The Pacific golden plover, in the summer, is black with white and gold spots on the back. It has white stripes stretching from the forehead to the eyebrow and down the sides of the neck to sides of the chest. It is black from the cheeks down through the throat to the belly and has great cryptic coloration.
Habits: Flocks of Pacific golden plovers inhabit post-harvest rice paddies and mudflats. They sit still like tiny mounds, and are only noticed by people after they are approached and fly away.
Winter/Common; Body length: 24 cm
Birdwatching period: October-May
The Pacific golden plover often appears in seashores, estuaries, marshy saltpans, and farmlands near the sea.
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