Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) is in the Plovers and Lapwings family (Charadriidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 30,028 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in October.
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.
Conservation status (iNaturalist): VU.
When to photograph Black-bellied Plover: observations by month (U.S.)
About Black-bellied Plover
The grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola), known as the black-bellied plover in North America, is a medium-sized plover breeding in Arctic regions. It is a long-distance migrant, with a nearly worldwide coastal distribution when not breeding. 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 squatarola is a Latinised version of Sgatarola, a Venetian name for some kind of...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Black-bellied Plover by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 11,707 | October | Jul–Apr |
| Florida | 5,422 | April | Aug–May |
| Texas | 3,506 | April | Mar–May |
| Massachusetts | 1,074 | September | Aug–Nov |
| Washington | 816 | April | Mar–Apr |
| New York | 687 | May | May–May |
| South Carolina | 671 | May | Aug–May |
| New Jersey | 648 | May | May–May |
| North Carolina | 629 | October | Aug–Nov |
| Oregon | 531 | April | Apr–May |
| Delaware | 449 | May | Apr–May |
| Virginia | 411 | May | May–May |
| Louisiana | 395 | April | Apr–May |
| Illinois | 259 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Maine | 246 | August | Aug–Oct |
| Connecticut | 244 | August | Aug–Oct |
| Alabama | 236 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Mississippi | 228 | April | Aug–May |
| Maryland | 213 | May | May–May |
| Michigan | 191 | May | May–May |
| Alaska | 168 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Ohio | 145 | May | May–May |
| Georgia | 126 | January | Dec–Jan |
| Rhode Island | 118 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Vermont | 118 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Utah | 112 | May | May–May |
| Pennsylvania | 89 | May | May–May |
| Minnesota | 84 | May | May–May |
| Wisconsin | 66 | May | May–May |
| Colorado | 65 | May | May–May |
| Arizona | 45 | August | Aug–Oct |
| Kansas | 37 | May | May–May |
| Missouri | 30 | May | May–May |
| Montana | 27 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Idaho | 25 | May | May–May |
| Oklahoma | 25 | May | Apr–May |
| Tennessee | 24 | May | Apr–May |
| Indiana | 23 | May | May–May |
| New Mexico | 23 | October | Aug–Oct |
| South Dakota | 22 | May | May–May |
| Nebraska | 21 | May | May–May |
| New Hampshire | 17 | August | Aug–Nov |
| Hawaii | 13 | February | Dec–Mar |
| Kentucky | 9 | May | May–May |
| North Dakota | 8 | May | May–May |
| Arkansas | 7 | August | Aug–Nov |
| Wyoming | 6 | September | Sep–Sep |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Plovers and Lapwings)
Killdeer
Semipalmated Plover
Snowy Plover
Piping Plover
Pacific Golden-Plover
American 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 Black-bellied Plover?
Nationally, October has the most observations, with the main season from August to May.
Where is Black-bellied Plover most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Florida, Texas.