American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) is in the Plovers and Lapwings family (Charadriidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 4,049 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in September.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: spring and fall migrant. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph American Golden-Plover: observations by month (U.S.)
About American Golden-Plover
The American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica) is a medium-sized plover. The genus name is Latin and means relating to rain, from pluvia, "rain". It was believed that golden plovers flocked when rain was imminent. The species name dominica refers to Santo Domingo, now Hispaniola, in the West Indies.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
American Golden-Plover by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,094 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Illinois | 235 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Alaska | 228 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Ohio | 180 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Michigan | 150 | September | Sep–Oct |
| New York | 132 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 131 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Louisiana | 119 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Minnesota | 116 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Maryland | 113 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Florida | 102 | September | Aug–Jan |
| New Jersey | 99 | September | Sep–Oct |
| California | 98 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Missouri | 87 | April | Mar–May |
| Tennessee | 86 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Arkansas | 70 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Oklahoma | 69 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Wisconsin | 69 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Alabama | 56 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Virginia | 56 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Washington | 55 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Oregon | 53 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Pennsylvania | 52 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Kansas | 47 | April | Apr–Apr |
| North Carolina | 47 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Vermont | 47 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Connecticut | 43 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Mississippi | 36 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Indiana | 30 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Arizona | 29 | April | Apr–May |
| Delaware | 29 | October | Oct–Oct |
| New Mexico | 29 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Colorado | 28 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Georgia | 28 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Maine | 28 | September | Sep–Oct |
| North Dakota | 22 | May | May–May |
| South Dakota | 21 | May | May–May |
| Iowa | 20 | April | Apr–May |
| Kentucky | 18 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Nebraska | 15 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Utah | 14 | October | Aug–Oct |
| New Hampshire | 13 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Rhode Island | 12 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Idaho | 11 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Montana | 11 | September | Aug–Sep |
| South Carolina | 10 | April | Apr–Apr |
| West Virginia | 7 | September | Sep–Oct |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Plovers and Lapwings)
Killdeer
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Snowy Plover
Piping Plover
Pacific Golden-Plover
Wilson's Plover
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph American Golden-Plover?
Nationally, September has the most observations, with the main season from September to October.
Where is American Golden-Plover most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Illinois, Alaska.