Pluvialis apricaria -- (Linnaeus, 1758) ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- CHARADRIIFORMES -- CHARADRIIDAE Common names: Eurasian Golden Plover; Eurasian Golden-Plover; European Golden Plover; European Golden-Plover; Golden Plover; Pluvier doré Assessment Information European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) European Red List Assessment Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Van den Bossche, W., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) In Europe this species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in Europe. Within the EU27 this species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in the EU27. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Albania; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Faroe Islands (to DK); Greenland (to DK); Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland, Rep. of; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Svalbard and Jan Mayen (to NO); Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; United Kingdom Vagrant: Liechtenstein The European population is estimated at 630,000-860,000 pairs, which equates to 1,260,000-1,720,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 245,000-354,000 pairs, which equates to 490,000-708,000 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Population Trend In Europe and the EU27 the population size is estimated to be increasing. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology This species is fully migratory but may only move short distances in some regions (Wiersma et al. 2013). It breeds from May to August (Hayman et al. 1986) in solitary pairs (Hayman et al. 1986, Wiersma et al. 2013),
adults leaving the breeding grounds before the juveniles between July and August. The return migration in the spring peaks between April and early-may (Hayman et al. 1986). The species breeds on humid moss, lichen and hummock tundra (Wiersma et al. 2013), low-lying marshes in moss tundra (Johnsgard 1981), shrub tundra, open bogs in forest, peatlands, alpine tundra (Wiersma et al. 2013), highland bogs, moors (Johnsgard 1981), and swampy highland heaths with high abundances of sphagnum moss and heather (Johnsgard 1981, Wiersma et al. 2013). It shows a preference for nesting on short vegetation less than 15 cm tall (Ratcliffe 1977). When on passage and in its winter quarters (Wiersma et al. 2013) the species frequents freshwater wetlands, moist grasslands (Urban et al. 1986), pastures (Wiersma et al. 2013), agricultural land (e.g. stubble, ploughed or fallow fields) (Urban et al. 1986, Wiersma et al. 2013) and highland steppe (Urban et al. 1986), also foraging on tidal shores, coastal rocky outcrops (Johnsgard 1981), intertidal flats (Wiersma et al. 2013) and saltmarshes (Urban et al. 1986, Wiersma et al. 2013) in shallow bays and estuaries (Wiersma et al. 2013). Its diet consists predominantly of insects (especially the adults, pupae and larvae of beetles (Wiersma et al. 2013), larval Lepidoptera, locusts and grasshoppers (Urban et al. 1986)), as well as earthworms, spiders, millipedes, snails, polycheate worms (Wiersma et al. 2013), crustaceans (Johnsgard 1981) and some plant material (e.g. berries, seeds and grass). The nest is a shallow scrape on bare ground in flat, sparse areas with short vegetation (less than 15 cm). The species is a solitary nester, although in optimal habitats neighbouring pairs may nest only a few hundred metres apart (Wiersma et al. 2013). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Artificial/Terrestrial - Arable Land suitable non-breeding Artificial/Terrestrial - Pastureland suitable non-breeding Grassland - Temperate suitable resident Grassland - Tundra major breeding Marine Intertidal - Rocky Shoreline suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Estuaries suitable non-breeding Shrubland - Boreal suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under ha) suitable non-breeding Wetlands (inland) - Tundra Wetlands (incl. pools and temporary waters from suitable breeding snowmelt) Altitude Occasional altitudinal limits Threats The species has suffered minor range contractions due to the cultivation and afforestation of heathlands (Ratcliffe 1977, Wiersma et al. 2013), and is susceptible to very cold winter temperatures and conditions (Ratcliffe 1977). The species is frequently taken by hunters on its wintering grounds (e.g. France) (Wiersma et al. 2013). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Agriculture & aquaculture Climate change & Climate change & Wood & pulp plantations (scale unknown/ unrecorded) Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Negligible declines Low Impact Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation; Species disturbance Droughts Habitat shifting & alteration Future Whole (>90%) Unknown Unknown
Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Climate change & Other impacts Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown Energy production & mining Human intrusions & disturbance Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Renewable energy Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown Ecosystem degradation; Species mortality; Species disturbance Recreational activities Species disturbance Unspecified species Species mortality Abstraction of surface water Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant (unknown use) Low Impact Ecosystem degradation Fire & fire suppression (trend unknown/ unrecorded) Other ecosystem Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown Ecosystem degradation Conservation Conservation Actions Underway The species is listed on Annex I, II (B), III (B) of the EU Birds Directive and Annex III of the Bern Convention. The EU commisioned a Management plan for this huntable bird species considered to be in unfavourable status (Technical Report - 2009-034) (Béchet 2009). Conservation Actions Proposed Extensive grazing of wetland grasslands (e.g. c.0.5 cows per hectare) was found to attract a higher abundance of the species in Hungary (Baldi et al. 2005), and in the U.K. the species shows a preference for nesting on heathlands and moors managed by rotational burning (a management strategy used to encourage grouse) as this keeps the vegetation short and prevents grasses from being displaced by heathers (Ratcliffe 1977, Johnsgard 1981). Cultivation, drainage and afforestation of heathlands has to be stopped and habitat restored. Bibliography Baldi, A., Batary, B. and Erdos, S. 2005. Effects of grazing intensity on bird assemblages and populations of Hungarian grasslands. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment 108: 251-263. Béchet, A. 2009. European Union Management Plan 2009-2001 for Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg. Forchhammer, M.C., Post, E. and Stenseth, N.C. 1998. Breeding phenology and climate. Nature 391: 29-30. Hayman, P., Marchant, J. and Prater, A.J. 1986. Shorebirds. Croom Helm, London. Johnsgard, P.A. 1981. The plovers, sandpipers and snipes of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, U.S.A. and London.
Bibliography Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Yalden, D.W. and Whittingham, M.J. 2005. Warmer springs advance the breeding phenology of Golden Plovers Pluvialis apricaria and their prey (Tipulidae). Oecologia 143: 470-476. Ratcliffe, D.A. 1977. Observations on the breeding of the Golden Plover in Great Britain. Bird Study 23(2): 63-116. Urban, E.K., Fry, C.H. and Keith, S. 1986. The birds of Africa vol. II. Academic Press, London. Wiersma, P., Garcia, E.F.J. and Boesman, P. 2013. Eurasian Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) 2013. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/53817 on 15 April 2015). Map (see overleaf)