Pacific Golden-Plover
Pluvialis fulva
Silhouette: Emily Willoughby · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyCharadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
- GenusPluvialis (Golden Plovers and Grey Plover)
- SpeciesPluvialis fulva (Pacific Golden-Plover)
About the Pacific Golden-Plover
The Pacific golden plover (Pluvialis fulva) is a migratory shorebird that breeds during summer in Alaska and Siberia. During nonbreeding season, this medium-sized plover migrates widely across the Pacific. The Pacific golden plover was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the other plovers in the genus Charadrius and coined the binomial name Charadrius fulvus. Gmelin based his description on the "Fulvous plover" that had been described in 1785 by the English ornithologist John Latham from specimens from Tahiti. The Pacific golden plover is now placed in the genus Pluvialis that was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760. The genus name is Latin and means relating to rain, from pluvia, 'rain'. It was believed that the plovers flocked when rain was imminent. The specific epithet is also from Latin and means 'tawny' or 'yellowish-brown'. The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
Adults are about 25 cm (9.8 in) long with a wingspan averaging 61 cm (24 in) At their lightest, fat free,... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Pacific Golden-Plover in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
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Numenius hudsonicus
Short-billed Gull
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Marbled Murrelet
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Pacific Golden-Plover in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pacific Golden-Plover sighting in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pacific Golden-Plover in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?
May has the highest sighting rate for Pacific Golden-Plover in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in our monthly data.