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Mountain Plover

Mountain Plover

Anarhynchus montanus

Audubon Illustration

Audubon illustration of Mountain Plover

John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.

Migration Flyway

Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species

Last Spotted Near You

View on eBirdWikipedia

About the Mountain Plover

The mountain plover (Anarhynchus montanus) is a medium-sized ground bird in the plover family (Charadriidae). It is misnamed, as it lives on level land. Unlike most plovers, it is usually not found near bodies of water or even on wet soil; it prefers dry habitat with short grass (usually due to grazing) and bare ground. Its height is in the range of 5–9 inches (12.7–22.8 cm), and length in the range of 8–10 inches (20.3–25.4 cm); and it weighs around 102 grams.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name
Anarhynchus montanus
Family
Plovers and Lapwings
Order
Charadriiformes

Similar species

Other members of the plovers and lapwings family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

  • American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica
  • Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
  • Collared Plover Anarhynchus collaris
  • Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
  • Eurasian Dotterel Eudromias morinellus
  • European Golden-Plover Pluvialis apricaria
  • Greater Sand-Plover Anarhynchus leschenaultii
  • Kentish Plover Anarhynchus alexandrinus
  • Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
  • Little Ringed Plover Thinornis dubius
  • Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
  • Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva

Know when the Mountain Plover turns up near you

Add it to your watchlist and draw an alert zone around the places you actually bird. Birdr checks eBird reports and tells you when one is seen inside it.

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Gear for spotting Mountain Plover

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Essential for shorebirds, raptors, and anything too far for binoculars. Our tested picks.

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