The Snowy Plover is a tiny, pale plover of coastal beaches and alkali flats, so well camouflaged it is nearly invisible against white sand. It nests directly on the beach above the tide line, and its eggs and chicks are similarly camouflaged. Populations have declined severely due to human disturbance of nesting beaches and are listed as threatened on the Pacific Coast.
Best time to see a Snowy Plover
The best time to see a Snowy Plover is July–January, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 13,009 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Snowy Plover? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Snowy Plover sightings near you
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