European Golden-Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)

Golden plovers have beautiful plumage: a golden speckled back with a black belly. In the winter, they lose their black belly and have a much drabbier appearance. Golden plovers nest in open terrains in the high north. The males perform a collective dance in order to attract a female. They run towards each other with their wings spread open, jump over one another. The female chooses the best jumper. You see golden plovers in the Netherlands primarily during bird migration. This bird is responsible for the start of the Guinness Book of Records!

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