American Golden Plover

Pluvialis dominica

A speckled gold-and-black shorebird that may fly about 20,000 miles a year between the Arctic and South America.

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About the American Golden Plover

American golden plovers are 9.4 to 11 inches long, larger than a robin but smaller than a crow, and weigh 4.3 to 6.8 ounces. They breed on the Arctic tundra of Canada and Alaska and winter on the grasslands of Argentina and Uruguay. They eat mostly insects such as beetles, grasshoppers and flies, plus spiders, snails, worms, berries and seeds.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Pluvialis dominica^[1]
Size: 9.4 to 11 inches long; about 26-inch wingspan.^[1]
Weight: 4.3 to 6.8 ounces.^[1]
Lifespan: About 8 to 13 years in the wild.^[1]
Diet: Mostly insects, plus spiders, snails, worms, berries and seeds.^[1]
Habitat: Tundra, prairies, mudflats and wetlands, depending on the season.^[1]
Where it lives: Breeds in northern Canada and Alaska; winters in Argentina and Uruguay.^[1]
Group life: Huge flocks during migration; territorial when nesting.^[1]
Babies: Usually 4 eggs.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2024).^[2]

Fun facts

An American golden plover may fly about 20,000 miles in a year.^[1]
Young plovers find their own way south after their parents leave.^[1]
Thousands of plovers stop in farm fields in Illinois and Indiana each spring.^[1]

Vocabulary

migrate: To travel from one region to another with the seasons.
tundra: A cold, treeless plain in the far north.
scrape: A shallow hollow in the ground that a bird uses as a nest.
courtship: Behavior animals use to attract a mate.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “American golden plover.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/american-golden-plover (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Pluvialis dominica (American Golden Plover).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22693740/254411509 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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