European Golden Plover

The European Golden Plover is a medium sized bird, typically charadriid (compact body, big head, small beak and moderate legs). In breeding plumage, its upper parts are brightly coloured black, white and a golden yellow; below, from the face to the belly, is entirely black with a wide white border beginning with a white forehead, followed by a clear white eyebrow and passing the brown ear. Females have a less deep black, with brown feathers. Furthermore, there are individual variations in the extent and quality of black, but the species is currently considered monotypic. The eye is dark. The beak and legs are dark greyish black. In winter plumage, the chest bears a greyish breast speckled with golden yellow and brown merging with the marked brown sides. The belly is white. Juveniles look very much like the adult in winter, but with grey fringes on the sides and belly coverts.
On the bird in flight, the underwing is very pale and particularly the white axillaries stands out from other species. In top view, only the slightly marked white wing bar can be seen, made up of the ends of the greater coverts and the base of the primaries.