Piping Plover

Yellow-footed Plover ( Charadrius melodus )

The Yellow-footed Plover ( Charadrius melodus ) is a species of bird in the family of plovers ( Charadriidae ).

Description

The Yellow-footed plover is a sand-colored shorebird. The adult bird has yellow- orange legs, a black band on the forehead between the eyes and a black ring around the neck. As with most plovers food intake takes place in a rhythm that consists of a fast running, a sudden stop and a pecking. If it is still, it is hard to recognize him, because his plumage color differs little from its habitat.

Habitat

The Yellow-footed plover lives on sand and gravel beaches of the Atlantic and on the shores of the Great Lakes in west-central Canada and the United States. From November to March (winter time) the migratory bird has its winter quarters on the Gulf of Mexico, the southern coast of the United States to the West Indies.

Nutrition

On the menu of the Yellow-footed plovers are worms, insects, larvae and crustaceans.

Others

The Yellow-footed plover is threatened by the loss of its habitats and human activities in the vicinity. Some particularly threatened nesting sites on the east coast of Canada are now protected. Since 1985 he belongs to endangered species in Canada.

Swell