Snowy Plover

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Snowy Plover Photo

San Francisco dog owners may be familiar with the Snowy Plover. Areas around Ocean Beach are off limits to off-leash dogs in order to protect the Snowy Plover habitat and their vulnerable young. The birds are threatened in beach areas -- from loss of safe nesting sites.

Identifying characteristics:

• Size: 5-7 inches
• Pale, gray back and wings
• White throat and belly
• Black markings on forehead and behind the eye
• Black legs

The Snowy Plover diet is mostly aquatic invertebrates. They nest on the ground and typically have clutches of three eggs.

Photo © Mike Baird

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^{Mike Baird Bio
Sources: U.S. Geological Survey | Cornell Lab of Ornithology}