Eurasian dotterel

Eudromias morinellus

Photo by Peter Nielsen (Danmarks Fugle og Natur)

Common name:
Eurasian dotterel (en); borrelho-ruivo (pt); pluvier guignard (fr); chorlito carambolo (es); mornellregenpfeifer (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae

Range:
This species breeds patchily in the northernmost parts of Eurasia, from the northern British Isles, and through northern Scandinavia and northern Russia and as far east as western Alaska. They also breed in central Asia, in northern Mongolia and Kazakhstan and adjacent southern Russia. They migrate south or south-west to winter around the Mediterranean, especially in northern Africa but also in the eastern Iberian Peninsula and in the Middle East from Egypt and Syria east to Iraq and extreme south-western Iran.

Size:
These birds are 20-24 cm long and have a wingspan of 57-64 cm. Females tend to be larger than males, weighing 100-140 g while males weigh 85-115 g.

Habitat:
The Eurasian dotterel breeds on flat, open uplands, on mountain ridges and plateaus with sparse vegetation, and on coastal and inland tundra of moss, short grass or lichen and bare patches of rock. Outside the breeding season they use open grasslands and dry scrublands, stony and scrubby steppes and semi-deserts, and arable land.

Diet:
They feed mainly on adult and larval insects, including beetles, flies, butterflies and moth, grasshoppers, crickets, earwigs and ants, as well as spiders, snails and earthworms, and plant matter such as leaves, seeds, berries and flowers.

Breeding:
Eurasian dotterels breed in May-August, either in solitary pairs or in loose groups of 2-5 pairs. They are polyandrous, with females most often leaving after laying the eggs to find another mate. The nest is a shallow scrape on bare ground or short vegetation, where the female lays 3-4 eggs. In most cases the eggs are incubated by the male, but sometimes by both parents, for 18-27 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and are immediately able to feed themselves, but rely on the father for protection until they fledge, about 30 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range, but the global population is estimated at just 50.000-220.000 individuals. The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations have unknown trends, and the species may suffer in the future from the predicted dramatic climate change effects in high-Arctic habitats.

Banded lapwing

Vanellus tricolor

Photo by Bruce Thomson (Flickr)

Common name:
banded lapwing (en); abibe-tricolor (pt); vanneau tricolore (fr); avefría tricolor (es); schwarzbandkiebitz (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae

Range:
This species is found throughout most of Australia, including Tasmania, only being absent from the northernmost parts of Queensand, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Size:
These birds are 25-29 cm long and have a wingspan of 61-67 cm. They weigh 150-200 g.

Habitat:
The banded lapwing is found in short, sparsely covered dry grasslands and pastures, open dry savannas and arable land.

Diet:
They hunt various insects, worms, spiders, snails and slugs, as well as taking seeds and other vegetable matter.

Breeding:
Banded lapwings can breed all year round, usually after rains. The nest is a scrape on the ground, lined with dry grass and even sheep droppings, where the female lays 3-5 brownish yellow to pale olive brown eggs with dark brown and dusky blotches. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 28 days. The chicks leave the nest within 1-2 days of hatching, being fed and protected by both parents for several weeks. Each pair can raise 1-2 broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 27.000 individuals. The population trend is difficult to determine because of uncertainty over the extent of threats to the species, but a decline apparently took place in the east of their range over the last 3 decades.

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

Photo by Harold Stiver (Nature Notes)

Common name:
killdeer (en); borrelho-de-coleira-dupla (pt); pluvier kildir (fr); chorlitejo colirrojo (es); keilschwanz-regenpfeifer (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae

Range:
This American species is found from Canada as far north as the Northwest Territories, south to northern Colombia and north-western Venezuela and also along the Pacific coasts of Ecuador and Peru. They are also present in the Caribbean.

Size:
These birds are 20-28 cm long and have a wingspan of 46-48 cm. They weigh 75-130 g.

