Identification of Lesser Golden and status in Britain and Ireland ^

here are two races of Lesser Golden Plover dominica: the T Nearctic P. d. dominica and the Asiatic P. d. fulva. Both travel great dis­ tances between their breeding and wintering grounds (fig. 1), and in recent years the species has been recorded with increasing frequency in Britain and Ireland.

Fig. 1. Principal breeding and wintering ranges of the two races of Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica

112 [Brit. 75: 112-124, March 1982] Identification of Lesser Golden Plover 113 Specific identification In comparison with Golden Plover P. aprkaria (plates 38-40), Lesser Golden (plates 41-50) is smaller, noticeably so in the air, when its narrower wings are also evident. When alert or feeding, it is slimmer, with a less rounded belly, but this feature is not visible when it is resting in a puffed-out or hunched position, when it looks neckless, compact and comparable in bulk with a Golden Plover. The large-headed appearance of Lesser Golden Plover results from a slimmer, waisted neck and is accentuated by promi-

38. Golden Pluriuhs npruaria showing whitish underwings, Mid Glamorgan, April 1981 (Howard Mr/wlls)

39. Adult summer male Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria ultijrims, Sweden, July 1959 (P. (>. Swannery) 114 Identification of Lesser Golden Plover

40. Adult winter Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria. North Humberside, January 1973 [Richard Vaughan) 41. Juvenile Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica dommica, Cornwall, October 1980 {Gordon Langshury) Identification of Lesser Golden Plover 115

42. Winter Lesser Golden Plover P/uritilii domimai julva, Sri Lanka. January 1977 (Pedtr U'fibuil)

43. Juvenile Lesser Golden Plover Pluviath dummied julva. USSR, September 1975 ( Yuir Shilmev) 116 Identification of Lesser Golden Plover nent supercilia, which are normally bolder than those of Golden Plover. Additionally, the bill is longer in relation to the head. Proportionately longer legs give Lesser Golden a 'leggy' appearance— individuals with Golden Plovers can appear the same height or even taller—and this, together with its build, can make it appear 'shank-like'. The legs are dark grey or blue-grey, but look black at a distance. The wings are proportionately longer than those of Golden Plover and, when folded, are finer and typically project well past the tail-tip; the projection is, however, variable, being only slight on some individuals (wings of some Golden Plovers may also project marginally beyond the tail-tip). The underwing is dusky or fulvous-grey with smoke-grey axillaries (plate 44), drabber than the white underwing and axillaries of Golden

44. Winter Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialii dominicaJulva showing dark underwing, Thai­ land, February 1980 (B. A. E. Man)

Plover (plate 38). Juvenile and first-winter Golden Plovers may show very pale fawn underwing-coverts, particularly in certain lights, but not the greyness of Lesser Golden (a feature seen in flight, but most easily on landing, as plovers often hold their wings up momentarily before folding them). As with Golden Plover, the wing-bar is individually variable; it is formed chiefly by white on the shafts of the primaries and secondaries, but both species can also show white on the webs of the inner primaries. Verrall (1978) and Brown & Ellis (1980) recorded aberrant, grey-morph Golden Plovers resembling adult winter Lesser Golden of the race dominica, but both individuals lacked specific features of Lesser Golden, such as grey axillaries.

Fig. 2. Silhouettes ol Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria (left), and the two races ol Lesser Golden Plover P. dominica dominica (centre) and P. d.julva (right), showing comparative body sizes and leg lengths Identification of Lesser Golden Plover 117 In Britain and Ireland, Lesser Golden Plovers are usually solitary; even when accompanying Golden Plovers, they tend to remain at the edge of the flock, although they will fly with the flock. When feeding, both species run rapidly, then suddenly stop and peck or probe for food. Racial identification In general, typical julva are smaller, proportionately longer-legged and brighter-plumaged than dominka (fig. 2). The main differences between the two races are summarised in table 1 and set out in detail for all plumages below.

Table 1. Summary of identification features of the two races of Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis domimca

Featu Typical P. d. dominka Typical P. d. Julva

Size Slightly smaller than Golden Noticeably smaller than Golden Plover P. apricaria Plover Leg length Longer in proportion to body Comparable with, or longer size than Golden Plover than, P. d. dominka

SUMMER PLUMAGE Impression Like Grey Plover P. squatarola Like Golden Plover Supercilia Broad Narrower White lateral line through fl anks Occasional Regular

WINTER PLUMAGE Supercilia Whitish Yellowish Nape Grey without prominent Brown with prominent yellow edgings yellow edgings Upperparts Dull spangling Bright spangling Underparts Dull; little or no contrast Bright; distinct contrast of of colours colours

