Western Cape
Goukamma · Keurbooms River
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Grey Plover in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Grey Plover at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Keurbooms River Nature Reserve.
Pluvialis squatarola · Vulnerable
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Grey Plover
Hosts have recorded the Grey Plover at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Keurbooms River Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Where to base yourself
- Western Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
iSimangaliso Wetland
KwaZulu-NatalStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Vulnerable
Species
Pluvialis squatarola
Records
639
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Grey Plover on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Grey Plover in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Grey Plover at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Keurbooms River Nature Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Grey Plover in South Africa?
The Grey Plover is most recorded in Western Cape (60% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (24% of records), Eastern Cape (14% of records), based on 639 iNaturalist observations. 11 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Grey Plover on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Grey Plover?
The Grey Plover is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; iSimangaliso Wetland Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Keurbooms River Nature Reserve: year-round. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Grey Plover?
The Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Grey Plover?
The grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola), known as the black-bellied plover in North America, is a medium-sized plover breeding in Arctic regions. It is a long-distance migrant, with a nearly worldwide coastal distribution when not breeding. The genus name is Latin and means relating to rain, from pluvia, "rain". It was believed that golden plovers flocked when rain was imminent.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Grey Plover
Every stay on the Grey Plover page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay