The
American golden plover is about 24cm long, and its Chinese name-which
translates into "golden-spotted plover"-is a reflection
of the bird's golden yellow winter plumage and the brownish-black
spots on its back. During the summer, the bird changes plumage
and becomes more brilliantly colored and eye-catching, with
its black face, chest, belly, and lower body separated from
its golden upper body by a single white stripe. American golden
plovers also have black beaks and legs, and their feet only
have three toes each.
Behavior:
American
golden plovers are common winter visitors and migrants to Taiwan.
They usually fly to Taiwan in September ahead of other migrant
bird groups and then depart the following May. They live primarily
in shoals, salt pans, marshlands, and river outlets, though
they can also be found in drier swamplands and in grasslands
near rice paddies. American golden plovers are very nimble at
foraging for food, and feed primarily on insects, crabs, and
small crustaceans. When on alert, they will constantly swing
their bodies back and forth or stretch out their heads to look
for danger. In general, they are not afraid of humans.
Habitat:
American
golden plovers live in coastal swamps, salt pans, wet rice paddies,
and ponds. Their primary habitat in Taiwan is the wetlands near
Ssutsao, Tainan.
