Piping Plover
Photo: Mdf derivative work: User:Tmv23 (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0

Plovers and Lapwings

Piping Plover

Charadrius melodus

NTNear Threatened
Family
Plovers and Lapwings (Charadriidae)
Order
Charadriiformes

Overview

The piping plover (Charadrius melodus) is a small, sand-colored shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange-red legs, a black band across the forehead from eye to eye, and a black stripe running along the breast line. This chest band is usually thicker in males during the breeding season, and it is the only reliable way to tell the sexes apart. The bird is difficult to see when it is standing still, as it blends well with open, sandy beach habitats.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.