JUVENILE Supercilia White Yellowish-white Nape Grey without prominent Brown with prominent yellow edgings yellow edgings Upperparts Lemon spangling, fading Gold spangling rapidly to whitish Underparts (ground) Dull: grey or grey-brown Very bright: yellowish-white Underparts (pattern) Extensive barring Limited streaking

Adult summer Male dominka has black underparts from chin to undertail coverts, the latter sometimes barred or irregularly blotched (female has brownish-black underparts, noticeable on skins, but colour difference probably difficult to discern in the field); white of forehead and supercilia extends strongly down sides of neck and breast, but not onto flanks (plates 45 & 46). Both sexes of/w/ra have brownish-black underparts; white on forehead, supercilia and sides of neck and breast generally less extensive than on domimca; white extends as broken or spotted line through flanks. Female (and first-summer male) dominka have broader supercilia and larger white areas on sides of breast, the latter sometimes virtually joining in the centre; white feathers are sometimes mixed in the underparts and the white line may continue through the 118 Identification oj Lesser Golden Plover

45. Adult summer Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica dominica, . June 1977 (C. H. Creenewalt)

46. Adult summer Lesser Golden Plover Plunalis dominica dominica, Cleveland, July \979(M.A.BIirk)

flanks, which are then heavily barred. Female Julva may also have white leathers in the underparts. Feathers of upperparts oiJulva are tipped and notched gold, brighter and more plentiful than on dommua, and comparable with Golden Plover. Full breeding plumage of dominica superficially resembles Grev Plover P. squatarola. Typical Julva in full breeding plumage (plate 47) should be distinguishable by smaller size, brighter upperparts and presence of broken white flank line, but some, particularly from west Alaska, are extremely difficult to separate. (Note that winter-plumaged dominica have occasionally been recorded in summer.) Transitional plumage: summer to winter Body moult begins injuly or August (mid July in the case olJulia). On dominica. pale grev and white (in fulva, bull-yellow) leathers appear in the underparts, first on line, throat and breast. The race julva is brighter than dominica. and the new leathers contrast strongly with the faded breeding plumage. Male and female dominica can show white Hank line, even in early stages ol moult, extending to undertail-coverts; as moult continues, underparts become irregularly blotched. Remnants of summer plumage may be retained until at least November. Identification oj Lesser Golden Plover 119

47. Adult summer Lesser Golden Plover Ptuvialis dominicajulva, USSR (print received from B. E. Flint) Adult winter On dominica, virtually white chin, throat and belly contrast little with rest of drab, dull grey underparts; Ibrcncck and breast slightly streaked or mottled. The race julva is much brighter, with lace, chin, throat and loreneck bull-yellow, chin and throat sometimes lightly streaked; breast lawn edged with bright yellow and contrasting strongly with white belly and flanks, though belly and flanks can have yellow wash, with flanks lightly streaked. Nape of dominica 48. Adult Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica julva transitional from winter to summer plumage, , April 1977 [Donald & Molly Trounson) 120 Identification of Lesser Golden Plover grey, contrasting with darker crown and dark brown or brown-black mantle, and lacking prominent yellow spots or streaks; wing-coverts paler brown; upperpart leathers narrowly edged buff-yellow and grey-white, more prominent on coverts than on mantle and scapulars (bv late winter, some dominica show no yellow on wing-coverts or mantle and scapulars, although rump and uppertail-coverts retain some colour). On Julia, crown, nape and mantle are uniform brownish-black, showing little or no contrast, and yellow spots and streaks continue from crown, over nape, to join those of mantle; upperpart leathers edged bright yellow-gold when fresh, though extent of spangling less than on Golden Plover, whose upperpart leathering is notched. On dominica. prominent white supercilia give capped effect; onjulva, supercilia can be prominent white, but more usually yellowish, blending with lace and less conspicuous than on dominica. General pattern ol'dominica drabber, with greyer effect than the raceJutva. which is much brighter (plate 42). Transitional plumage: winter to summer Many dominica start body moult in March, but some (mainly first-winters) do not have black underparts until May. Adult Jutva (plate 48) start in February or March (first-winters late March or April), and full summer plumage is acquired from April. Juvenile Underparts olI dominica (plates 41 & 49) are drab grey, with extensive barring (on almost entire underparts) caused by greyish-brown tips and centres to whitish feathers (variable replace­ ment, lading and wear influence extent of barring alter September); prominent whitish supercilia recall Dotterel Charadrius morinellus. The race Jutva (plates 43 & 50) is much brighter below, with face, neck and breast much yellower and supercilia yellowish-white; neck and breast very bright yellow when fresh, each leather narrowly tipped brown and with brown streak along shaft (leather tips wear off rapidly, leaving pattern of light streaking); yellow breast contrasts strongly with whitish belly and vent; flanks white, leathers tipped or barred brown, some with brown streaks along shafts (abrasion results in light streaking or barring on flanks); supercilia yellowish-white. The race dominica has brownish-black upperparts, leathers tipped and notched pale lemon-yellow of varying brightness (from September, colour fades rapidly, first on wing-coverts, to whitish); grey nape, without prominent yellow spots and streaks, contrasts with crown and mantle. Onjulva, prominent yellow spots and streaks continue from crown down nape to brownish-black mantle, which has leathers tipped and

