Chris Davidson Photography
SpPlovers-8994-j
Semipalmated Plovers (Charadrius semipalmatus)
New Jersey
These arctic breeding shorebirds can be quite common in the right habitat during both phases of migration.
I watched these two Plovers agressivly chaseing each other around on several occasions now, at first I thought it was a simple territorial dispute but they never exhibited the behavior near other Plovers or Sandpipers.
I'm now thinking that it is actually pair bonding of some sort.
Here is what Cornell's Site "All About Birds mentions about this species.
"When a female appears, the male chases her on the ground, fanning and cocking the tail, lowering the head, and giving a sputtering call." All of these behavioral traits are shown in this image....
I presumed this behavior would only take place on their breeding grounds.
SpPlovers-8994-j
Semipalmated Plovers (Charadrius semipalmatus)
New Jersey
These arctic breeding shorebirds can be quite common in the right habitat during both phases of migration.
I watched these two Plovers agressivly chaseing each other around on several occasions now, at first I thought it was a simple territorial dispute but they never exhibited the behavior near other Plovers or Sandpipers.
I'm now thinking that it is actually pair bonding of some sort.
Here is what Cornell's Site "All About Birds mentions about this species.
"When a female appears, the male chases her on the ground, fanning and cocking the tail, lowering the head, and giving a sputtering call." All of these behavioral traits are shown in this image....
I presumed this behavior would only take place on their breeding grounds.