Mountain Plover

Charadrius montanus

Order: Charadriiformes / Family: Charadriidae

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brown white small shorebird grassland desert migratory rare endangered widespread terrestrial nocturnal

About the Mountain Plover

The Mountain Plover, Charadrius montanus, is a unique shorebird that defies the typical habitat expectations of its family by preferring dry, open plains over coastal regions. This bird primarily inhabits the western Great Plains and other arid landscapes of North America. Despite its name, the Mountain Plover is more commonly found at lower elevations in flat, barren areas such as shortgrass prairies, rather than mountainous regions. Known for their distinctive breeding behavior, these plovers nest on the ground in shallow scrapes. Typically, they are seen in areas with sparse vegetation, which provides both camouflage and suitable foraging grounds.

Mountain Plovers play a significant ecological role in the grassland ecosystems they inhabit. As insectivores, they help control insect populations, feeding on grasshoppers, beetles, and other invertebrates. Their feeding habits also aid in the dispersal of seeds and the aeration of soil, indirectly promoting plant growth and maintaining the health of their habitat. During the breeding season, which occurs from late March to June, the Mountain Plover can be found in nesting grounds primarily located across the Great Plains, including eastern Colorado, western Kansas, and northern New Mexico.

In winter, Mountain Plovers migrate to milder climates, heading to California, Texas, and Mexico. Here, they inhabit similar open areas, such as agricultural fields and coastal prairies. The plovers are often seen in flocks, which provide safety in numbers against predators. Wintering habitats are crucial for their survival, offering abundant food sources and favorable climatic conditions. Their migratory behavior is a critical aspect of their life cycle, reflecting the bird’s adaptability to different environmental conditions throughout the year.

The Mountain Plover belongs to the family Charadriidae, within the order Charadriiformes. These birds typically live average lifespan of around 5 years, with a maximum recorded up to 10 years.

How to Identify a Mountain Plover

The Mountain Plover is a small to medium-sized bird, measuring around 8 to 9 inches in length with a wingspan of approximately 17 inches. Adults have a sandy-brown upper body, which provides excellent camouflage against the dry grassland habitats they prefer. Their underparts are white, and they possess a contrasting blackish bill and yellowish legs. During the breeding season, a faint black line extends from the base of the bill to the eye, but the plumage remains relatively understated compared to other plovers.

Juvenile Mountain Plovers resemble adults but tend to have more buff-colored edges on their feathers, giving them a slightly scaled appearance. Both sexes look alike, although males might appear slightly larger or have a slightly more pronounced breast band during the breeding season. In flight, the Mountain Plover displays a distinct wing pattern with dark primaries contrasting with the paler inner wings and body.

Confusion with similar species such as the Killdeer can occur, but the Mountain Plover lacks the Killdeer’s distinctive double breast bands. Their flight silhouette is characterized by quick, shallow wingbeats and a penchant for flying low over the ground. When perching, they often stand upright with an alert posture, frequently scanning their surroundings for potential threats.

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Mountain Plover Habitat and Range

Preferred Habitat

The Mountain Plover thrives in open, flat landscapes, primarily in shortgrass prairies and arid plains. These habitats provide the sparse vegetation and bare ground essential for their breeding and foraging activities. The bird’s preferred elevation range is typically from sea level to about 6,000 feet, though it is mostly found at lower elevations.

During the breeding season, plovers select nesting sites in areas with minimal vegetation, often where cattle graze, as the grazing maintains the shortgrass habitat they favor. In the winter months, they migrate to similar open habitats in California, Texas, and Mexico, including coastal prairies and agricultural fields.

While primarily associated with rural environments, Mountain Plovers have adapted to human-modified landscapes like fallow fields and grazing lands. This adaptation allows them to persist in areas where natural habitats have been altered, although their presence in urban settings remains uncommon.

Geographic Range

The Mountain Plover’s breeding range extends across the western Great Plains of North America, including states like Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Kansas, and New Mexico. Smaller breeding populations also exist in eastern Utah and western Nebraska.

During migration, these birds travel southward, utilizing various corridors through the central United States. Their wintering range includes the Central Valley of California, the southern plains of Texas, and northern Mexico, where they find suitable habitats to sustain them through the colder months.

