9

Black-fronted Dotterel (Charadrius [Elseyornis] melanops) Alternate name(s): "Black-fronted Plover"; misnomer: "Sandpiper*" Aboriginal name(s): "nidoolyorong" (WA) Size: 16-18 cm Body mass: 30-35 g; wing span: 33-35 cm Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.30-0.36

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Black-fronted Dotterels are small waders. They have mottled brown and black upperparts (cap, mantle, upperwings) and a white front (throat, belly, vent, undertail). They have their name because of a prominent black frontal "V" that reaches from the chest to the nape of the neck, combining there with a wide black eye stripe. The dark eyes, which are surrounded by conspicuous red eye-rings, have dark-brown irises. The bill is orange with a black tip; the legs and feet are pink. Juvenile Black-fronted Dotterels do not have any black feathers yet, but a dark brown eye stripe and an almost invisible buff frontal "V". The bill is also inconspicuous brown-grey and the upperparts are cryptic, with less contrast than an adult bird's.

Taxonomy, classification See Black-fronted Dotterel at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Black-fronted Dotterel is available HERE . Black-fronted Dotterels used to be endemic to Australia, but in the 1950ies they made the "jump" and populated also New Zealand. In Australia, Black-fronted Dotterels are most common in the South-East of the continent, i.e. VIC, NSW and south-eastern QLD. Outside the breeding season they are found almost anywhere in the eastern half of the continent, except south-western Tasmania and the tip of Cape York peninsula, around the tropical North of the NT (except Arnhemland) and the North-West coast of WA and in the western half of WA. The only area where they are not found is the most arid part of the continent, i.e. the great sandy deserts of the interior, from about the Nullarbor to South of the Kimberley. Black-fronted Dotterels spend most of their time around the edges of freshwater lakes (including ephemeral lakes) and mudflats along rivers, but also farm dams, including large irrigation dams. Where to look? How to find this species? Black-fronted Dotterels can usually be spotted while making their way along the edge of freshwater in almost any kind of aquatic habitat, from a small gilgai to a large freshwater lakes, mostly on sandy or muddy soil.

Sightings Click here for sighting information We regularly see Black-fronted Dotterels in a variety of wetlands in inland NSW (the Gunnedah, Narrabri, Moree, Walgett area). It appears that basically any kind of water surface will do for them to run around, from small puddles via pools in creeks and farm dams of various sizes to both ephemeral and permanent lakes. Up to 40 Black-fronted Dotterels were found by us at Goran Lake, an ephemeral lake 30 km south of Gunnedah, NSW, when there was water in it in 2011-2013. There is also a steady population of Black-fronted Dotterels at the Gilgais, Pilliga NP, about 20 km South of Wee Waa, NSW. J. Greaves reports spotting Black-fronted Dotterels at Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, in January 2015 and at Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, in March 2016. M. Mearns reports finding Black-fronted Dotterels at the Montecollina Bore, on the Strzelecki Track, SA, in July 2015 and on the Georgina River at Camooweal, QLD, in September 2019. M. Eaton reports spotting Black-fronted Dotterels in Gatton, QLD, in August 2017, at Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, in September 2017, and at Murrumba Downs, QLD, in September 2018. Others were found at Lake Moondarra, near Mount Isa, QLD, in June 2025. P. Brown reports finding Black-fronted Dotterels at Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, in September 2019. More were found at the Ooloo Road crossing of the Daly River, NT, in Aubust 2021. R. Plumtree reports finding Black-fronted Dotterels in East Gippsland, VIC, regularly. In November 2019 a pair was found nesting at Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC. C. Pears reports finding Black-fronted Dotterels regularly in Perth and Quindalup, WA. In March 2022, a large number (ca. 20) were found at Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA.

Photos

ADULT

PAIR

Lateral view of a pair of Black-fronted Dotterels
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2009]

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Black-fronted Dotterel foraging in shallow water
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, March 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Black-fronted Dotterel looking at the observer
[Pilliga Wetlands Walk, NSW, April 2021]

Near-frontal view of a Black-fronted Dotterel (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Montecollina Bore, Strzelecki Track, SA, July 2015]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Black-fronted Dotterel in a rocky creek bed
[Trevallyn, NSW, October 2023]

Near-lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel foraging in shallow water (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]

Close-up lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel in a rocky creek bed
[Trevallyn, NSW, October 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Moondarra, near Mount Isa, QLD, June 2025]

Close-up lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel in a rocky creek bed
[Trevallyn, NSW, October 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]

Close-up lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, May 2024]

Close-up lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, June 2026]

Lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a Black-fronted Dotterel in a rocky creek bed
[Trevallyn, NSW, October 2023]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a Black-fronted Dotterel in a rocky creek bed
[Trevallyn, NSW, October 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a Black-fronted Dotterel looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Black-fronted Dotterel looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Quilpie, QLD, July 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Black-fronted Dotterel (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, August 2017]

Black-fronted Dotterel seen from straight behind (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2019]

Distant lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel in flight, wings angled
[Near Walgett, NSW, June 2012]

Lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel in flight; wings down
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2015]

Black-fronted Dotterels taking off from a permanent waterhole (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Whittaker's Lagoon, NSW, June 2012]

Black-fronted Dotterels low in flight (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Whittaker's Lagoon, NSW, June 2012]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Black-fronted Dotterel looking towards the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Victoria River Roadhouse, NT, July 2026]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Black-fronted Dotterel (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Victoria River Roadhouse, NT, July 2026]

