[Length 6.25 in. Wingspan 17 in.]

Snowy Plovers occur in temperate regions of North America, and in Europe and Asia, where they are know as Kentish Plovers. In North America they breed near water in the western Great Plains and basins of the US. They are residents of the Gulf and lower west coasts of the US. This "Western" Snowy Plover was photographed on the beach at Elkhorn Slough in central California. Photo taken with a 300mm f4.5 Nikkor ED lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: November 1981)

[Length 7.75 in. Wingspan 19 in.]

Named for Alexander Wilson, who collected the first specimen in Cape May, New Jersey in 1813, the Wilson's Plover was once a common breeding bird of the barrier beaches along the eastern US from New Jersey to Florida, and along the gulf to Texas. Its numbers are now reduced, due to habitat destruction, and the northern limit of its range now only reaches the coastal beaches of Maryland and Virginia. This male was photographed defending a nesting territory at Chincoteague NWR, Virginia. Photo taken with a Celestron 750mm f5.6 mirror lens on Ektachrome 200 film. (Date: June 1977)

[Length 7.75 in. Wingspan 19 in.]

This Wilson's Plover was photographed at HAS Bolivar Flats Refuge, Bolivar Peninsula, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S f4 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: August 13, 2004)

[Length 7.75 in. Wingspan 19 in.]

This Wilson's Plover was photographed at In nesting area at Bolivar Flats Reserve, Bolivar Peninsula, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S f4 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=630mm) on a Nikon D100 camera. (Date: April 15, 2005)

[Length 7.75 in. Wingspan 19 in.]

This Willson's Plover was photographed at Bolivar Peninsula, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC20E II 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: April 23, 2007)

[Length 7.75 in. Wingspan 19 in.]

This Wilson's Plover was photographed at French Town Road, Port Bolivar, TX. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC20E II 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: May 6, 2008)

[Length 7.75 in. Wingspan 19 in.]

This fledgling Wilson's Plover was photographed at Indian Point Park, Portland, TX. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: August 28, 2009)

[Length 7.75 in. Wingspan 19 in.]

This female Wilson's plover was photographed defending a nesting territory at Chincoteague NWR, Virginia. Photo taken with a Celestron 750mm f5.6 mirror lens on Ektachrome 200 film. (Date: June 1977)