Snowy Plover

Anarhynchus nivosus

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About the Snowy Plover

The snowy plover (Anarhynchus nivosus, formerly Charadrius nivosus) is a small shorebird found in the Americas. It is a member of the bird family Charadriidae, which includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. The snowy plover was originally described by John Cassin in 1858, but was classified as a subspecies of the Kentish plover in 1922. Since 2011, the snowy plover has been recognized as a distinct species based on genetic and anatomical differences from the Kentish plover. Two or three subspecies are recognized, distributed along the Pacific coast of North America, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile, in several inland areas of the US and Mexico, along the Gulf Coast, and on Caribbean islands.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name: Anarhynchus nivosus
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.

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