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Pluvialis fulva

(Gmelin, 1789)

Pacific Golden-Plover

G5Secure Found in 9 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102524
Element CodeABNNB02040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyCharadriidae
GenusPluvialis
Other Common Names
Chorlo Fulvo (ES) Pluvier fauve (FR)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
P. dominica and P. fulva formerly were regarded as conspecific (P. dominica). Connors et al. (1993) documented clear and consistent differences in breeding vocalizations and nesting habitat, and strict assortative mating in areas of sympatry in western Alaska; they concluded that P. dominica and P. fulva are distinct species. Sibley and Monroe (1990) and AOU (1993) also treated these taxa as separate species. Species of Pluvialis were formerly (AOU 1983, 1998) placed in the subfamily Charadriinae, but genetic data (Baker et al. 2007, Barth et al. 2013, Dos Remedios et al. 2015, Cerný and Natale 2022) indicate that Pluvialis forms a deeply diverged sister lineage to the rest of the plovers (AOS 2024).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-11-25
Range Extent Comments
BREEDING: western Alaska east to Yamal Peninsula in Siberia. NON-BREEDING: India, southern China, Hawaii (most abundant August-April, some present all year) south to Australia, New Zealand. Breeders from western Alaska and eastern Siberia occur mainly in the Indo-Pacific region during the northern winter.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

BREEDING: Grassy arctic and alpine tundra, usually in areas at lower elevation, in denser and taller vegetative cover than used by P. DOMINICA (breeding). Nests on grassy tundra; prefers dry upland areas. The nest is a shallow scraped-out depression, lined with mosses, leaves, grass, and lichens. In western Alaska, where DOMINICA and FULVA are sympatric, DOMINICA nests occurred more often in areas of higher elevation and slope, with sparser and shorter vegetation, and more rocks; FULVA nests were usually at lower elevations in denser and taller vegetative cover; both forms used relatively dry upland tundra (Connors et al. 1993). In western Alaska (P. FULVA), males returned to the same nesting territories in successive years; most females did not (Johnson et al. 1993). NON-BREEDING: short-grass prairie, pastures, mudflats, sandy beaches, and flooded fields.

Ecology

NON-BREEDING: In Hawaii, many establish winter territories to which they return each year; abandon territories at night and roost in flock (Johnson et al. 1981). Territorial birds had higher apparent survival rates than non-territorial wintering birds (Johnson et al. 2001). Winter mortality in Hawaii was caused by accidents (collisions) and probable predation by owls (Johnson et al. 2001).

Reproduction

Breeding begins in late spring. Clutch size usually 4. Incubation probably about 26 days, by both sexes. Young precocial, tended by both adults. Monogamous. First breeds at 1 year, though first-year females may breed less commonly than do first-year males (Johnson et al. 1993). Nesting density and/or nesting success may vary greatly over time and space (Johnson et al. 1993).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceousAlpineTundraCropland/hedgerow
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOLRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaNUM
ProvinceRankNative
Island of NewfoundlandSNAYes
British ColumbiaS4MYes
Yukon TerritorySUMYes
United StatesN5B,NNRN
ProvinceRankNative
OregonSNAYes
WashingtonS2NYes
HawaiiSNRNYes
CaliforniaSNRNYes
AlaskaS4BYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)UnknownLow (long-term)
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationPervasive (71-100%)UnknownLow (long-term)

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Roadless Areas (9)
Alaska (9)
AreaForestAcres
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
Douglas IslandTongass National Forest28,065
Juneau UrbanTongass National Forest101,581
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
Mansfield PeninsulaTongass National Forest54,991
North BaranofTongass National Forest314,089
RedoubtTongass National Forest68,347
Sitka UrbanTongass National Forest112,003
South KruzofTongass National Forest55,193
References (36)
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