Black-bellied Plover
Pluvialis squatarola
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 squatarola (Black-bellied Plover)
About the Black-bellied Plover
The grey plover or black-bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola) is a large plover breeding in Arctic regions. It is a long-distance migrant, with a nearly worldwide coastal distribution when not breeding. The grey plover was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Tringa squatarola. It is now placed with three other plovers in the genus Pluvialis that was introduced by the French ornithologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760. The genus name is Latin and means relating to rain, from pluvia, "rain". It was believed that they flocked when rain was imminent. The species name squatarola is a Latinised version of Sgatarola, a Venetian name for some kind of plover.
The English common name used for this species differs in different parts of the world. It is generally known as "grey plover" in the Old World and "black-bellied plover" in the New World. Three subspecies are recognised:
P. s. squatarola (Linnaeus, 1758) – breeds in north Eurasia and Alaska; non-breeding in west, south Europe, Africa, south, east Asia and Australasia and west Americas P. s. tomkovichi Engelmoer & Roselaar... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Black-bellied Plover in Tsavo East National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Tsavo East National Park
Spur-winged Lapwing
Vanellus spinosus
Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus
Black-headed Lapwing
Vanellus tectus
Common Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticula
Greater Sandplover
Charadrius leschenaultii
Blacksmith Lapwing
Vanellus armatus
Senegal Lapwing
Vanellus lugubris
Caspian Plover
Charadrius asiaticus
Common Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
Little Stint
Calidris minuta
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-bellied Plover in Tsavo East National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-bellied Plover sighting in Tsavo East National Park, based on 293 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-bellied Plover in Tsavo East National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Black-bellied Plover in Tsavo East National Park in our monthly data.