# Pacific Golden Plover (*Pluvialis fulva*) The Pacific Golden Plover is a beautiful bird with golden spots on its back. It loves to run along sandy beaches and can fly long distances to find food and warm places. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Pacific Golden Plover](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pluvialis_fulva_-Bering_Land_Bridge_National_Preserve%252C_Alaska%252C_USA-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pluvialis_fulva_-Bering_Land_Bridge_National_Preserve%252C_Alaska%252C_USA-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Pacific Golden Plover has a distinctive upright stance and medium-sized body. In breeding season, it boasts a striking black belly and face, sharply contrasted by a white stripe and golden-spotted back. During winter, its plumage becomes a duller, mottled golden-brown overall. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Charadriidae - **Genus:** Pluvialis ## Interesting facts - Baby plovers leave the nest and find their own food just hours after hatching! - Pacific Golden Plovers drum their feet to trick worms into coming to the surface! - These amazing birds can fly from Alaska to Hawaii non-stop in just days! - They return to the exact same nesting and wintering spots every single year. ## Special abilities - **Migration Master:** Pacific Golden Plover can fly non-stop for thousands of miles across oceans due to specialized endurance and efficient flight. - **Camouflage Champion:** Pacific Golden Plover has cryptic plumage that helps it blend perfectly with rocky and grassy tundra environments. - **Keen Forager:** Pacific Golden Plover can quickly spot and snatch small invertebrates from the ground because of its sharp eyesight. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 23-26 cm - **Wingspan:** 46-53 cm - **Weight:** 0.12-0.19 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 26-27 days - **Migration Distance:** 12000 km ## Diet & Feeding These birds mostly eat tiny insects and other small creatures found in the soil and shallow water. - **Primary Foods:** Beetles, Flies, Earthworms, Spiders, Crustaceans, Berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Preys on eggs and chicks. - **Eaten by:** Parasitic Jaeger (*Stercorarius parasiticus*) — Predator of plovers and their young. - **Eats:** Common Earthworm (*Lumbricus terrestris*) — A primary food source. - **Eats:** Brine Shrimp (*Artemia salina*) — Consumes small crustaceans. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [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. - [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 catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pacific Golden 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 Pacific Golden Plover? 23-26 cm ### What is Pacific Golden Plover's wingspan? 46-53 cm ### How much does Pacific Golden Plover weigh? 0.12-0.19 kg ### How long does Pacific Golden Plover live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Pacific Golden Plover move? 80 km/h ### What does Pacific Golden Plover eat? These birds mostly eat tiny insects and other small creatures found in the soil and shallow water. ### Where is Pacific Golden Plover usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Allerton Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/allerton-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Chinatown](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chinatown) — Hawaii, US · Neighborhood - [Foster Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/foster-botanical-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Hawaii Capital Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hawaii-capital-historic-district) — Hawaii, US · Historic District - [Hickam Air Force Base](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hickam-air-force-base) — Hawaii, US · Historic Site - [Kawai Nui Marsh](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kawai-nui-marsh) — Hawaii, US · Park [View all places to see Pacific Golden Plover](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pacific-golden-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: [Pacific Golden Plover: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-golden-plover)