AnimaliaHighest rank in taxonomy. Groups all life into domains: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, etc.IUCN LCInternational Union for Conservation of Nature — the world authority on species extinction risk, using standardized criteria. — Least Concern — widespread and abundant; not at immediate risk of extinction.In ProgressCurrent stage of this record in the editorial review workflow. Recent Sighting
Charadrius semipalmatus
Semipalmated Plover
Bonaparte, 1825
Detailed Texts Multi-lang
A small, plump shorebird with a short, thick orange bill tipped with black, and bright orange-yellow legs. In breeding plumage, it features a dark brown back, a stark white belly, and a single, well-defined black breastband. Its face is sharply patterned with a black mask, a white forehead patch, and a tiny white post-ocular spot. Non-breeding adults and juveniles replace the crisp black markings with a dull, muted greyish-brown color, and the bill becomes entirely dark.
Added by
Anonymous Curator
Reviewed by
Under Review
Last modified by
Julia Trouin
TaxonomyBiological classification ranks placing this species within the tree of life, from Kingdom down to Genus.
PhylumRank below Kingdom. Groups organisms sharing a fundamental body plan (e.g., Chordata = vertebrates and some invertebrates).Chordata
ClassRank below Phylum. Subdivides by structural traits (e.g., Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Insecta).Aves
OrderRank below Class. Groups related families sharing common ancestry (e.g., Carnivora, Primates).Charadriiformes
FamilyRank below Order. Groups closely related genera (e.g., Felidae = cats, Canidae = dogs).Charadriidae
GenusRank just above Species. The first word in the two-part binomial scientific name.Charadrius
Taxonomic AuthorityThe scientist who first formally described and published this species, followed by the year of publication.Bonaparte, 1825
Record Completeness
96%Coming soon
Ecology & StatusHow this species lives: habitat preferences, diet, behavior, population status, and role in its ecosystem.
OriginWhether the species is native (evolved here), endemic (found only here), or introduced by human activity.
Native
Population TrendDirection of change in population size over time: increasing, stable, decreasing, or unknown.
Stable
Breeding SeasonTime of year when this species typically reproduces or flowers.
Year Round
Trophic RolePosition in the food chain: producer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, decomposer, or parasite.
Carnivore
Recent SightingsWhether this species has been observed in the wild in Costa Rica within recent years.
Yes
Habitat SummaryOverview of the specific ecosystems and environments where this species is found in Costa Rica. Multi-lang
Breeds open subarctic beaches, gravel riverbars, and sandy tundra ridges. Throughout its lengthy migration and over the wintering period, it inhabits wide intertidal mudflats, sandy coastal beaches, saltmarshes, lagoons, and brackish mangrove edges.BehaviourDaily activity patterns, movement, territory use, foraging style, and seasonal behavioral changes. Multi-lang
A diurnal and nocturnal forager that forms tight-knit, coordinated flocks during migratory transit but spreads out widely when feeding to avoid visual prey depletion. They are highly vocal on mudflats, identifying themselves with a distinctive, rising, two-syllable whistling 'chee-wee' call that resonates across coastal flats.Social ActivitySocial structure: whether the species is solitary, paired, or colonial; hierarchy and communication. Multi-lang
Exhibits highly territorial behavior during the brief arctic breeding season, with males defending nesting territories through elaborate, circular scraped displays. Conversely, during migration and wintering, they transition into a gregarious lifestyle, roosting in compact multi-species shorebird flocks of hundreds of individuals at high tide.Feeding GuildWhat the species eats, how it forages or hunts, and its role as a consumer in the food web. Multi-lang
Carnivore (specialized intertidal invertivore and visual surface-gleaner using a run-stop-pick pattern).Trophic Chain DetailsSpecific interactions in local food webs: prey species, predators, competitors, and scavengers. Multi-lang
Acts as an intermediate secondary consumer in coastal and tundra trophic chains. Its diet is heavily comprised of small polychaete worms, marine amphipods, small bivalves, crabs, and insects (especially flies and beetles on breeding grounds). Adults are targeted by avian apex predators such as Merlin, Peregrine Falcons, and various hawks.Reproductive BehaviourMating strategies, courtship displays, nesting or spawning behavior, and parental care. Multi-lang
Monogamous. The male establishes a territory using a butterfly-like display flight accompanied by continuous chattering. The nest is a simple, shallow scrape in loose gravel, sand, or moss, occasionally lined with a few dry leaves or willow fragments. The female typically lays 4 light-brown to olive eggs, heavily cryptically camouflaged with dark chocolate brown spots. Both parents share incubation duties equally for 23 to 25 days. The precocial chicks are born fully downy, leave the scrape within hours of hatching, and forage completely for themselves while being fiercely brooded and guarded by both parents against extreme weather and predators.Physical Measures
Length (cm)
17.0 - 19.5 cm
Weight (Grams)
30 g - 50 g
Offspring per cycleTypical number of young (live births, eggs, or seeds) produced by one adult in a single reproductive event or breeding season.3 - 4
Sexual DimorphismObservable physical differences between males and females of the same species (e.g., size, coloration, features).Yes
Lifespan
Sexual MaturityAge at which the individual becomes capable of reproducing for the first time.
1 - 2 Years
Gestation / IncubationDuration from fertilization to birth (mammals) or to hatching (egg-laying species).
23 - 25
Lifespan EstimatedExpected duration of life from birth to natural death under wild conditions.
Males4 - 9 Years
Females4 - 9 Years
Sexual DimorphismPhysical differences in size, coloration, or morphology between males and females of this species.
Males Multi-lang
Slight, seasonal structural dimorphism. During breeding season, males typically exhibit slightly darker, crisper, and more well-defined black facial masks and breastbands compared to females, alongside marginally shorter average wing lengths.
Females Multi-lang
Plumage is identical in patterns, but during breeding, the black facial markings and chest band often appear subtly tinged with brown or less uniform. Structurally, females average marginally larger in body mass and bill length.
Evolutionary AdaptationsInherited traits and behaviors that improve the species' survival and reproduction in its specific environment. Multi-lang
Equipped with partial webbing between the bases of the outer toes (semipalmation), providing enhanced surface area to quickly navigate over sticky, treacherous mudflats without sinking.
Possesses a highly developed 'run-stop-start' visual foraging technique paired with large, sensitive eyes that allow them to spot minimal substrate movements made by buried invertebrates under low-light or nocturnal conditions.
Main ThreatsDocumented pressures reducing the population: habitat loss, hunting, disease, climate change, and invasive species. Multi-lang
Threatened by the degradation and loss of critical coastal stopover sites due to urban coastal development, rising sea levels squeezing intertidal zones, and high disturbance from recreational beach activities during migration peaks.
Interesting FactsSurprising or notable facts that highlight what makes this species unique or ecologically important. Multi-lang
To protect their eggs or young from predators like foxes, adult Semipalmated Plovers perform a highly convincing 'broken-wing display', feigning severe injury and crying out to lure the predator far away from the nest before flying off.
During foraging, they exhibit a fascinating behavior called 'foot-trembling', where they rapidly vibrate one foot on the surface of wet mud or shallow water to startle hidden worms into moving, making them instantly visible.