BLACK BELLIED PLOVER

Pluvialis squatarola

The Black-Bellied Plover is a master of transformation-elegant, alert, and ever-adaptable.

In its breeding plumage, this bird is a showstopper, dressed in bold black and brilliant white patterns that look almost hand-painted. In winter, it shifts to soft grays that blend seamlessly with windswept beaches and tidal flats. Found along coastlines across the Americas, from Arctic tundra breeding grounds to southern wintering shores, Black-Bellied Plovers are world-class migrants capable of flying thousands of miles in a single season. Did you know they are often the first shorebirds to sense danger, giving sharp alarm calls that alert entire flocks? Their keen eyesight, striking seasonal contrasts, and restless wanderer spirit make them a captivating subject-and a beautiful tribute to the wild energy of coastal landscapes.