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Manatee County

Audubon Society

Semipalmated Plover

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Name

Semipalmated Plover

Scientific Name

(Charadrius semipalmatus)

Why they are special:
  • A small, energetic shorebird frequently seen on Florida’s beaches and tidal flats during migration and winter.

  • Named for its partially webbed feet, which help it forage efficiently in wet sand and mud.

Size and color:
  • Small plover, 6–7 inches long with a wingspan of 13–15 inches.

  • Brownish-gray upperparts, white underparts, single black neck band, black forehead patch, short orange bill with black tip, and orange legs.

  • Juveniles are paler and lightly streaked.
Seasonality in Florida:
  • Winter visitor and during spring/fall migration.
Habitat:
  • Sandy beaches, mudflats, estuaries, salt pans, and tidal shoals.

  • Often seen foraging along the water’s edge in small flocks.

Diet:
  • Feed on small crustaceans, marine worms, and insects, picked from sand or mud.
Behavior:
  • Forages by running short distances, stopping abruptly to peck at prey.

  • Highly alert and quick to flee from disturbances.

Conservation notes:
  • Populations are generally stable, though dependent on healthy coastal foraging habitats.

  • Sensitive to human disturbance and pets on beaches.

Best time to see:
  • Winter and migration periods, particularly along Gulf and Atlantic beaches.
Fun Fact:
  • Semipalmated Plovers are migratory marathoners, traveling thousands of miles between Arctic breeding grounds and South American wintering sites.

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