Listen to the Piping plover
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the Piping plover
The Piping plover is a bird in the family Charadriidae (order Charadriiformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “near threatened”. Adults have a wingspan of about 36 cm and weigh around 55 g.
What does the Piping plover sound like?
Bird vocalisations are usually divided into songs – longer, often complex phrases used to defend territory and attract mates, sung mostly by males in the breeding season – and calls: short, simple sounds for contact, alarm, begging or flight.
The recordings here are labelled as piping plover. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
The piping plover (Charadrius melodus) is a small, sand-colored shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange-red legs, a black band across the forehead from eye to eye, and a black stripe running along the breast line. This chest band is usually thicker in males during the breeding season, and it is the only reliable way to tell the sexes apart. The bird is difficult to see when it is standing still, as it blends well with open, sandy beach habitats. It typically runs in short, quick spurts and then stops.
There are two subspecies of piping plovers: the eastern population is known as Charadrius melodus melodus and the mid-west population is known as C. m. circumcinctus. The bird's name is derived from its plaintive bell-like whistles which are often heard before the bird is visible.
Related birds in the genus Charadrius
More from the family Charadriidae
Frequently asked questions
What does a Piping plover sound like?
You can hear 1 recording of the Piping plover on this page, including its piping plover. Bird vocalisations are usually divided into songs – longer, often complex phrases used to defend territory and attract mates, sung mostly by males in the breeding season – and calls: short, simple sounds for contact, alarm, begging or flight.
Is the Piping plover endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Piping plover as “near threatened”.
What family does the Piping plover belong to?
The Piping plover (Charadrius melodus) belongs to the family Charadriidae in the order Charadriiformes.
Sources & credits
- Piping Plover by G. McGrane – Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q1351070 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Piping plover – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by Mdf derivative work: User:Tmv23 ( talk ) – CC BY-SA 3.0