Bird of the Month | May 2026

Snowy Plover | Anarhynchus nivosus

Beach Bum Buddies

The Snowy Plover is a year round resident shorebird of North Florida's Gulf Coast. Small in size, they look like little puffballs running across sandy habitats. As they forage for tiny crustaceans and other invertebrates, you'll likely see them scuttle in a stop-and-go pattern, running a few steps then pausing to peck at the ground. Sometimes they'll put one foot forward to rapidly shuffle it across the sandy surface, which startles their small meals into moving.

Snowy Plovers are a state-designated threatened species. Disturbances from property development, people, and off-leash dogs are increasingly disrupting their nesting attempts and have thus caused a population decline in many coastal regions. Their nests are on the ground and often difficult to spot, so beach visitors may not be aware they're keeping the bird away from their nests.

Through August, the Snowy Plover will be nesting along our coastline. Nests are often monitored, so keep an eye out for postings that set "fencing" around them. If you're out enjoying the beaches this summer and notice pale, buff, and black dotted eggs on the ground, please contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to report it's location so the nest can be documented and monitored!