Grey plover

The grey plover, also known as the black-bellied plover in North America, is a medium-sized bird that breeds in the Arctic and spends the remainder of the year along coastlines worldwide. The name "plover" is derived from Latin, meaning "related to rain" while its species name, "squatarola" is a Latinized version of a Venetian word for a type of plover.

This bird measures about 27–30 cm in length. During spring and summer, it boasts striking black and white plumage, which transitions to a more subdued grey in the winter. Juvenile and first-winter birds resemble adults in their winter plumage but exhibit slight differences. They can be identified by their bill size and coloration.

Grey plovers breed on Arctic islands and coastal areas, nesting on the ground in dry, open tundra. They lay their eggs in early June, with an incubation period of about 26–27 days. The chicks are ready to fly at around 35–45 days old. During migration, these birds winter in coastal regions globally, with different populations settling in various locations.

For food, grey plovers forage on beaches and tidal flats. Their diet consists of small mollusks, worms, crustaceans, and insects. Unlike other plovers, they are less social and tend to feed alone rather than in large groups. The species is also protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).