Plovers (/ ˈ p l ʌ v ər / PLUV-ər, [1] also US: / ˈ p l oʊ v ər / PLOH-vər) [2] are members of a widely distributed group of wading birds of subfamily Charadriinae. The term "plover" applies to all the members of the subfamily, [1] though only about half of them include it in their name. [1]

Plovers are a group of small shorebirds that commonly live on beaches and tidal zones. There are over 60 different species in the Plover, or Charadriinae, subfamily. Researchers divide the birds in the subfamily into 8 different taxonomic genuses also containing killdeers, wrybills, and dotterels.

Plovers are found throughout North America. There are at least seven species of plovers found on the continent. The American Golden-Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Pacific Golden-Plover, Piping Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Snowy Plover and the Wilson's Plover are native to the continent.

The piping plover (Charadrius melodus) is a small sand-colored, sparrow -sized shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange-red legs, a black band across the forehead from eye to eye, and a black stripe running along the breast line.

They are hardy survivors that forage for invertebrates on ocean beaches and in desolate salt flats and alkaline lakes. Snowy Plovers make nearly invisible nests on beaches, where they are easily disturbed by humans, dogs, and beach vehicles.

Plover, any of numerous species of plump-breasted birds of the shorebird family Charadriidae (order Charadriiformes). There are about three dozen species of plovers, 15 to 30 centimetres (6 to 12 inches) long, with long wings, moderately long …

The masked lapwing (Vanellus miles) is a large, common and conspicuous bird native to Australia (particularly the northern and eastern parts of the continent), New Zealand and New Guinea. It spends most of its time on the ground searching for food such as insects and worms, and has several distinctive calls.

Black-bellied Plovers are vocal and conspicuous, relatively easily found on beaches and coastal wetlands of all coasts of North America. Look for them on tidal mudflats anytime except high tide.

The understated, elegant sandy plumage of the Mountain Plover blends perfectly with its pale shortgrass and desert surroundings—when alarmed, this bird often simply sits down and disappears. Nesting on high, dry plains of western North America, this species is a companion of classic prairie wildlife like bison, pronghorn, and prairie dogs.

An inconspicuous, pale little bird, easily overlooked as it runs around on white sand beaches, or on the salt flats around lakes in the arid west. Where it lives on beaches, its nesting attempts are...