tags: Mountain Plover, Charadrius montanus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Mountain Plover, Charadrius montanus, photographed in Arizona. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Richard Ditch, 25 December 2007 [larger view].
Date Time Original: 2007:12:25 10:06:24
Exposure Time: 1/319
F-Number: 10.00
ISO: 400
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Mountain plover, from the plover beak, white underparts, and the head pattern.
Snowy Plover
Incomplete breast band and SNOWY white feathers underneath
Snowy Plover
Incomplete breast band and SNOWY white feathers underneath
Mountain Plover, from its structure and location
...a Killdeer candidate for What Not to Wear?
...a dirt clod with legs?
...an animated cow pie?
But seriously, it's a Mountain Plover. The other (sometimes) plain plovers, Snowy and Piping, are comparatively large headed and would be way out of range and habitat.
The overall plain brown makes it a Mountain Plover for this size plover. My husband and I looked all through its breeding areas in Colorado and Wyoming this spring without finding any--we're told (and believe!) they're becoming quite rare.