Snowy Plover

(Charadrius alexandrinus)

 

Snowy plover at Crissy Field. Colored leg bands allow tracking without capture.

Will Elder, NPS

 

Natural History: The Snowy Plover forages at sand beach wash zones by running and pecking to scare up small invertebrates and fish. May be loosely colonial.

General Distribution: In the Presidio, this species can be found in tidal areas.

Frequency: This species is rare in the winter, spring and fall. It is absent in the summer. The Pacific Coast population of this species is federally listed as endangered.

Identifying Characteristics: The Snowy Plover is a small shorebird with a short bicolor beak (except in winter when it is all dark), pale gray above and white below with a dark band on the sides of the neck.

Presidio Birds main page