Pacific Golden Plover Decoys

Pacific Golden Plover Decoys

The pacific golden plover is a migratory shorebird easily spotted on its wintering grounds in Hawaii and Oceania and on migration along the West Coast of the United States.pacific golden plover decoys This pluver spends over 8,000 miles yearly making this journey from its Arctic breeding grounds to its winter home!

They nest in a shallow depression lined with lichen, grass, and leaves of willow and mountain avens.pacific golden plover decoys They may reuse the same nest scrape for years. The male makes a line with his feet and breast in the depression, while the female digs a small hole in the ground and lines it with grass, gravel, twigs, and leaves. The young are able to walk soon after hatching and feed themselves within one day. They are covered with down and spotted and splotched with dark brown and black.

These birds are excellent at finding insects, especially the larvae of many invertebrates, as well as berries and seeds.pacific golden plover decoys They are also known to feed on crustaceans and mollusks, such as fiddler crabs and sea snails. In addition, they exhibit high site fidelity on their wintering grounds and often defend feeding territories against other plover.

When preparing to migrate, they form loose flocks that fly in formation at moderate heights. They utter a distinctive call, which is a long-drawn, single-syllable note that sounds like pee-er-iccc. This is an alarm call, usually given when a mate or a predator approaches. It can also be used in a nuptial display.

They are usually seen during migration and nesting season in large numbers, but on occasion they may be found in smaller groups. On their breeding grounds, they typically stay until the weather turns cold and snowy. They breed from late June through July, and are usually paired up by mid-July. Incubation lasts 12-14 days, and the chicks are able to walk soon after they hatch.

The population of this species is declining in many parts of its range, but it is not considered to be endangered. The IUCN lists it as “Least Concern.” Partners in Flight rates it a 15 out of 20 on its Continental Concern Score and includes it on their Watch List for species with declining populations. Market hunting in Asia, the destruction of breeding habitat caused by agriculture and development, and climate change all have negative impacts on this bird.

The Pacific Golden-Plover’s spangled, dark-brown upperparts are spangled with gold or pale yellow and white. Breeding males are solid black from the chin to the under-tail coverts. Non-breeding adults have a narrower, less spangled head and neck and a capped appearance. The slim bill is a good distinguishing feature. This bird is easily confused with the Black-bellied Plover, but look for a longer white "scarf" and spotted undertail to separate these two species. The juveniles of the pacific golden-plover have brightly spotted heads and bodies. They are more similar to the breeding American Golden-Plover, but look for a golden cast to the head and neck and a spotted upperpart.