Habitat:The killdeer is mostly found in inland marshes and swamps, but also uses sandbars, mudflats, pastures, rocky intertidal areas, rivers and streams, open savannas, taiga and deciduous forests and less commonly saltmarshes. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.400 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on invertebrates such as earthworms, snails, grasshoppers, beetles and aquatic insect larvae, but are also know to take seeds from agricultural fields, frogs and dead fishes.

Breeding:
Killdeers are monogamous and can nest all year round, varying among different parts of their range. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a simple scrape on open ground sometimes ornamented with rocks, shells, sticks ans trash. The female lays 4-6 buff-coloured eggs with blackish-brown markings, which are incubated by both parents for 24-28 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching but remain with their parents until they are able to fly, 3-4 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 1 million individuals. The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations are stable or have unknown trends. The population is North America had a stable trend over the last 4 decades.

Northern lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Photo by Agustín Povedano (Flickr)

Common name:
northern lapwing (en); abibe-comum (pt); vanneau huppé (fr); avefría europea (es); kiebitz (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae

Range:
This species breeds throughout most of Europe and into central Asia as far east as southern Siberia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and northern China. They migrate south to winter around the Mediterranean, in the Middle East, northern India, southern China, southern Japan and Thailand.

Size:
These birds are 28-31 cm long and have a wingspan of 65-80 cm. They weigh 140-320 g.

Habitat:
The northern lapwings breeds on natural wet grasslands, agricultural meadows, grassy moorland, swampy heathland and arable land. Outside the breeding season they also use agricultural land such as pastures, irrigated land and rice fields, as well as lake shores, river banks, fresh and saltwater marshes, estuaries and mudflats.

Diet:
They feed mainly on earthworms, adult and larval insects and other soil invertebrates. Occasionaly, they also take seeds and other plant material.

Breeding:
Northern lapwing breed in June-March. They are mostly monogamous and can pair for life, but there are also cases of polygamy where one male mates with 2 females. The nest is a scrape on the ground, lined with grasses, where the female lays 3-4 light brown or grey eggs with reddish-brown spots. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 21-28 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and are immediately able to feed themselves, but the parents protect them from predators and brood in case of rain or cold weather. They fledge 35-40 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 5,2-10 million individual. The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations have unknown trends. In Europe, the population has declined by over 50% in the last 3 decades, mainly due to agricultural intensification.

Greater sand plover

Charadrius leschenaultii

Photo by Ahmet Karatash (Trek Nature)

Common name:
greater sand plover (en); borrelho-grande-do-deserto (pt); pluvier de Leschenault (fr); chorlitejo mongol grande (es); wüstenregenpfeifer (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae

Range:
This species breeds in central Asia, from Mongolia, southern Russia and northern China, west through southern Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and into the Caucasus. There are also some isolated breeding population in Turkey and Jordan. They migrate south and south-west to winter along the coasts of southern Asia, Australia, eastern Africa, and also along the Mediterranean coasts of Libya, Egypt and Israel.

Size:
These birds are 22-25 cm long and weigh 70-105 g.

Habitat:
Greater sand plovers breed in open deserts or semi-arid areas with sparse vegetation, grasslands, steppes and in seasonal saline, brackish or alkaline lakes and flats. Outside the breeding season they are mostly found in sandy or muddy intertidal flats, in coastal lagoons and estuaries, sand dunes, rocky coastal areas and tide pools. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.000 m.

Diet:
During the breeding season they feed on terrestrial insects and their larvae, including midges, ants, beetles and termites, also being known to occasionally eat small vertebrates such as lizards. Outside the breeding season they feed mainly on marine invertebrates, including snails, worms, small crabs and shrimps, also eating some adult and larval insects.

Breeding:
The greater sand plover breeds in April-July. The nest is a shallow scrape on the ground lined with a thin layer of plant material. It is placed in an area of sand, gravel or other barren site. There the female lays 3-4 cream to light brown eggs with darker spots. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 24 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching, but rely on their parent for brooding and protection for about 30 days.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 180.000-360.000. The population trend is difficult to determine because of uncertainty over the impacts of habitat modification on population sizes.

