Quick identification
Wilson's plover (Charadrius wilsonia)
A sturdy pale plover with a large black bill. Breeding males show a dark breast band and black forehead; females are browner.
Season and local range: Primarily a spring and summer breeder.
Habitat and island setting
Open beach, shell, washover and sparsely vegetated flats above the usual water line.
Where to look
Undeveloped north beach and nearby Boca Chica are better habitat than crowded town sand. View from a distance and honor every closure. Birds may move as tides, wind, fronts, water levels and activity at the site change.
What the bird is doing
Wilson's plovers nest in shallow ground scrapes. Eggs and chicks disappear against shell and sand, so walk below marked nesting zones and control pets.
Watching birds
Use binoculars or a camera zoom, stay on public paths and leave feeding, resting and nesting birds enough room to continue normal behavior. If a bird stops feeding, stands alert, calls repeatedly or moves away because of you, increase the distance. Check access information in the South Padre Island birding guide before making a special trip.