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Charadrius semipalmatus

(Semipalmated Plover)

Overview:

Conservation Status

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Population Analysis

  • For the 56,576 species in the Class Aves (Birds), we average 371.87 observations each in our database; for the Semipalmated Plover, we have 16,717 observations. Compared to other species in this Class, this species is moderately common.
  • A two-sample t-test can be used to determine whether the trend in observations of the Semipalmated Plover is the same as the trend in observations of Aves. Is this species just as common, as a proportion of all observations, as it once was? The answer is no, changes in observation rate of this species significantly differ from changes in observation rate of its Class. (t=7.19, p<0.001)
  • How do observation rates of the Semipalmated Plover differ from those of Aves? To answer this, we examined the percentage of observerations for Aves that were observations of the Semipalmated Plover each year. We then correlated this percentage with observation year. If observations of the Semipalmated Plover are becoming more common relative to other species of Aves, the correlation should be positive, but if it is becoming less common, the correlation should be negative. In fact, the correlation is negative (r=-.57), with a negative slope (m = -.004), suggesting that the Semipalmated Plover may be in decline relative to other species of Aves. This correlation is statistically significant. (F = 105.82, p<.05)
  • The scatter chart to the right shows the percentage of all observations for Aves each year that were observations of the Semipalmated Plover.

History:

  • 1988-Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2004)
  • 1994-Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2004)
  • 2000-Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2000)

Justification

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 4,900,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 150,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Taxonomy

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  • Domain: Eukaryota Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 17-Oct-2001

Physical Description

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Family Charadriidae:

A family of birds that includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings, about 64 to 66 species in all. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings.

Adult:

Face: Eyebrow Line: white Eye Ring: orange Bill: orange with black tip Shape: stubby Body: Breast: white with dark band Shape: chunky Size: small Underparts: white Upperparts: dark brown Legs: Leg Color: yellow or orange Toes: partially webbed.

Adult Winter:

Head: Crown: dusky Face: Cheeks: dusky Eyebrow Line: white Eye Ring: orange Eye Stripe: dusky Forehead: white Bill: orange with black tip Shape: stubby Neck: Collar: white Body: Breast: white withdark band Shape: chunky Size: small Underparts: white Upperparts: dark brown Legs: Leg Color: yellow or orange Toes: partially webbed.

Size/Age/Growth:

About 7 inches long, with a wingspan of 14 to 15.25 inches. Adults weigh about 1.7 ounces.

Images:

Distribution

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Range and Population

North America

Habitat

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Vegetation: coastal sand beaches and mudflats, freshwater marshes • Minimum Elevation: 0 meters • Maximum Elevation: 0 meters • Sensitivity to Disturbance: Medium.

Diet

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Primarily aquatic invertebrates.

Reproduction

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  • Clutch Size: 4
  • Length of Incubation: 23-25 days
  • Days to Fledge: 22-31
  • Number of Broods: 1

Migration

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Migratory

Similar Species

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Piping Plover, Wilson's Plover, Common Ringed Plover

Members of the genus Charadrius:

There are approximately 134 species and subspecies in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: C. alexandrinus (Kentish Plover) · C. alexandrinus alexandrinus (Snowy Plover) · C. alexandrinus cinctus · C. alexandrinus dealbatus (Snowy Plover) · C. alexandrinus margiatus · C. alexandrinus nivosus (Snowy Plover) · C. alexandrinus occidentalis · C. alexandrinus ruficapillus · C. alexandrinus seebohmi · C. alexandrinus ssp · C. alexandrinus tenuirostris (Snowy Plover) · C. alexandrius · C. alexarinus occidentalis · C. alticola (Puna Plover) · C. asiaticus (Caspian Plover) · C. asiaticus veredus · C. australis (Inland Dotterel) · C. bicincta · C. bicinctus (Double-Banded Plover) · C. bicinctus bicinctus · C. bicinctus exilis · C. cantianus · C. cantianus · C. collaris (Collared Plover) · C. columbinus · C. crassirostris · C. crassirostris · C. curonicus · C. cursor · C. dealbatus · C. dominica dominica · C. dominicus · C. dubius (Little Ringed Plover) · C. dubius C. · C. dubius curonicus (Little Ringed Plover) · C. dubius dealbatus · C. dubius dubius · C. dubius jerdoni · C. falklaicus · C. falklandicus (Two-Banded Plover) · C. falklandicus alticola · C. forbesi (Forbes's Plover) · C. fulvus · C. geoffroyi · C. hartingi · C. hiaticula (Common Ringed Plover) · C. hiaticula hiaticula (Common Ringed Plover) · C. hiaticula semipalmatus · C. hiaticula tundrae · C. javanicus (Javan Plover) · C. leschenaultii (Greater Sand Plover) · C. leschenaultii columbinus · C. leschenaultii crassirostris · C. leschenaultii leschenaultii · C. marginatus (White-Fronted Plover) · C. marginatus arenaceus · C. marginatus hesperius · C. marginatus marginatus · C. marginatus mechowi · C. marginatus nigirius · C. marginatus russatus · C. marginatus tenellus · C. marginatus tenellus · C. melanopterus · C. melodus (Piping Plover) · C. melodus arcticus · C. melodus circumcinctus (Piping Plover) · C. melodus melodus (Piping Plover) · C. modestus (Rufous-Chested Plover) · C. monachus · C. mongolica · C. mongolus (Lesser Sand-Plover) · C. mongolus atrifrons · C. mongolus atritrous · C. mongolus mongolus (Mongolian Plover) · C. mongolus pamirensis · C. mongolus schaeferi · C. mongolus stegmanni (Eastern Lesser Sand-Plover) · C. montana · C. montanus (Mountain Plover) · C. morinellus (Eurasian Dotterel) · C. nivosa · C. nivosus · C. nivosus nivosus · C. nivosus nivosus · C. obscurus (New Zealand Dotterel) · C. occidentalis occidentalis · C. oedicnemus · C. pallidus (Chestnut-Banded Plover) · C. pallidus pallidus · C. pallidus venustus · C. pecuaria · C. pecuarius (Kittlitz's Plover) · C. pecuarius pecuarius · C. peronii (Malaysian Plover) · C. placida · C. placidus (Long-Billed Plover) · C. placidus japonicus · C. pusillus · C. rubricollis

