Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

Abundance: Rare; at least 6 Regional records, 4 records in 3 Kentucky counties and 2 records in 1 Tennessee county (Map of UCR Distribution); data from the Regional bird-monitoring efforts are too few to determine a trend in the population migrating through the Region (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Transient during fall (6 records); photographs (see links below).

Information on Records: 

5 October 1983 (1) Casey Creek area, Green River Lake, Adair County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr. [notes]).

10 September 2000 (1—alternate) Tennessee Technological University campus, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Daniel L. Combs, Ginger K. Ensor, Barbara H. Stedman et al.).

25 October 2007 (1—basic) Cooley's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo).

14/31 October 2009 (5/1—juveniles/basic) Plum Point area, Adair County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo [14 October 2009]).

23–24 October 2009 (1—basic) Lexus Pond on Clemmons Rd., Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Barbara H. Stedman, Winston A. Walden photo [24 October 2009]).

5/6 September 2011 (2—alternate/2—1 alternate and 1 juvenile) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo [5 September 2011]).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Spring: no records.

    Fall: 5 September 2011 (Pulaski County, Kentucky; Roseanna M. Denton)–31 October 2009 (Adair County, Kentucky; Roseanna M. Denton).

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: No registrations.

Habitat: Open fields of a variety of types; extensive mudflats.

Remarks: Amy S. Johnson (pers. com. fide Barbara H. Stedman) recalled a sighting of this shorebird during the early 1980s, possibly during late summer or early fall, on Dry Valley Rd., Putnam County, Tennessee.

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Literature Cited