catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Plover \Plov"er\, n. [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain
     bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from
     pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See
     Float.]
     1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds
        belonging to the family Charadrid[ae], and especially
        those belonging to the subfamily Charadrins[ae]. They
        are prized as game birds.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zo["o]l.) Any grallatorial bird allied to, or resembling,
        the true plovers, as the crab plover ({Dromas ardeola);
        the American upland, plover ({Bartramia longicauda); and
        other species of sandpipers.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Among the more important species are the blackbellied
           plover or blackbreasted plover ({Charadrius
           squatarola) of America and Europe; -- called also
           gray plover, bull-head plover, Swiss plover, sea
           plover, and oxeye; the golden plover (see under
           Golden); the ring plover or ringed plover
           ({[AE]gialitis hiaticula). See Ringneck. The piping
           plover ({[AE]gialitis meloda}); Wilson's plover
           ({[AE]gialitis Wilsonia); the mountain plover
           ({[AE]gialitis montana); and the semipalmated plover
           ({[AE]gialitis semipalmata), are all small American
           species.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Bastard plover (Zo["o]l.), the lapwing.
  
     Long-legged plover, or yellow-legged plover. See
        Tattler.
  
     Plover's page, the dunlin. [Prov. Eng.]
  
     Rock plover, or Stone plover, the black-bellied plover.
        [Prov. Eng.]
  
     Whistling plover.
        (a) The golden plover.
        (b) The black-bellied plover.
            [1913 Webster]