Species names in all available languages
| Language | Common name |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | Amerikaanse Goue Strandkiewiet |
| Arabic | زقزاق ذهبي امريكي |
| Asturian | Pilordu dorñu americanu |
| Basque | Urre-txirri amerikarra |
| Bulgarian | Доминиканска булка |
| Catalan | daurada americana |
| Chinese (SIM) | 美洲金鸻 |
| Croatian | američki zlatar |
| Czech | kulík hnědokřídlý |
| Danish | Amerikansk Hjejle |
| Dutch | Amerikaanse Goudplevier |
| English | American Golden-Plover |
| English (UK) | American Golden Plover |
| English (United Arab Emirates) | American Golden Plover |
| English (United States) | American Golden-Plover |
| Finnish | amerikankurmitsa |
| French | Pluvier bronzé |
| French (France) | Pluvier bronzé |
| Galician | Píllara dourada americana |
| German | Prärie-Goldregenpfeifer |
| Greek | Αμερικανικό Βροχοπούλι |
| Haitian Creole (Haiti) | Plivye savann |
| Hebrew | חופזי אמריקני |
| Hungarian | Amerikai pettyeslile |
| Icelandic | Gulllóa |
| Italian | Piviere americano |
| Japanese | アメリカムナグロ |
| Korean | 미국검은가슴물떼새 |
| Lithuanian | Amerikinis sėjikas |
| Malayalam | അമേരിക്കൻ പൊൻമണൽക്കോഴി |
| Norwegian | kanadalo |
| Polish | siewka szara |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | batuiruçu |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | Batuiruçu |
| Romanian | Ploier auriu american |
| Russian | Американская ржанка |
| Serbian | Američki zlatni vivak |
| Slovak | kulík hnedokrídly |
| Slovenian | Ameriška zlata prosenka |
| Spanish | Chorlito Dorado Americano |
| Spanish (Argentina) | Chorlo Pampa |
| Spanish (Chile) | Chorlo dorado |
| Spanish (Costa Rica) | Chorlito Dorado Menor |
| Spanish (Cuba) | Pluvial dorado |
| Spanish (Dominican Republic) | Chorlo Americano |
| Spanish (Ecuador) | Chorlo Dorado Americano |
| Spanish (Honduras) | Chorlo Dorado Americano |
| Spanish (Mexico) | Chorlo Dorado Americano |
| Spanish (Panama) | Chorlo Dorado Americano |
| Spanish (Paraguay) | Chorlo dorado |
| Spanish (Peru) | Chorlo Dorado Americano |
| Spanish (Puerto Rico) | Chorlito Dorado |
| Spanish (Spain) | Chorlito dorado americano |
| Spanish (Uruguay) | Chorlo Dorado |
| Spanish (Venezuela) | Playero Dorado |
| Swedish | amerikansk tundrapipare |
| Turkish | Amerika Altın Yağmurcunu |
| Ukrainian | Сивка американська |
| Zulu | unomvulakazi waseMelika |
Revision Notes
Oscar W. Johnson revised the account. JoAnn Hackos, Linda A. Hensley, Robin K. Murie, Daphne R. Walmer, Gracey Brouillard, and Claire Walter copyedited the account. Arnau Bonan Barfull curated the media.
Pluvialis dominica (Müller, 1776)
Definitions
- PLUVIALIS
- pluvialis
- dominica
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica Scientific name definitions
Version: 2.0 — Published June 21, 2024
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Photos from this Account
Breeding male
The very long primaries, gold-spangled upperparts, black underparts, and broad white stripe on the head and neck help to identify this shorebird in breeding plumage. The white patch does not extend below the chest, and the flanks and undertail are black, which helps to rule out other species of golden-plovers. In breeding plumage, adult males like this are crisply marked with even black on the face.
Breeding female
A teardrop-shaped shorebird with a large head, slim, short bill, and long legs. In breeding plumage, adult females have pale-mottled faces, giving them a slightly messy look compared to the crisp males.
Juvenile
The large eye and bulky head combine to create a gentle expression. Fall juveniles appear scaly because of their complete set of even-aged, fresh feathers. Four primaries extend beyond the gold-spangled tertials at rest, imparting a longer primary projection to the folded wing than is found on Pacific Golden-Plover or Black-bellied Plover.
