Another small shorebird from Nunavut, this relatively small bird sits somewhere between a sparrow and a robin on the size charts. It's sexually dimorphic and fairly easy to tell male from female during the breeding season. As the female's black mask will be tinged with brown.
These Plovers don't travel as far north as the Sanderling I showcased yesterday, but they can go as far north as 70 degrees North. I may need to go to the research station and inform them that I have a photo of a nested female from 69 degrees North. Maybe global warming is extending their breeding range?
Counts on Semipalmated Plover numbers indicate that they may be one of the few shorebirds in Nunavut that is increasing in population. Again, I wonder if climate plays into that. The Semipalmated Plover typically locates its prey by sight, but will sometimes shake or vibrate their foot, forcing prey to move so they can snatch it up.
