Anarhynchus wilsonia
The Wilson's Plover, *Anarhynchus wilsonia*, is a distinctive medium-sized shorebird renowned for its unusually thick, heavy bill, a defining characteristic among plovers. Averaging 17-19 cm in length with a wingspan of 43-48 cm and weighing 53-83g, its plumage is a blend of sandy-brown upperparts and pristine white underparts. A prominent dark breast band is a key field mark, exhibiting sexual dimorphism where the male's band is noticeably broader and darker black, while the female's is pale...
Exclusively coastal, favoring sandy beaches, barrier islands, tidal flats, and salt marsh edges, typically found at or very near sea level.
Primarily crustaceans (especially fiddler crabs and ghost crabs), supplemented by marine worms and insects; forages by visually locating prey and using its robust bill to extract them from sand or burrows.
Wilson's Plovers are primarily diurnal, actively foraging during low tides. Their hunting strategy is a classic 'run-stop-peck,' visually locating prey before lunging. Uniquely, they leverage their robust bill to deftly pull crabs, particularly fiddler and ghost crabs, from their burrows. During ...
The Wilson's Plover boasts an extensive coastal distribution across the Americas. Its breeding range includes the Atlantic coast of the United States from Maryland south through Florida and along the Gulf Coast to Texas and Mexico. It also breeds widely throughout the Caribbean Islands, the Baham...
Least Concern
- Its bill is proportionally the thickest and heaviest of any plover species, a unique adaptation for its specialized diet. - Specializes in preying on crabs, particularly fiddler crabs, which it can deftly pull from their burrows using its powerful bill. - Named after Alexander Wilson (1766-1813...