Juvenile
When viewed head-on, these slim plovers can appear quite plump, but note the long legs and slim bill. Juveniles show a dark cap that contrasts strongly with a pale eyebrow.
Juvenile
The underside of the wing is plain gray, lacking the black "wingpits" shown by Black-bellied Plover.
Juvenile
Golden-plovers have long, pointed wings and blunt tails. The rump and tail blend in with the back, distinguishing this from the pale-tailed Black-bellied Plover. Also, note the extended legs and feet that fall short of the tip of the tail.
Nonbreeding adult
Nonbreeding birds are similar to juveniles but show drabber upperparts with less crisp feather edging. The long-winged look created by four primaries extending beyond the tertials on the folded wing helps to rule out Black-bellied Plover and other golden-plover species.
Flock
Golden-plovers fly quickly in wheeling, well-coordinated flocks. Note the slim, pointed wings and pale gray underwings.
Habitat
The erect posture, teardrop-shaped body, blocky head, and slim bill and long legs combine to create the golden-plover “look.” Adults molt into breeding plumage during their marathon spring migration. The black-and-white underparts will become primarily black by the time these birds arrive on their subarctic and arctic breeding grounds.
Breeding male American Golden-Plover.
Juvenile American Golden-Plover.
Juvenile American Golden-Plover has grayish coloration.
Juvenile American Golden-Plover (left) with juvenile Pacific Golden-Plovers (middle, right).
Features useful for distinguishing American Golden-Plover from Pacific Golden-Plover are the grayish coloration of the American versus the buffier ground color of the Pacific, the smallish bill, shorter legs, and longer primary projection.
Possible confusion species: Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva).
Juvenile Pacific Golden-Plover is yellowish buff.
American Golden-Plover.
American Golden-Plover has smoky gray underwings.
Possible confusion species: European Golden-Plover (Pluvialis apricaria).
European Golden-Plover is bigger and has mostly white underwings.
Possible confusion species: European Golden-Plover (Pluvialis apricaria).
European Golden-Plover (above) and juvenile American Golden-Plover (below).
American Golden-Plover.
American Golden-Plover has smoky gray axilars.
Possible confusion species: Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola).
American Golden-Plover (front) with a Black-bellied Plover (back); Black-bellied Plover has silver-gray upperparts.
Possible confusion species: Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola).
American Golden-Plover in flight (right) with three Black-bellied Plover (3 birds from left); Black-bellied Plover has black axillars.
Natal Down in American Golden-Plover.
Natal down well developed at hatching. Crown and back overall dull yellowish to whitish, mottled with fine black markings; except for crown and black malar stripe, remainder of head, throat, and nape solid whitish; underparts grayish white.
Juvenile American Golden-Plover.
Juvenile Plumage is similar to Definitive Basic Plumage but feathering more even in pattern and wear. Crown, mantle, back, scapulars, upperwing coverts and tertials are dark grayish brown, the feathers marked with pale yellow to whitish edges and spots. The chest is gray mottled and spotted with grayish brown and the breast, sides, and flanks are grayish white with grayish-brown barring,.Note also the long juvenile primary tips, tapered and brownish when fresh.
Juvenile American Golden-Plover.
Juvenile primaries, primary coverts, secondaries, and rectrices are narrow, tapered and/or pointed at the tips and brownish. In fall these feathers are fresh whereas in older birds they are abraded and worn as this species molts on non-breeding grounds in South America.
Formative American Golden-Plover.
Formative Plumage is only held for a brief period in January-April. During this period, scattered formative feathers can be present among body plumage and upperwing coverts, many juvenile feathers likely retained until the First Prealternate Molt. Outer primaries may avergae fresher than in Definitive Basic Plumage due to later timing of Preformative than Definitive Prebasic Molts.
Formative (front) and Definitive Basic (rear) American Golden-Plovers.
Note on the bird in the foreground the retained worn juvenile wings coverts and tertials, contrasting with some replaced formative upperpart feathers and coverts. The bird in the background appears to lack juvenile wing coverts and has commenced the Definitive Prealternate Molt, and thus may primarily be in Definitive Basic Plumage.
Formative (2nd and 3rd from right) and Definitive Basic American Golden-Plovers.
