European Golden Plover
European Golden PloverEuropean Golden PloverEuropean Golden PloverEuropean Golden Plover

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Doñana National Park
182 Verified records at Doñana National Park
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The European golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria), also known as the Eurasian golden plover, greater golden plover, or just the golden plover within Europe, is a relatively large species of plover. This species is similar to two other golden plovers, the American golden plover, Pluvialis dominica, and Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis fulva, which are both slightly smaller, slimmer and longer-legged than European golden plover, and both have grey rather than white axillary (armpit) feathers (visible in flight, and when the bird stretches its wings on the ground). Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a European Golden Plover sighting in Doñana National Park, based on 182 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Doñana National Park

Black-bellied Plover
VU

Black-bellied Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pluvialis squatarola

5–10% · With luck
Common Ringed Plover
LC

Common Ringed Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius hiaticula

20–30% · Possible
Northern Lapwing
NT

Northern Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus vanellus

20–30% · Possible
Kentish Plover
LC

Kentish Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius alexandrinus

10–20% · With luck
Spur-winged Lapwing
LC

Spur-winged Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus spinosus

Insufficient data
Eurasian Dotterel

Eurasian Dotterel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius morinellus

<5% · Rare
Black-winged Stilt
LC

Black-winged Stilt

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Himantopus himantopus

70–80% · Very likely
Pied Avocet
LC

Pied Avocet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Recurvirostra avosetta

30–40% · Possible
Black-tailed Godwit
NT

Black-tailed Godwit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Limosa limosa

30–40% · Possible
Common Sandpiper
LC

Common Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis hypoleucos

30–40% · Possible
Green Sandpiper
LC

Green Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa ochropus

30–40% · Possible
Yellow-legged Gull
LC Endemic

Yellow-legged Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus michahellis

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
5–10
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
10–20
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
50–60%
2 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
40–50%
3 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
10–20%
4 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
5–10%
5 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
5–10%
6 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
5–10%
7 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
8 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
9 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
10 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
11 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
12 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
13 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
14 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a European Golden Plover in Doñana National Park?

About 6% of wildlife watchers report a European Golden Plover sighting in Doñana National Park, based on 182 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see European Golden Plover in Doñana National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for European Golden Plover in Doñana National Park in our monthly data.

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