Black-Bellied Plover
The Black-Bellied Plover is a medium-sized shorebird known for its striking appearance. It has a distinctive black belly during the breeding season, while its plumage is mottled brown and gray in non-breeding plumage. This bird typically inhabits coastal areas, mudflats, and sandy beaches, where it forages for insects, crustaceans, and other small invertebrates.
These plovers are migratory, traveling long distances between their breeding grounds in the Arctic and wintering sites in warmer regions, including parts of North America and South America. They are often seen in flocks and are known for their characteristic flight pattern, which includes rapid wingbeats followed by short glides.