Common ringed plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Photo by Laurent Demongin (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
common ringed plover (en); borrelho-grande-de-coleira (pt); pluvier grand-gravelot (fr); chorlitejo grande (es); sandregenpfeifer (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae

Range:
This species breeds in northern Russia, Scandinavia, Greenland and Iceland, and also in the British Island and along the Baltic and Atlantic coasts of Europe down to western France. Most populations migrate south to winter along the coasts of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia as far east as south-eastern India.

Size:
These birds are 18-20 cm long and have a wingspan of 48-57 cm. They weigh 40-80 g.

Habitat:
The common ringed plover breeds in mostly on sand or shingle beaches along Arctic coast or around coastal tundra pools or lakes, but also on shores and sandbars of inland rivers, lakes, gravel pits or reservoirs and agricultural grasslands. They winter in muddy, sandy or pebbly coastal areas, including estuaries, tidal mudflats, sandflats and exposed coral reefs, as well as along rivers and lakes, lagoons, saltmarshes, grasslands, agricultural areas, flooded fields, gravel pits, reservoirs, sewage works and saltpans.

Diet:
They feed on small crustaceans, gastropods, bivalves, polychaete worms, insects and millipedes.

Breeding:
Common ringed plovers breed in April-August. They nest on a shallow scrape in the ground lined with pebbles and vegetation, where the female lays 4 light brown eggs with dark spots. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 21-27 days and the chicks leave the nest a few hours after hatching. They are then guided by both parents until fledging which takes place 22-24 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 360.000-1.300.000 individuals. The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations have unknown trends, the main threats being habitat loss in wintering and staging areas through drainage and development, as well as pollution.

Wrybill

Anarhynchus frontalis

Photo by Nick Talbot (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
wrybill (en); borrelho-de-bico-torto (pt); pluvier anarhynque (fr); chorlito piquituerto (es); schiefschnabel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae

Range:
This species is endemic to New Zealand, breeding in Canterbury and Otago, South Island, and wintering along the northern coasts of South Island and the coasts of North Island.

Size:
These birds are 20-21 cm long and have a wingspan of 50 cm. They weigh 40-70 g.

Habitat:
They breed in rocky river beds and winter in mudflats at the mouths of large rivers and in coastal lagoons. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 600 m.

Diet:
The wrybill uses its sideways bended bill to search for various invertebrates under pebbles and shingle.

Breeding:
Wrybills breed in September-December. The nest is a slight depression amongst gravel or sand, lined with pebbles. The female lays 2 eggs, which are well camouflaged and resemble the pebbles around them. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 29-36 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and follow the parent on foraging trips until they fledge, 35-37 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a small breeding range and a global population estimated at 4.500-5.000 individuals. The population as suffered a slow decline over the last 4 decades, mostly due to loss of breeding habitat through changes in river flow caused by hydroelectric development, gravel extraction and agricultural intensification. Predation by introduced stouts Mustela erminea and cats, as well as by the increasing kelp gull Larus dominicanus. Aditional threats included loss of coastal habitats and human disturbance. 

Pacific golden plover

Pluvialis fulva

(Photo from Birding in Taiwan)

Common name:

Pacific golden plover (en); tarambola-dourada-siberiana (pt); pluvier fauve (fr); chorlito dorado siberiano (es); Sibirische goldregenpfeifer (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Charadriiformes

Family Charadriidae

Range:

These birds breed in the Arctic, both in northern and north-eastern Russia and in western Alaska. They migrate south to winter along the coasts of southern Asia, from India to southern China and Indonesia, and along the coasts of Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific islands.

Size:

They are 21-26 cm long and weigh 120-175 g.

Habitat:

Pacific golden plovers breed in Arctic and sub-Arctic tundra, usually on slopes of low hills, knolls or foothills vegetated with lichen and moss, or in bare, stony areas. During winter they are mostly found in mudflats and sandflats or on the margins of sheltered areas such as estuaries and lagoons. They also feed on rocky shores, saltmarshes, mangroves, pastures, cropland, islands and reefs.