Population density tends to be higher in specific hotspots such as the Pawnee National Grassland in Colorado, which provides ideal breeding conditions. In California's Central Valley, wintering flocks can be seen foraging in agricultural fields, taking advantage of the abundant food supply in these areas.

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What Does the Mountain Plover Eat?

Mountain Plovers primarily feed on insects and other small invertebrates, with grasshoppers, beetles, and ants forming the bulk of their diet. They employ a run-and-pause foraging technique, darting across open ground to snatch prey detected on or near the surface.

Their diet varies seasonally, with a higher consumption of beetles and seeds occurring in the winter months when insect availability decreases. Plovers forage during the day, often in the early morning and late afternoon when temperatures are cooler and prey is more active.

Prey size typically ranges from small ants to larger grasshoppers, with the plovers displaying considerable dexterity in capturing and handling their food. They rarely feed on aquatic invertebrates, as their preferred habitats are largely dry.

Mountain Plover Behavior and Social Structure

Mountain Plovers exhibit a range of behaviors that are well adapted to their open habitat. They are generally solitary or found in small groups during the breeding season, but form larger flocks in winter, which can number in the hundreds. This flocking behavior enhances their ability to detect and evade predators.

Territorial during the breeding season, males establish and defend territories through a series of vocalizations and displays designed to ward off rivals and attract mates. Courtship displays include a combination of aerial acrobatics and ground displays, with males often performing a 'butterfly flight' above their territory.

In response to predators, Mountain Plovers rely on their camouflage and the open landscape to detect threats early, often crouching or running rather than flying to escape. They are diurnal, most active in the cooler parts of the day, and tend to roost on the ground at night.

Mountain Plover Nesting and Reproduction

Mountain Plovers nest on the ground, typically creating a shallow scrape lined with pebbles and plant debris. These nests are usually located in open areas with sparse vegetation, often on grazed grasslands or agricultural fields.

A typical clutch consists of three eggs, which are incubated by both parents for about 28 to 31 days. The eggs are well-camouflaged, blending seamlessly with the surrounding environment to deter predators.

After hatching, chicks are precocial and leave the nest within a few hours, following the parents and learning to forage for themselves. The fledging period lasts about 33 to 35 days, during which both parents share the responsibility of protecting and guiding the young. Mountain Plovers usually raise one brood per year, though in some cases, they may attempt a second if conditions allow.

Mountain Plover Sounds and Vocalizations

The primary song of the Mountain Plover is a soft, whistled 'peeeoo', often heard during the breeding season. This call is relatively quiet and can be difficult to detect over the sound of wind across the plains.

Their call notes include a series of short, low whistled notes that serve as contact calls between individuals or an alarm call when a threat is perceived. These sounds are subtle, reflecting the bird’s need for stealth in its open habitat.

Mountain Plovers do not participate in a dawn chorus as some other bird species do, and their vocalizations are generally less conspicuous, making them more challenging to detect by sound alone.

Interesting Facts About the Mountain Plover

1Mountain Plovers are one of the few shorebird species that breed in dry, upland regions rather than coastal areas.
2Despite their name, Mountain Plovers are rarely found in mountainous regions, preferring flat and open plains instead.
3Mountain Plovers can be seen in flocks of up to 1,000 individuals during their wintering period in California.
4The species was first described in 1837 by John James Audubon, who noted its preference for open prairies.
5Unlike many plovers, Mountain Plovers do not have a distinctive breast band, which helps differentiate them from similar species.
6Mountain Plovers are known for their evasive behavior, often relying on running rather than flying to escape predators.
7They have a unique courtship display known as the 'butterfly flight', where males perform aerial loops to attract females.

Mountain Plover Conservation Status

The Mountain Plover is currently listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, with populations showing a decreasing trend. Primary threats include habitat loss due to agricultural expansion, urban development, and changes in land management practices that reduce suitable breeding and foraging grounds. Conservation efforts focus on habitat preservation and restoration, particularly in areas where traditional grassland management practices sustain the open habitats necessary for breeding. Programs to protect breeding sites and wintering habitats have been implemented, with some success in stabilizing local populations. Historically, Mountain Plover populations have fluctuated with changes in land use patterns, highlighting the importance of maintaining and managing grassland ecosystems for their continued survival.