49. Juvenile Lesser Golden Plover Ptuvialis dominica dominica, Cornwall, October 1980 (P. Vines) Identification of Lesser Golden Plover 121 notched bright yellow-gold, as have scapulars and wing-coverts. General effect: julra yellower above and below than dominica, with bright yellow upperpart spangling; dominka generally much greyer, looking yellow below, and superficially resembling juvenile Grey Plover P. squalarola. First-winter Both races virtually as adult winter. Some juvenile barring usually still visible on breast and flanks of dominka in November. First-summer In both races, some first-winter feathers retained, otherwise as adult summer (in dominica, male resembles female). Some attain only partial summer plumage: in dominka. with black, on only- some feathers of underparts, restricted to small spot or streak near leather tips and giving mottled appearance; mjulva, with white feathers scattered in underparts, or with black spots only at tips of some underpart feathers.

Interbreeding and hybridisation The breeding ranges of the two races overlap in Alaska and eastern Siberia (fig. 1), and, because some specimens are difficult to identify racially, Vaurie (1964, 1965) considered that they may interbreed in this area. Apparent hybrids between Lesser Golden Plover and Golden Plover have been recorded rarely in the USSR (Popham 1901, Stout 1967) and once in Malta (Borg 1976). Voice The calls (table 2) are arranged in eight groups and represent my interpretation of familiar sounds. Some calls, particularly single notes, may be uttered once or repeated several times. Calls in groups 4 and 5 (distinctly disyllabic and resembling Spotted Redshank Tringa erylhropus) and groups 7 and 8 (similar to an anxious Lapwing Vanellus vanellus) are apparently the most diagnostic of Lesser Golden Plover compared with Golden Plover. Table 2. Call notes of Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica References include: Alexander (1954), Bent (1929), Browne (1955), Haviland (1915), Nichols (1920), Sauer (1962) and Urner (1933), as well as Rarities Committee files. Complex calls of four or more notes, used primarily on the breeding territory, are omitted

Group P. d. dominica P. d.Julva

1 'chip', 'pit', 'pip', 'cheep' chirp', 'chirrup', 'peep' 2 'pu', 'pluu', 'hu', 'foo', 'que', 'quup', pew', 'tew' 'klu', 'kluu' 3 'coodle', 'doo-die', 'tialoo', 'toodleu' 'toodle-oo', 'oodle-oo', 'dloodlook' 4 'tu-ee', 'tu-wee', 'too-ee', 'do-lee', 'tu-ee', 'tyew-ee', 'tu-wee', 'thu-wee', 'too-lee' 'ku-dee' 5 'chu-wit', 'chewick', 'kloo-it', 'pu-eet', 'too-wheet', 'dlu-eep' 'choo-eet', 'chee-wheet', 'que-eep' 6 'tloo-i', 'too-loo-ee', 'tu-dle-dee', 'toodlee', 'deedleek' 'whee-del-ee' 7 'pe-weee', 'peewit' pee-er-wee', 'ki-wee' 8 'kleet', 'kleep', 'klee-e-eet' kl-ee', 'kleee-yee', 'klee-ee-yee' 122 Identification of Lesser Golden Plover

Fig. 3. Annual totals of Lesser Golden Plovers Pluvialis dominica in Britain and Ireland, 1958-78

In the early 1960s, British and Irish records of Lesser Golden Plover became confused by the belief that the call oi fulva was monosyllabic and that of dominica disyllabic, and that the races could be separated on this alone (M.J. Rogers in litt.). Table 2 shows that there is in fact no notable distinction in this respect between the calls of the two races.

