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Piping Plover

Charadrius melodus

Near Threatened
Wingspan
23.1 cm
Weight
53.4 g
Family
Charadriidae
Order
Charadriiformes

About

Piping Plover: 17–18 cm, pale sandy-gray plover with an incomplete breast-band, orange legs, and yellow-orange bill. Breeds on Atlantic beaches, Great Lakes shores, and Great Plains rivers of North America. Critically threatened by beach disturbance; listed as Near Threatened globally. Winters on Gulf and Atlantic coasts. NT.

Physical Description

Measurement Value Imperial
Wingspan 23.1 cm 9.1 in
Weight 53.4 g 1.88 oz

Habitat & Range

Conservation Status

Near Threatened
IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 25-28 days. Fledging: 25-30 days.

Clutch Size

4

Taxonomy

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes (Shorebirds & Gulls)
Family Charadriidae (Plovers & Lapwings)
Genus Charadrius
Species Charadrius melodus

Distribution

Piping Plover has been recorded in 3 countries.

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Present Not recorded
{# Simplified country/region shapes — major landmasses with ISO alpha-2 data attributes. These are simplified polygon representations for visual distribution display. #}

countries highlighted

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Piping Plover endangered?
The Piping Plover has a conservation status of Near Threatened.
How does the Piping Plover nest?
Nest type: SC. Incubation: 25-28 days. Fledging: 25-30 days.
How big is the Piping Plover?
The Piping Plover has a wingspan of 23.1 cm, weight of 53.4 g.
What order and family does the Piping Plover belong to?
The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) belongs to the order Charadriiformes and the family Charadriidae.

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