# Black-bellied Plover (*Pluvialis squatarola*) The Black-bellied Plover is a beautiful bird with a black belly and a white chest. It loves to run along the beach and hunt for tasty little crabs and worms in the sand. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Black-bellied Plover](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pluvialis_squatarola_%28summer_plumage%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pluvialis_squatarola_%28summer_plumage%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Black-bellied Plover has a distinctive breeding plumage of a black face, neck, and belly contrasting with a white stripe and mottled grey-black back. Non-breeding birds are duller grey-brown overall, making them blend with coastal sands. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Charadriidae - **Genus:** Pluvialis ## Interesting facts - Black-bellied Plovers are the largest of North America's plover species. - Their distinct "plee-ooo-eee" call sounds like they're saying their own name! - These plovers can live surprisingly long, often reaching over 20 years old! - They often vibrate their feet on mudflats to make hidden prey pop up! ## Special abilities - **Arctic Survivor:** Black-bellied Plover can breed in the harsh Arctic tundra, adapting to extreme cold conditions. - **Visual Hunter:** Black-bellied Plover can hunt by sight, using its "run-stop-peck" strategy to spot small prey. - **Feather Shift:** Black-bellied Plover has special feathers that change from dull gray to striking black and white for breeding. - **Global Wanderer:** Black-bellied Plover can migrate thousands of kilometers, flying between Arctic breeding grounds and tropical coasts. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 27-30 cm - **Wingspan:** 71-83 cm - **Weight:** 0.17-0.31 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Speed:** 90 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 26-28 days - **Migration Distance:** 10000 km ## Diet & Feeding Eats small invertebrates like worms, crabs, and insects found in mud and sand. - **Primary Foods:** Polychaete worms, Small crabs, Mollusks, Insect larvae, Beetles - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Hunts adult plovers during migration. - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Preys on eggs and chicks in Arctic tundra. - **Eats:** Ragworm (*Nereis virens*) — Forages for these common marine worms in mudflats. - **Eats:** Green Crab (*Carcinus maenas*) — Consumes small crabs in coastal estuaries. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black-bellied Plover? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Black-bellied Plover? 27-30 cm ### What is Black-bellied Plover's wingspan? 71-83 cm ### How much does Black-bellied Plover weigh? 0.17-0.31 kg ### How long does Black-bellied Plover live? 15-20 years ### How fast can Black-bellied Plover move? 90 km/h ### What does Black-bellied Plover eat? Eats small invertebrates like worms, crabs, and insects found in mud and sand. ### Where is Black-bellied Plover usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-coast-guard-station) — US · Historic Site - [New York Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/new-york-aquarium-new-york) — New York, US · Aquarium - [Cape Lookout Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-village-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District - [Fort De Soto Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-de-soto-park) — US · Nature Reserve - [Fort Miles](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-miles) — Delaware, US · Historic Site - [Fort Supply](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-supply) — Oklahoma, US · Historic Site [View all places to see Black-bellied Plover](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/black-bellied-plover) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Black-bellied Plover: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-bellied-plover)