Length: 9 inches | Wingspan: 18 inches | Seasonality: Rare Visitor |
ID Keys: Pale and relatively plain, without chest band of some similar plovers. Black forehead mark in summer. |
The Mountain Plover is poorly named, as it is
primarily found in the short-grass prairies of the western Plains. Despite
being considered one of the "shorebirds", they are often many miles
from any water source. They have disappeared throughout much of their
former range and are still in decline, due to loss of their short-grass prairie
habitat. Some have learned to utilize over-grazed pastures in the
West. It is probable that Mountain Plovers were once breeding in western
South Dakota. They still have breeding sites nearby in eastern Wyoming.
3) Audubon Guide - Mountain Plover
Click on the map below for a higher-resolution view |
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South Dakota Status: Rare visitor, with a handful of records in the state. |