American Golden Plover

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Habitat and behaviour

Habitat: Coastal turf (autumn passage).
Diet: Insects.
Best time to spot: Slimmer than European Golden.

When to look

Scarce or local in the UK. Timing varies by region, so check recent sightings before you travel. Numbers peak in May. See the May birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.

Taller bars mean more birds about. Grey means it is usually absent.

How rare is it?

The American Golden Plover sits in our Rare tier for the UK: scarce or very local, so most birders need a planned trip. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Pacific Golden PloverEpic · Coastal turf (very rare vagrant)
• European Golden PloverUncommon · Moorland (summer); fields (winter)
• Grey PloverUncommon · Estuaries
• Little BuntingRare · Coastal scrub (autumn passage)
• BluetailRare · Coastal scrub (autumn vagrant)
• Buff-breasted SandpiperRare · Short grass (autumn passage)

Kit that helps

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