The Pacific and American Golden Plover were once lumped as the Lesser Golden Plover but they were split as the Pacific has some genetic but also morphologic differences. For example, the legs are longer on the Pacific and there is more of a golden wash on the face and back in all plumages. One interesting fact is that the genus name is Pluvialis because it was once thought that when Golden Plovers were flocking, that rain was imminent. Pluvia is rain in Latin. Ironically, I had my first Pacific Golden Plover at Salt Pond, Cape Hatteras National Seashore on the Atlantic.
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