Identification of Lesser Golden Plover and status in Britain and Ireland ^ here are two races of Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis 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. Birds 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 Plovers 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, Canada. 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, Australia, 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