Piping Plover

Charadrius melodus Ord, 1824

Piping Plover Charadrius melodus is a plover of North American coasts and inland breeding grounds, with nesting sites from south-eastern Alberta to south-western Ontario, the Great Lakes, eastern Colorado and northern Kansas, and along the coast from southern Newfoundland to North Carolina. Outside the breeding season it moves to the south-west North Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Florida, the Gulf coast to the Yucatán Peninsula, and the Bahamas and Greater Antilles except Jamaica. It was described by Ord in 1824. It is a member of the Charadriidae.

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Charadriidae — Plovers

Breeding range

North America: inland se Alberta to sw Ontario (sc Canada) and Great Lakes s to e Colorado and n Kansas; coastal s Newfoundland (e Canada) to North Carolina

Nonbreeding range

coastal sw North Atlantic from North Carolina to Florida, coastal Gulf of Mexico to Yucatan Pen.; Bahamas and Greater Antilles (except Jamaica)