GKEY PLOVER 231 



GREY PLOYER. Squatarola helvetica (Linnaeus). 



Coloured Figures. Gould, ' Birds of Great Britain,' vol. iv, pis. 

 36, 37 ; Dresser, ' Birds of Europe,' vol. vii, pis. 515, 517- 

 519 ; Lilford, * Coloured Figures,' vol. v, pi. 15. 



Comparatively few observers, except those who devote 

 special study to shore-birds, are familiar with the Grey 

 Plover. The ordinary gunner who tramps the fields and 

 bog-lands of the open country knows but two species, the 

 Golden and the Green Plover. In Ireland much confusion 

 has arisen through calling the Golden the ' Grey,' the only 

 other Plover generally known being the Lapwing, Peewit, 

 or Green Plover. It is not strange that the Golden Plover 

 should be designated ' grey ' ; there is nothing striking in 

 its plumage comparable to the brilliant feathers of the 

 Golden Oriole, the Golden Pheasant, the Goldfinch, the 

 Golden-crested Wren, and of many other species too 

 numerous to mention. 



The immature Grey Plover in its first winter-plumage, 

 is speckled finely on the back and wings with pale yellow, 

 thus closely resembling the Golden Plover, and making dis- 

 tinction between the two species difficult, if the hind toe be 

 not noticed (Plate XV., fig. 1). 



Alike, however, as the two species may be in markings, 

 they have very distinctive habits. In autumn and winter 

 the Grey Plover is essentially a shore-bird 1 , and is only 

 very exceptionally found away from the tide ; the Golden, 

 we have seen, is widely distributed over mountain, moor, 

 and slob-land. 



The Grey Plover does not collect into closely-packed 

 flocks ; I have, however, frequently counted as many as fifty 

 birds on a salt-water marsh of the Dublin coast, but they 

 have been invariably scattered over a considerable area. 



When flying, this species may be readily detected by 

 its noticeable black axillary feathers. On examining a 

 specimen, the small hind-toe, which is absent from the 

 foot of the Golden Plover, is a distinctive feature. Though 

 not numerous the Grey Plover is widely distributed 

 along our low-lying coasts in autumn, winter, and spring. 

 The majority of the birds arrive about the middle of 

 September, and are nearly all immature ; the adults in 



1 Wilson states that in America, Grey Plovers in spring and summer, 

 frequent ploughed fields away from the sea. 



