This stunning quail-sized bird's identifying traits are its contrasting black face, neck and underparts with a mantle and back, of lovely patchwork gold and brown. Finally, a bold, white stripe runs from its forehead down the side of the neck to the breast.
This plover breeds in dry rocky tundra with little vegetation, from Arctic Alaska east to Manitoba.
Calls or song.
Flight call is a whistled "pleE-dle" or "quee-lee-la"
Population and distribution.
The American Golden Plover migration is one of the longest of any bird. They makes an annual journey of 2,500 miles from eastern Canada to South America. After that, they embark on another trip south to Patagonia. In the spring, the migration moves north through the eastern plain states. And in fall, it mainly takes place over the ocean of the East Coast, so residents there will rarely see this bird beautiful. People in the interior of the country may see them in fields fattening up on seed and fruit for the trip ahead.
This plover lays 3-4 buff and brown spotted eggs in a shallow depression, lined with raindeer moss, on an elevated ridge.