The Preformative Molt commences later than the Definitive Prebasic Molt, on average. Here, the two formative birds (2nd and 3rd from right) have just commenced this molt whereas the older birds have complete the molt (bottom bird) or are farther along (left two birds). The brown juvenile primaries with out molt clines on the formative birds are in contrast with the duskier basic primaries with molt clines in the definitive basic birds.
First Alternate American Golden-Plover, possible Female.
First Alternate Plumage can be nearly identical to Definitive Alternate Plumage in body plumage but often averages less black feathering, as in this individual. Here note at least nine juvenile secondaries (as well as some juvenile secondary coverts) having been retained during the Preformative Molt, confirming First Alternate Plumage; it may be possible that outer primaries can be retained in such individuals. The heaviy white mottling to the face and underparts may suggest a female but birds in First Alternate Plumage may be difficult to reliably sex.
First Alternate Male American Golden-Plover.
Here note the retained juvenile secondaries and also some retained juvenile secodary coverts, brown and very abraded, contrasting with less-worn brown formative coverts and newer first alternate coverts. The extent of black to the face and underparts indicates a male in this plumage, but note it is not as fully black in these areas as most alternate-plumaged males.
First Alternate American Golden-Plover.
Occasional birds more-closely resemble retained Formative Plumage with a few feathers replaced. This appearance is more common on occasional individuals that remain on winter grounds for their first summer, as here..
Definitive Basic American Golden-Plover.
Definitive Basic Plumage is characterized by evenly fringed basic upperpart feathers and wing coverts forming scaled appearance. In addition, remiges show molt clines and may average slightly more worn than in formative birds due to earlier timing of molts.
Definitive Basic American Golden-Plover.
The relatively even scaly breast plumage indicates Definitive Basic Plumage. Remiges show molt clines, from more worn inner to fresher outer primaries and fresher outer secondary than inner primary, reflecting previous complete molts.
Definitive Basic American Golden-Plover.
note the uniform basic and scaly wing coverts and very fresh remiges. Completion of molt by 12 February indicates Definitive Basic rather than Formative Plumage.
Probable Definitive Alternate Female American Golden Plover.
Females in Definitive Alternate Plumage are similar to males but but black feathering of face and underparts mottled whitish, grading into white head-neck stripe, resulting in the latter being less clearly defined than in male; auriculars often with distinctive white cheek patches. Underpart feathering usually brownish black instead of jet black. Birds with this appearance might also represent First Alternate Plumage in females or (especially) males, but this individual appears typical of an older female.
Probable Definitive Alternate Female American Golden Plover.
The brownish-black face with white mottling is typical of a definitive alternate Female, although this appearance could conceivably be shown by a first alternate female. Note the cline among outer primaries, typical following a complete prebasic molt.
First or Definitive Alternate American Golden Plover.
Birds showing mottled black and white underparts and complete flight-feather replacement in June could be first alternate females, first alternate males, of definitive alternate females. The probability seems higher that this is a female than a male.
Definitive Alternate Male American Golden-Plover.
Fully black underparts may be diagnostic of definitive alternate males.
Definitive Alternate Male American Golden-Plover.
This male has replaced most body plumage and upperwing lesser and median coverts, three tertials on each wing, and the central two rectrices during the Definitive Prealternate Molt.
Definitive Alternate Male American Golden-Plover.
Note the fully black face and underparts and molt clines among basic remiges, without juvenile secondaries retained. The grayish brown axillars can be flared out during courtship.
American Golden-Plover (probable Female) having suspended Definitive Prebasic Molt.
Definitive Prebasic Molt can commence during incubation on breeding grounds and suspend for migration. This migrant has undergone molt of many body feathers before migrating, and could also replace more feathers at stopover locations before reaching the non-breeding grounds.
during incubation . Early stages of molt most noticeable on black cheeks and underparts which become mottled with lighter feathers.
American Golden Plover undergoing Definitive Prebasic Molt.
Molt has proceeded from p1 to p6 and the tertials s1 and s5-s6 are new or growing, reflecting typical molt sequence in this species. The earlier timing to theis molt and basic rather than juvenile unmolted flight feathers indicates Definitive Prebasic Molt.
American Golden Plover undergoing Preformative Molt (center bird) and Definitive Prebasic Molt (left-hand and right-hand birds).
