Bird of the Week – Pacific Golden Plover
Until 1993, American and Pacific Golden Plovers were thought to be one species. In that year, the Bird Gods – the American Ornithological Union – split them.
Pacific Golden Plover, Gambell, St. Lawrence Island
In breeding plumage, it’s pretty easy to tell them apart: the Pacific’s white stripe extends all the way down the side, where the American Golden Plover’s ends at the shoulder. If you’ve been to Hawai’i, you’ve seen these birds on the lawns and golf courses. They are distinctly more approachable there than breeding territory.
Pacific Golden Plovers are awesome migrants. They fly directly from Hawai’i to Alaska, for example; nonstop. The next time your legs feel cramped after a long airline flight, think of the Plover, flying there and under their own power, without stopping, every year.
For more bird photos, please visit Frozen Feather Images.