General Description: Black-bellied Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola) are large, chunky shorebirds with a relatively short, stout bill. The upper parts are dark, the lower parts are light. During summer, they get a completely black face and belly.

Taxonomy: Charadriiformes, Charadriidae, Charadriinae.

Favored Habitat: Shallow marshes and mudflats with islands for resting and breeding.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, don't look for Black-bellied Plover, but do keep an eye out for them at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, the Pahranagat Valley, and the Overton Wildlife Management Area. These are coastal birds that breed in the high arctic, so look for them along the Pacific and Atlantic coast during winter.

Comments: