Fall flocking begins as early as July, with birds leaving the breeding grounds by August and arriving on the wintering grounds in early November. They depart from the wintering grounds in mid-March and arrive or. When approached, a mountain plover is more likely to crouch or walk away than to fly. If disturbed, a bird may move a few steps then stop abruptly, standing silent and motionless. When forced to fly, it rises rapidly with quick wing beats flying low over the ground.
Plovers can be difficult to see because of their cryptic coloration and behavior.
Reproduction Mountain plovers arrive on the breeding grounds in small flocks. Males commonly reoccupy their former territories, which they defend against intrusion by other males. Territorial males perform aerial displays to attract a mate, flying to a height of 15 to 30 feet, holding their wings up over the back in a deep V, then floating back to the ground in what is called the falling leaf display. Both sexes perform the falling leaf display, but females perform it only after mating. Females frequently return to the same area each year, but visit the territories of several males before selecting a mate.