Bibliography

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  • Alsop, Fred J. III. Birds of North America - Eastern Region. First American Edition. Smithsonian Handbooks. DK Publishing, Inc. 2001.
  • Banks, R. C., R. W. McDiarmid, A. L. Gardner, and W. C. Starnes 2003. Checklist of Vertebrates of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and Canada.
  • BirdLife International. 2000. Threatened Birds of the World. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, U.K.
  • Dickinson, E.C. (Editor) (2003): The Howard and Moore Complete Check-List of the Birds of the World, edition 3rd Edition, Christopher Helm
  • Ehrlich, P., Dobkin, D., and Wheye, D. (1988). The Birders Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc. (info on clutch size, length of incubation, days to fledge and number of broods.)
  • Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc. (Length and wingspan info.)

More Info

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Notes

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Contributors:

  • BirdLife International 2004. Charadrius semipalmatus. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org . Downloaded on 21 October 2006.
  • Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
  • Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed November 8, 2006.
  • Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed March 14, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 27 providers.
  • Hines, J. E., Gregory Gough, J. R. Sauer, et al. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
  • Parker III, T.A., D.F. Stotz, and J.W. Fitzpatrick, and quot;Ecological and Distributional Databases for Neotropical Birds, and quot; in Neotropical Birds: Ecology and Conservation, by D.F. Stotz, T.A. Parker III, J.W. Fitzpatrick, and D.K. Moskovits (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996). ISBN 0-226-64676-9.
  • Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, and J. Fallon. 2005. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966 - 2004. Version 2005.2. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD
  • Sauer, J. R., S. Schwartz, and B. Hoover. 1996. The Christmas Bird Count Home Page. Version 95.1. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 14, 2008:

  • Avian Knowledge Network: eBird
  • Avian Knowledge Network: Great Backyard Bird Count
  • Avian Knowledge Network: Project FeederWatch
  • Bird Studies Canada: BC Coastal Waterbird Survey
  • Bird Studies Canada: Marsh Monitoring Program - Birds
  • Bird Studies Canada: Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 2001-2005
  • Borror Laboratory of Bioacoustics
  • Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: North West Territories and Nunavut Bird Checklist, Canada
  • Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Birds (Aves)
  • Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Royal British Columbia Museum
  • Canadian Museum of Nature: Canadian Museum of Nature Bird Collection
  • Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates: Bird Collection
  • EMAN Provider: PIROP (Shipboard Surveys)
  • Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: Bay of Fundy Species List (OBIS Canada)
  • Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: SEAMAP - marine mammals, birds and turtles
  • Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University: MCZ Ornithology Collection
  • Museum of Vertebrate Zoology: Terrestrial vertebrate specimens
  • New Brunswick Museum: NBM birds
  • Royal Ontario Museum: Bird specimens
  • Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History: Santa Barbara Musem of Natural History
  • UCLA-Dickey Bird Collection (UCLA-Dickey): Bird specimens
  • UNIBIO, IBUNAM: CNAV/Coleccion Nacional de Aves
  • University of Alberta: University of Alberta Ornithology Collection
  • University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (UMMZ): Bird specimens

Identifiers:

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Last Revised: May 17, 2008