210 



MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



but the axillars always black. Young: Similar to adult in winter, but upper parts more 

 or less speckled with buffy or pale yellow. Iris dark brown, bill, legs and feet, black 

 Length 10.50 to 12 inches; wing 7.50; culmen 1.10; tarsus 1.95. 



115. Golden Plover. Charadrius dominicus dominicus (M»/Z.). (272) 



Synonyms: American Golden Plover, Bull-head, Golden-back, Black-breast, Field 

 Plover, Prairie Pigeon.— Charadrius pluvialis, Wils., 1813, Sw. & Rich., Aud., Nutt.— C. 

 virginicus, Liclit., Cass., Baird. — C. fulvus var. virginicus, Coues, 1872. 



Plate XIII and Figure 56. 



In fall plumage similar to the preceding, but the upper parts usually 

 show numerous spots of dull yellow or buffy white which gives it the name 

 Golden Plover. Of course the absence of the hind toe will always separate 

 it from the Black-belhed Plover. 



Distribution. — Arctic America, except coast of Bering Sea, migrating 

 southward throughout North and South America to Patagonia. 



This bird is better known to sportsmen than most other shore birds 

 owing to the fact that it is found in high dry regions, as well as along the 

 shores and marshes. It is commonly seen in large flocks 

 from September to November, but the larger number -^ 



appear during the latter half of September and Hnger for 

 a month or more. These appear to be mainly young of 

 the year, and they are in the gray plumage characteristic 

 of the young birds. It seems certain that the old birds 

 pass south in August and early September, and that a 

 large part of them travel along the sea coast, or even 

 over the open sea, past Bermuda and the Lesser Antilles, 

 to the north coast of South America. On the return trip 

 in spring the great majority, young or old, travel west 

 of the Mississippi River, and it is exceptional to meet 

 with the species in spring anywhere in the eastern states. 

 This is true also of Michigan, and although several ob- 

 servers have reported it as seen in spring, I have not been 

 able to find a spring specimen in any collection in the 

 state, and it seems likely that these reports may be in- 

 correct. It has been reported in the fall from nearly 

 every point in the Lower Peninsula where we have 

 correspondents, and it formerly was abundant about Fig. 56. Foot of Goi- 

 Saginaw Bay and along the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, ;?e™cuiatrta??uT'"^ 

 as well as on the west side of the state, and at several 

 points in the interior, including Ingham and Kalamazoo counties. 



Sometimes the flocks are very large, several hundred or even a thousand 

 birds feeding and flying together. They are apt to be wary and hard to 

 approach, and gunners often use a horse, or a horse and wagon, for ap- 

 proaching them. They are always good eating, and especially so in autumn 

 when they have fed for a few weeks on seeds, berries, and insects, at a 

 distance from salt water. They are very swift in their flight, and when 

 in migration flock after flock will pass over the most attractive country 

 without ahghting. Although they undoubtedly migrate at times by 

 night, great flights have been seen by day, and on the plains of southern 