Status in Britain and Ireland Up to 1958, there were only six accepted records of Lesser Golden Plover in Britain and Ireland, but the species has been recorded annually since 1966 (fig. 3), with an average of six per year for the years 1975-78; during 1958-78 there were 50 accepted records: 37 in Britain and 13 in Ireland (M. J. Rogers in litt.). Obviously, the species has been overlooked in the past and, with increased observer coverage, better field identification and awareness

50. Juvenile Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica julva acquiring first-winter plumage. Australia. October 1974 (Donald & Molly Trounson) Identification of Lesser Golden Plover 123 of vagrancy, the odd Golden Plover is now given more than a cursory glance. Fig. 4 shows the distribution of records, and the obvious westerly bias. Examination of descriptions revealed that 41 (82%) showed the characters o£ dominica. In four instances (in Cornwall and Scilly), two individuals have been recorded together. Only three (6%) of the records refer to the race julva, emphasising its rarity as a vagrant. Two counties (Lothian and Humberside) have recorded both races. Six records (12%) are not included

P.d.dominica P.d.fulva

Fig. 4. Annual totals and geographical distribution within Britain and Ireland of the two races of Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica, 1958-78

Fig. 5. Pattern of monthly occurrences of Lesser Golden Plovers Pluvialis dominica in Britain and Ireland, 1958-78 124 Identification of Lesser Golden Plover in fig. 4: these were of indeterminate race owing to the views obtained and descriptions given, but most favour dominka. The majority of individuals were found in September (48%) and October (22%) (fig. 5). Most British records were of individuals in juvenile or transitional plumage from juvenile to first-winter, but the majority of Irish ones referred to autumn adults in transitional plumage. The various seasonal plumages have all been recorded.

Acknowledgments I am indebted to those who commented on an earlier draft, particularly Dr X.J. Collar, J. H. Marrhant, D. I. M. Wallace and P.J. Grant. Grateful thanks are due to the British Museum (Natural History), Tring, for access to the skin collection, to I. Dawson for many of the papers and literature I requested, to M. J. Rogers and the British Birds Rarities Committee for information regarding records in Britain and for making descriptions available, toj. Fitzharris and the Irish Records Panel also for descriptions, and to D.J. Reynolds for assistance with the draft. I should also like to thank the following photographers who provided prints or trans­ parencies which have either been used as illustrations here or were very valuable for reference during the research for this paper: P. R. Allard, D. R. Bishop, M. A. Blick, D. Bowler, D. Constantino, P. Ellis, Professor B. E, Flint, C. H. Greenewalt, D. B. Hunt,J. H.Johns, Gordon Langsbury, B. A. E. Marr, Howard Xicholls, E. G. F. Sauer, Yuri Shibnev, Dr D. Summers- Smith, P. O. Swanberg, Donald and Molly Trounson, Professor Richard Vaughan, P. Vines, Peder Weibull and P. Wheeler.

Summary The Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis dominka can be distinguished from the Golden Plover P. apricaria by known criteria, which are described in detail. The two distinct races, dominka and Juiva, themselves are normally separable by size, proportionate leg length and plumage coloration, the latter particularly in juvenile and winter individuals: a grey-looking Lesser Golden Plover lacking yellow on its underparts in autumn is dominka, whose occurrence typifies that of a Nearctic vagrant, being most frequent in September and October in western Britain and Ireland;^/™ differs noticeably from dominka in autumn by its yellowish breast and brighter yellow upperpart markings, and this race currently remains an extreme rarity in Britain and Ireland. The voice of Lesser Golden Plover, normally separable from that of Golden Plover, shows no reliable distinction between the races.

References ALEXANDER, H. G. 1954. Probable Asiatic Golden Plover in Kent. Brit, Birds 47: 401-403. BENT, A. C. 1929. Life histories of North American shorebirds. US Nat. Mus, Bulletin 146: 179-200. BORG, S. 1976. Hybrid Pluvialis apricaria X Pluvialis dominka. II Merill 17: 36. BROWN, A., & ELLIS, P. 1980. Aberrant Golden Plover. Scot. Birds 11: 25. BROWNE, P. W. P. 1955. Asiatic Golden Plovers in Arabia. Brit. Birds 48: 230-232. HAVILAND, M. D. 1915. Notes on the breeding habits of the Asiatic Golden Plover. Brit.Birds9: 82-89. NICHOLS, J. T. 1920. Limicoline voices. Auk 37: 519-540. POPHAM, H. L. 1901. Supplementary notes on the birds of the Yenesei River. His 8 (1):456. SAUER, E. G. F. 1962. Ethology and ecology of Golden Plovers on St Lawrence Island, Bering Sea. Psychologische Forschung 26: 399-470. STOUT, G. D. 1967. The Shorebirds oj North America. New York. URNER, C. A. 1933. The voice of the Golden Plover. Auk 50: 420-425. VAURIE, C. 1964. Systematic notes on Palearctic birds. Amer. Mus. Nor. 2177: 15-17. 1965. The Birds oj the Palearctic Fauna. Non-passerines. London. VERRALL, K. 1978. Aberrant Golden Plover. Brit. Birds 71: 271-272.

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