
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.
Species insights
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Curve from 639 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Grey Plover is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
639 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Grey Plover
Stays that give back
Across the Northern Cape
Grey Plover recorded here
Grey Plover recorded here
Grey Plover recorded here
Grey Plover recorded here
Grey Plover recorded here
Grey Plover recorded here
Grey Plover recorded here
Grey Plover recorded here
Grey Plover recorded here
South Africa's vast inland heart: silence, stars, and wide horizons
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Grey Plover
Hosts have recorded the Grey Plover at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
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.
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 Northern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Grey Plover at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. 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. 9 places to stay on Spekboom in Northern Cape 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. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. 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.

