Diet:

These birds mostly eat molluscs, worms, crustaceans, insects and spiders, but during the breeding season they also eat, berries, seeds and leaves.

Breeding:

Pacific golden plovers are monogamous and breed in June-July. The nest is a shallow scrape lined with lichens and moss, where the female lays 4 eggs. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 26-27 days and the precocial chicks leave the nest within 24 h of hatching. The chicks are able to feed by themselves but the parents brood them and defend them from predators.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and a global population of 190.000-250.000 individuals. The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations have unknown trends.

Crowned lapwing

Vanellus coronatus

Photo by Vincent Ceccarelli (Oiseaux) 

Common name:

crowned lapwing (en); abibe-coroado (pt); vanneau couronné (fr); avefría coronada (es); kronenkiebitz (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Charadriiformes

Family Charadriidae

Range:

This African species is found from the Red Sea coats of Somalia down to southern and south-western Africa.

Size:

This large plover is 30-31 cm long and weighs 120-200 g.

Habitat:

Crowned lapwings are found in dry grassland, open savanna, and cultivated lands, generally preferring areas where the grass is short and overgrazzed or has been burned. They are also found in man-made habitats, such as open fields, short pastures, airports, golf courses and roadsides.

Diet:

They search for prey on the ground, taking a wide variety of invertebrates including termites, ants, beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, millipedes and earthworms.

Breeding:

These birds are mostly monogamous, although polygamy is sometimes recorded. They can nest all year round, peaking in August-December. The nest is a scrape in the ground, lined with dried grass, roots, small stones and dried dung and typically placed on bare ground or among short vegetation, sometimes adjacent to a stone or mound of earth. There the female lays 2-4 eggs brown eggs with dark blotches. The eggs are mainly incubated by the female, although the male occasionally takes over if it gets particularly hot, and hatch after 28-32 days. The chicks leave the nest after about 4 hours, once their down is dry, and the adults take turns in caring for the chicks and directing them to food items. They fledge 29-31 days after hatching, but only become fully independent at the onset of the following breeding season, a year later.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and a global population of 420.000-1.100.000 individuals. The overall population trend is increasing, although some populations have unknown trends.

Piping plover

Charadrius melodus

Common name:

piping ploer (en); batuíra-melodiosa (pt); pluvier siffleur (fr); playero melódico (es); gelbfuß-regenpfeifer (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Charadriiformes

Family Charadriidae

Range:

The piping plover breeds in the central prairies of the United States and Canada and along the north-east coast of the United States. They winter in the south and south-east coast of the United States and in both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of northern Mexico.

Size:

This stout plover is 17-18 cm long and has a wingspan of 46-48 cm. They weigh 43-48 g.

Habitat:

It nests on sandy beaches, sandflats, barrier islands, alkali lakes, riverine sand/gravel bars, reservoirs, and sand/gravel pits. Ephemeral pools, bay tidal flats and areas of open vegetation are all important brood-rearing habitats. They winter in sandy bays, lagoons, and both algal and muddy tidalflats.

Diet:

Piping plovers eat a variety of aquatic marine worms, insects, mollusks and crustaceans. They forage by day and by night, always using their acute sight to hunt their prey.

Breeding:

They start nesting in April. The male begins digging out several scrapes on the ground by kicking the sand. The female will choose a good scrape and will decorate the nest with shells and debris to camouflage it. There the female lays 4 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 27 days. After hatching, the chicks are able to feed within hours. The parents will both protect the chicks from the elements by brooding them, they will also alert them to any danger. It takes about 30 days before a chick achieves flight capability.

Conservation:

IUCN status - NT (Near threatened)

The piping plover global population is currently estimated at just 6.400 individuals. The population declined by more than 70% in the last 4 decades, but it is now increasing a result of intensive conservation management. The main threats affecting this species are droughts, inappropriate water and beach management, gas/oil industry dredging operations, development, shoreline stabilization and beach disturbance (including cat and dog predation).