERFINISHED ⓘ
kingdom	Animalia ⓘ
legColor	dark gray to black ⓘ
managementAction	predator control in key breeding sites ⓘ public education about sharing the beach with plovers ⓘ seasonal beach closures around nesting areas ⓘ symbolic fencing and signage to protect nests ⓘ
migrationPattern	partially migratory ⓘ some coastal populations are resident year-round ⓘ
nestingSite	open sandy beaches above the high-tide line ⓘ sparsely vegetated coastal dunes ⓘ
nestType	shallow scrape on the ground ⓘ
nonBreedingRange	Baja California NERFINISHED ⓘ Central America (Pacific coast) NERFINISHED ⓘ Pacific coast of Mexico NERFINISHED ⓘ
parentalCare	both sexes incubate eggs ⓘ males often tend chicks after hatching ⓘ
parentTaxon	snowy plover NERFINISHED ⓘ
phylum	Chordata ⓘ
plumage	dark patches on sides of neck in breeding plumage ⓘ pale sandy gray-brown upperparts ⓘ white underparts ⓘ
scientificName	Charadrius nivosus nivosus NERFINISHED ⓘ
taxonRank	subspecies ⓘ
threat	beach driving ⓘ beach raking and grooming ⓘ coastal development ⓘ dogs off leash on beaches ⓘ increased human presence during breeding season ⓘ
wingspan	approximately 35–40 centimeters ⓘ

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, California → habitatFor → Western snowy plover ⓘ

subject surface form: Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge → protectsSpecies → Western snowy plover ⓘ

this entity surface form: western snowy plover

Kentish plover → similarTo → Western snowy plover ⓘ

this entity surface form: snowy plover

Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge → supportsSpecies → Western snowy plover ⓘ

this entity surface form: snowy plover