The family Charadriidae contain the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. The term plover is often used to encompass all family members. The small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They hunt by sight, rather than by feel as longer-billed waders do. The largest plovers are the members of genus Vanellus and they are called lapwings.


Genus Charadrius

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus   Found: The Americas
Photographed by:  1, 7) Dick Daniels - North Carolina   2, 5, 6) Dick - North Carolina
    3) Dick - Cape May, New Jersey  4) Dick - Puerto Rico
6) Male in breeding display.



Dotterel, Rufous-chested also Rufous-chested Plover Charadrius modestus  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
   2) Joshua Stone near the Chucao strait in between Chiloe Island and mainland Chile
Nonbreeding


Plover, Collared   Charadrius collaris  Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil


Plover, Semipalmated Charadrius semipalmatus   Found: The Americas Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - North Carolina   2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) Dick - North Carolina



Plover, Snowy also Kentish Plover   Charadrius alexandrinus Found: The Americas, Europe, Japan
Photographed by: 1) Mke Baird at Morro Bay, California 2) Len Blumin  3) Bogbumper - Bonanza saltpans, Cadiz, Spain
    4,  6) Dick Daniels - Half Moon Bay, California  5) Dick - Half Moon Bay



Plover, Two-banded  Charadrius falklandicus  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil  2) Chris Pearson


Plover, Wilson's Charadrius wilsonia   Found: The Americas Photographed by:  1) Len Blumin  - Fort De Soto Park, Florida   2, 3, 4, 5, 6) Dick Daniels - North Carolina 
Very similar to semipalmated plover, except Wilson's has longer beak.
3, 4) Breeding male  5, 6) Breeding female




Genus Pluvialis

Plover, American Golden  Pluvialis dominica  Found: The Americas, Europe
Photographed by:  1) OW Johnson of the US Fish and Wildlife Service  2, 3) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
1) Breeding


Plover, Black-bellied also Gray Plover Pluvialis squatarola   Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand
Photographed by: Dick Daniels- North Carolina   2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8) Dick - North Carolina  5) Peter Wallack
1 - 4) Non-breeding plumage   5 - 8) Breeding plumage




Genus Vanellus
The lapwings are a diverse group with no clear unifying characteristics. Most have wattles (red, yellow, or orange) about the face aand most have distinctive markings about the face and breast. vanellus.

Lapwing, Andean  Vanellus resplendens  Found: South America
Photographed by S. M. Jayanth


Lapwing, Southern  Vanellus Chilensis  Found: Central and South America
Photographed by:  1, 5) Cláudio Timm in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil  2) Dario Sanches - Brazil
    3) New Jersy Birds  4) dFaulder at Puerto Chacabuco, Chile