Black-bellied Plover - Molt to breeding plumage

April and May are time when many birds are molting, often transitioning to full alternate (breeding) plumage just before departing north. The Black-bellied Plover, Pluvialis squatarola, is seen often on both coasts, and in April we can see pretty much the entire spectrum of the pre-alternate molt.

In basic plumage the Black-bellied is a study in gray and white, sort of a muted salt-and-pepper look. The bill size and shape, plus the lack of any yellow or golden highlights, serve to distinguish it from the other Pluvialis plovers.

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Often along the same stretch of shoreline (here mostly at Fred Howard Park, Tarpon Springs, FL) we see individuals at various stages of their molt.

 

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I thought this one above looked a bit "oiled", but I think the few black feathers of the throat and neck are just evidence of the dramatic changes to follow. We now see the beginning of the "black belly" for which they are named, a feature shared by the Golden Plovers. The new feathers on the back and wings create a more striking contrast to the muted look of winter.

As the molt progresses we see more black on the head, neck and belly. This one was at North Beach, Ft. Desoto.

 

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​Lastly, from visit to North Beach in April of 2009, we were treated to a Black-bellied Plover in full alternate regalia: