This plover inhabits open areas in which vegetation is absent or sparse, in particular coastal sand beaches and shores of salt or soda lakes, where it feeds on invertebrates such as crustaceans, worms, beetles, and flies.

The snowy plover was first described by John Cassin in 1858 as Aegialitis nivosa, based on a skin collected in 1854 by William P. Trowbridge in Presidio, which later became part of San Francisco.

Although originally part of the collection of the National Museum of Natural History, it was given to the collector Henry E. Dresser of England in 1872.

[13] Harry C. Oberholser, in 1922, argued that the differences in plumage between these species are not consistent, and no clear line of demarcation could be drawn.

[14] This assessment was subsequently followed by most authors, until a 2009 genetic study re-established the snowy plover as a separate species.

[13] In 2011, the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) and the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) recognized them as separate species.

Other calls include a repeated "purrt" that is given during breeding season, for example while flying from nest sites or when other plovers intrude their territory.

The coastal populations consist of both migratory and residential birds; migration occurs over relatively short distances north- or southward along the coast.

[8] The species inhabits open areas in which vegetation is absent or sparse, in particular coastal sand beaches and shores of salt or soda lakes.

It also breeds on river bars that are located close to the coast, and adopts human-made habitats such as wastewater and salt evaporation ponds, dammed lakes, and dredge spoils.

[8] As is typical for plovers, prey is found visually by briefly standing to scan the area, followed by running and capturing.

[8] At the beginning of the breeding season, the male, while still unpaired, will establish and defend a territory, which is then advertised to a female by calling and excavating scrapes.

After the chicks hatch, the family will soon begin to move around, when the adults will defend the surrounding radius rather than a fixed territory.

Roosting places are typically on the ground, often in depressions such as footprints (including those of humans) and vehicle tracks or behind objects such as driftwood.

[8] Snowy plovers are facultatively polygamous, with females, and less frequently males, often abandoning their mate soon after the chicks have hatched.

The reason for this pattern is unclear, and hypotheses include a need of the female to feed at night to regain energy lost from egg laying and the need of the male to defend the territory during daytime.

Parents also use injury feigning, when they will run away and move their wings as if they are broken, or lie on the ground while crouching or flapping.

[4] Since 2014, it is listed as "Near Threatened" by the IUCN because of a moderately rapid population decline caused primarily by habitat degradation and human disturbance.

[1] In the US Pacific coast, the species is thought to have lost 50 out of 78 breeding sites since 1970,[21] and in the Great Plains of Texas, the decline is estimated to have been larger than 75% between 1998 and 2009.

[21][8] In the Great Salt Plains in Oklahoma, controlled flooding, as well as an invasive shrub, the French tamarisk, have destroyed much plover habitat.

In the Great Plains of Texas, sinking groundwater levels due to water extraction has been identified as the primary cause of decline.

Predation on chicks and eggs by crows, ravens, skunks, and invasive red foxes has intensified in some areas.

At Point Reyes National Seashore, mercury contamination has been identified as the cause for a high proportion of unhatched eggs.

A 2018 study found that 98% of analyzed plovers in the Southern Great Plains had blood selenium levels exceeding the toxicity threshold.

[8] In the future, effects of climate change, such as droughts and habitat loss due to sea level rise, are likely to become significant threats.

[21] The plan focuses on three main conservation measures: closure of upper beach areas to the public during breeding season; protection against predators; and habitat restoration.

In the Great Salt Plains in Oklahoma, dams and fences were erected around nesting areas to prevent flooding and predation, but proved ineffective.

In central Chile, protection of a small stretch of beach against human disturbance resulted in an increase of the local population, as was reported in 2001.

[28][25] The first instance of snowy plovers reoccupying a breeding area following its protection from human disturbance was documented in 2006 at Sands Beach, Santa Barbara County, where barriers are in use since 2001.

This increase was possible due to roping off 40–50 mi (64–80 km) of dry sand on beaches, as well as the removal of invasive grasses.