The Snowy Plover {AegiaUUs hiaticula) 



By Frank M. Woodruff 



Length: 5>4 inches. 



Though the range of this beautiful Plover is fairly extensive, it is much 

 more common west of the Rocky Mountains. It is found eastward to Kansas 

 and the western Gulf States. It is known to breed quite throughout this range, 

 and it may also nest in Central America, and western South America. It winters 

 from Southern California and Louisiana, southward on both coasts of Central 

 America and on the western coast of South America, at least to Chili. It has 

 also been found in western Cuba, and Mr. C. B. Cory has recorded it from Long 

 Island. Mr. N. S. Goss found the Snowy Plover breeding on the salt plains along 

 the Cimarron River in the Indian Territory. In this territor}- he saw young 

 birds and several adults. He found the nest to be a ''depression marked out in 

 the sand, with no lining, and nothing near to shelter or hide it from view." 



Mr. T. S. \*an Dyke says the Snowy Plover is found on the coast of Southern 

 California, inland as far as the great Salt Lake. It is abundant on the ocean 

 beaches, frequenting the high dry sand, and has many of the habits of the piping 

 plover. It is generally silent, and the soft coloring of its plumage blends per- 

 fectly with the surroundings. Along the California shore this Plover remains 

 through the winter and breeds during the month of May. The nest is a mere 

 depression in the sand, and several pairs are often found nesting in a compara- 

 tively small area. The eggs of the Snowy Plover resemble xtry closely the color 

 of the sand upon which they are laid, and for this reason are not easily observed. 



^^'hen hatched the young at once begin to search for food under the guidance 

 of their parents. Their food consists of the various small insects and other 

 minute forms of life that abound on the beaches. If surprised or pursued they 

 quickly run away, and may finaly settle upon the sand where they remain per- 

 fectly motionless, and because of their color, easily escape observation. In regard 

 to this habit, Mrs. Bailey says that on the shores of Salt Lake, while the great 

 white gulls disport themselves in the air and on the water, the plump little Snowy 

 Plover is trotting along the beach gathering his food as he goes. If frightened, he 

 drops into deep footprints of a horse, and is lost to view, so well does his back 

 match the gray surface. While leading their brood, the parent birds will feign 

 injur}- when pursued and flutter along in an apparently crippled manner in order 

 to attract attention to themselves while their young are escaping. Finally the 

 parent bird, when the young has had sufficient time to escape, and hide, takes to 

 wing and flies, in a roundabout manner back to the vicinity of her young. Mrs. 

 Wheelock records the finding of a Snowy Plover's nest near San Diego, Calif., in 

 the month of April. When discovered it contained three eggs. When the nest 

 was again visited three hours later two little ones had broken the shells and were 

 crouched in the nest looking like small gray stones. They were about the size 

 of large walnuts and were \try pretty creatures. 



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