While the mountains of our Costa Rican retreat offer a haven for an incredible variety of birds, some of our feathered friends are just passing through. Today, we meet the Semipalmated Plover, a little globetrotter who graces our Pacific Coast beaches with its presence during its epic migrations.
A Shorebird on the Move
The Semipalmated Plover is a small shorebird, no bigger than a robin. Its name reflects its partially webbed feet (semipalmatus in Latin means “half-webbed”). While brown on the back, it boasts a surprisingly bold black breastband and bright orange legs. These features, along with its short, blunt bill (often with an orange base, especially in adults), help birders identify it amongst the flocks of shorebirds it frequents.
Finding Food on the Move
A master of mudflats and sandy beaches, the Semipalmated Plover is an opportunistic feeder. Its keen eyes spot tiny invertebrates on the surface, and its run-and-stop technique with quick pecks makes it an efficient hunter. Here at the retreat, you might catch a glimpse of these busy birds flitting across the exposed sand at low tide on nearby beaches.
A Long Journey
Unlike many of the resident birds you’ll see here in the mountains, the Semipalmated Plover is a true globetrotter. It breeds in the far north, on the Arctic tundra or rocky beaches, before embarking on a long southward migration. Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast becomes a welcome stopover on their journey to wintering grounds all the way down in South America. These tiny birds can cover immense distances – up to 15,000 kilometers in a year!
An Adaptable Nester
Given their remote breeding grounds, you might be surprised to learn that Semipalmated Plovers can be surprisingly flexible when it comes to nesting. While they typically choose a scrape on the tundra or a pebbled beach, some populations have been known to nest on rooftops and even inside open buildings!
Spotting the Semipalmated Plover
While the mountains are not their preferred habitat, keep an eye out for these little globetrotters if you visit the Pacific Coast beaches during their migration season (usually from March to May and from August to November). Their cheerful whistle and active foraging style might just give them away.
Tiny But Mighty
The next time you see a flock of shorebirds flitting across the beach, take a closer look. You might just spot a Semipalmated Plover, a tiny bird with a truly impressive journey. While their stay at our Costa Rican haven is brief, these little globetrotters add another layer of wonder to the incredible avian diversity of our country.
For more information, please view our comprehensive guide about the birds of Costa Rica
