1 86 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 



Grey Plover. Squatarola squatarola (Linn.). 



The Arctic breeding range of the Grey Plover (Plate 'j']^ is 

 circumpolar, and its winter travels take it as far as the Cape, 

 Australia, and South America. In the British Isles it is a 

 regular and plentiful passage migrant and winter visitor, and 

 has been met with in every month of the year. It is uncommon 

 in Scotland and Ireland and less plentiful on the west than the 

 east coast of England, but it is far from rare on the Lancashire 

 and Welsh shores. 



The Grey Plover is a shore bird, infrequent inland, and though 

 its flocks are not so large as those of the Golden Plover it is 

 often present in great numbers ; I have seen the Humber clays 

 sprinkled with Grey Plovers as far as my glass would range, 

 yet nowhere could I see more than two or three in a group. 

 The old bird is always greyer than the Golden Plover, and 

 in summer well deserves the name " Silver Plover," but young, 

 washed with yellow, are less distinctive, unless in the hand, 

 when the presence of the small hind toe settles the matter. 

 But, like the Golden, this bird frequently raises its wing, and 

 will even run with uplifted wings, and then the black or very 

 dark axillaries show plainly on the under surface ; these dark 

 marks may be seen on the flickering wings of a passing bird. 

 Further points are the whiter rump and upper tail-coverts, and 

 the black and white barred tail. The Grey Plover is as a rule 

 a lively and noisy bird, running quickly when feeding and 

 constantly calling from the ground or on the wing. Its note 

 is less liquid than that of the Golden, and is shrill and 

 penetrating. Its wing-beats are rather deliberate, but it is 

 swift and strong in flight. It is not always nervous, and young 

 birds are at first absurdly tame, a common fault of Arctic 

 nesters. If approached they will run for a few yards, turn to 

 see if they are followed, and seem reluctant to fly ; old birds, 



