Identifying Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria

I don't think I have much time to do proper birding until Dec, meanwhile, whatsapp and HDD birding is my major entertainment.

There are four Pluvialis species in the world and we have at least three in HK (with no documented record of American Golden Plover). For the Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria, which is the largest among the three 'golden plover' so the bulky size is quite distinctive, especially side by side with the other two. Also, the rounder head and shorter legs are also clues for the identification when it is seen in East Asia, together with the Pacific Golden Plover.

Comparing American Golden Plover, American shows much greyish tone in plumage with a longer primary projection (Pacific shows the shortest), and both shows coarsely notched tertials comparing the finely notched tertials of Eurasian Golden Plover.

The key feature should be the color of axillaries, for American and Pacific, the axillaries is grey while Eurasian shows pure white axillaries.

We were lucky to see the first and second record of Eurasian Golden Plover in HK before visiting Europe.

Eurasian Golden Plover - Oct 2018 Hong Kong