Snowy Plover Identification and Finding Nests

This project focuses one one species: the Snowy Plover. On this page, you will learn all you need to know about how to identify Snowy Plovers, find their nests, and age Snowy Plover chicks.

Snowy Plover Identification by Sight

Size and Shape: Snowy Plovers are small shorebirds with relatively long legs and short wings. They often appear in a horizontal position, and look front-heavy when standing.

Coloration and Field Marks: They have a thin black bill, gray legs, and are sandy gray above and white below. Breeding adults have a black crown stripe, dark ear patches below/behind their eye, and black patch on the side of the neck. Non-breeding and immature birds lack the dark crown stripe and have a paler neck stripe.

Snowy Plover Identification by Sound

Snowy Plovers make a distinctive Flight Call koorWiJ which is a little nasal and husky. They also make hard quip or krip display songs, and do a repeated whistled note. Listen below to some examples of their calls:

Visit allaboutbirds for more information about how to identify Snowy Plovers

Identifying Snowy Plover Nests

For the most part, you will find a Snowy Plover nest by looking where the nesting plover has vacated the area. They make scrapes, or small depressions in the ground, and nest directly in the sandy or rocky substrate. Sometimes the nests are out in the open, and sometimes they are underneath plants. The eggs are light colored with dark speckles. Here are some examples of snowy plover nests so you know what you are looking for:

Finding and Following Snowy Plover Tracks

Sometimes you can find scrapes and nests by following Snowy Plover tracks. Below are some photos of Snowy Plover tracks so you know what to look for:

Snowy Plover Behavior and Finding Nests

Understanding Snowy Plover behavior and using it to find nests takes practice and time in the field, but it helpful to know the basic behaviors and displays that you might see. Click here to download some powerpoint slides that go over basic behaviors and displays, and some tips on finding nests.

Aging Snowy Plover Chicks

During this project, you may observe Snowy Plover Chicks, and it is always helpful to understand how old they are. You can look at the feather development, body color, primary vs. tail length, and size to help age the chicks. Download this instructional PDF for chick aging tips and examples.