The Definitive Basic Molt averages about one month earlier than the Preformative Molt; here primary molt has reached p10 for the prebasic molts but only p5 for the Preformative Molt. The unmolted remiges on the middle bird are juvenile as opposed to basi in the outer two birds.
American Golden-Plover commencing First Prealternate Molt.
Prealternate Molts occur rapidly and primarily at stopover sites during northbound migration. The Unusual in shorebirds, prealternate molts occur almost exclusively at stopover sites during northbound migration. The First Prealternate Molt averages later and may occur farther north on average than the Definitive Prealternate Molt. Here some retained juvenile wing coverts indicates that this is the First rather than the Definitive Prebasic Molt, and it has just commenced in Quebec, with a few back feathers growing or recently replaced.
American Golden-Plover, likely commencing Definitive Prealternate Molt.
The Definitive Prealternate Molt averages later and may occur farther south on average than the First Prealternate Molt. This bird is bright and appear to have basic primaries indicating a Definitive rather than the First Prealternate Molt.
Male American Golden-Plover completing Definitive Prealternate Molt.
Prealternate molt can occasionally complete on breeding grounds. Whether this is the First or a Definitive Prealternate Molt cannot be determined from this photograph, although the former may more-often complete on breeding grounds than the latter.
Juvenile American Golden-Plover.
In juveniles, grayish tones seem to also occur more often to the legs and feet. The bill is black and the iris is dark brown at all ages.
Hatchling American Golden-Plover.
In hatchlings the legs and feet are proportionally large and dark grayish brown to gray. The bill is black and the iris is dark brown at all ages.
American Golden-Plover is an annual vagrant to United Kingdom.
American Golden-Plover has been recorded in Israel.
In Africa, American Golden-Plover has been recorded in Senegal.
American Golden-Plover breeding habitat; Alaska, United States.
Nests primarily on arctic and subarctic tundra, sometimes on montane tundra.
American Golden-Plover breeding habitat; Alaska, United States.
In some areas, moist habitat with taller vegetation also used.
American Golden-Plover breeding habitat; Nunavut, Canada.
American Golden-Plover habitat in migration; Ohio, United States
Uses a variety of inland and coastal habitats, both natural and human-made: native prairie, pastures, tilled farmland, untilled harvested fields, burned fields, mudflats, shorelines, estuaries.
American Golden-Plover overwintering habitat; Buenos Aires, Argentina.
American Golden-Plovers overwinter primarily on pampas in east-central Argentina and campos in Uruguay and southern Brazil.
American Golden-Plover overwintering habitat; Santa Catarina, Brazil.
American Golden-Plovers foraging along the coast.
Bird feeding on invertebrate.
Bird capturing an earthworm.
Merlin (Falco columbarius) with American Golden-Plover prey.
American Golden-Plover is prey for a variety of avian and mammalian predators.
Male American Golden-Plover in Tail-Down Run display.
In this distraction display, the head is held low, the tail depressed, and plumage is not ruffled. Photographer Oscar Johnson.
Male American Golden-Plover in Injury Feigning display.
In this distraction display, one or both wings are extended and flapping as if unable to fly (performed during slow run, or while creeping with wings beating on ground as if “rowing,” or in stationary position either standing or prostrate). Photographer Oscar Johnson.
Male American Golden-Plover in Stationary Spread-Wing Display.
In this distraction display, bird is crouched or prostrate, facing intruder, with wings outstretched and motionless, tail fanned and either erect or depressed. Photographer Oscar Johnson.
American Golden-Plover nest with eggs.
Nest is a well-camouflaged shallow circular depression, usually lined with lichens. Typical nest is located within a mosaic of lichen-covered rocks or ground, with vegetation of scattered forbs, grasses, and sedges.
American Golden-Plover nest with eggs.
Nest; general view.
American Golden-Plover nest with four eggs.
Clutch size is almost invariably four. Eggs are buffy, and heavily marked with irregular splotches and spots of dark brown and black.
American Golden-Plover nest with four eggs.
American Golden Plover eggs.
Teller, Alaska. 9 June 1961. Photographer Rene Corado.
Female on nest with young.
Downy chick.
Downy chick hiding.
Downy chick capturing an invertebrate.
Macaulay Library Photos for American Golden-Plover
Top-rated photos submitted to the Macaulay Library via eBird. Note: Our content editors have not confirmed the species identification for these photos.