Lateral view of a juvenile Black-fronted Dotterel
[Pilliga Lagoon, near Pilliga, NSW, November 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Black-fronted Dotterel
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, March 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Black-fronted Dotterel
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2017]

Black-fronted Dotterel sheltering a chick (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Murrumba Downs, QLD, September 2018]

Black-fronted Dotterel sheltering a chick (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Murrumba Downs, QLD, September 2018]

Black-fronted Dotterel on a gravel bank in an inland river wetting its underwings (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Castlereagh River, Gilgandra, NSW, November 2016]

Black-fronted Dotterel on a gravel bank in an inland river cooling/hydrating a chick under one of its wings
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Castlereagh River, Gilgandra, NSW, November 2016]

Black-fronted Dotterel on a gravel bank in an inland river cooling/hydrating a chick under one of its wings
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Castlereagh River, Gilgandra, NSW, November 2016]

Black-fronted Dotterel with two chicks (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2017]

Black-fronted Dotterel with two chicks (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2020]

Lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel chick (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2017]

Lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel chick (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Murrumba Downs, QLD, September 2018]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Dec

Eggs: 1 - 3

Incubation period: 25 - 26 days

Fledging age: N/A

The breeding season depends on geographical latitude and on weather conditions. In the tropical North they usually breed during the dry season. Given the right circumstances, Black-fronted Dotterels, in principle, can breed any time of the year. Chicks are precocials and will leave the nest very soon after hatching.

Nest building: N/A

Incubation: Female & male

Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Scrape

Material: Sandy or rocky soil

Height above ground: N/A

Lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel on its nest, right by the side of an Outback road (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Quilpie, QLD, August 2025]

Black-fronted Dotterel nest right by the side of an Outback road (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Quilpie, QLD, August 2025]

Frontal view of a Black-fronted Dotterel on its nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2019]

Lateral view of a Black-fronted Dotterel on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, June 2019]

Lateral view of 2 Black-fronted Dotterel chicks in their nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, June 2019]

Black-fronted Dotterel nest with 2 eggs (photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Gilgais, Pilliga NP, NSW, 1980ies]

Black-fronted Dotterel nest with 3 eggs - apart from the fact that there are 3 eggs, which is unusual, also not the amazing colour adaptation to match the surrounding "Blue Metal" rocks
(photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Gulargambone Road, near Baradine, NSW, 1980ies]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 29 x 21 mm

Colour: Heavily speckled

Shape: Tapered oval

Black-fronted Dotterels (see also Red-kneed Dotterel eggs for comparison!) have the ability to adapt the colour of their eggs to the surroundings of the nest/scrape.

Close-up view of two eggs in a Black-fronted Dotterel nest right by the side of an Outback road
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Quilpie, QLD, August 2025]

Close-up view of a Black-fronted Dotterel egg (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2019]

Black-fronted Dotterel egg colour adaptation to black soil (photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Gilgais, Pilliga NP, NSW, 1980ies]

Black-fronted Dotterel egg colour adaptation to "Blue Metal" rock (photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Gulargambone Road, near Baradine, NSW, 1980ies]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair/mob

Black-fronted Dotterels are one of the bird species that pretend injury to distract intruders and lure them away from either nest or chicks.

Black-fronted Dotterel pretending to have broken a wing to lead the observer away from its two chicks
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2017]

This Black-fronted Dotterel was NOT using the "broken wing" routine but, for reasons unknown, "ducked for cover" to melt into the surrounding landscape - there were no chicks to protect at the time (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2020]

Black-fronted Dotterels usually run around the water's edge searching for food. They are quite hard to approach, because always out in open terrain.

At the end of winter (early September 2011) we have observed a small number (seven) Black-fronted Dotterels gathering on the shore of Narrabri Lake for a bit of a competition. The males tried to impress the females by jutting out their Black-fronted chests. The females either responded to, or invoked, this behaviour with a lively twitter that could be heard from afar. At roughly the same time we heard reports of up to 65 Black-fronted Dotterels spotted together.

Apart from the male display behaviour, this photo (albeit somewhat unsharp) also shows both the upperwing and underwing patterns of Black-fronted Dotterels
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2011]

Black-fronted Dotterels can sometimes be found by roadsides, especially when the ditches are muddy
[Near Narrabri, NSW, January 2014]

Black-fronted Dotterel chick using its camouflage to hide from the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Murrumba Downs, QLD, September 2018]

In good conditions, and most likely outside the breeding season, Black-fronted Dotterels can form significant flocks.

18 Black-fronted Dotterels found in close proximity to a mob of at least 10 Red-kneed Dotterels
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, March 2022]

Food, Diet

Black-fronted Dotterel with its prey, a worm that it has just pulled out of the mud
[Near Narrabri, NSW, February 2024]

Black-fronted Dotterel that has noticed something in the soil
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, December 2023]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

blfrdot_20240221.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (arrival)	© MD
blfrdot_20200114.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (Q&A, in-flight)	© MD
blfrdot_20210305.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (in-flight, at night)	© MD
blfrdot_20200513.m4a	(NW NSW)	Pair interacting (Q&A, in-flight)	© MD
blfrdot_20240901.m4a	(NW NSW)	Warning calls? (in-flight, at night)	© MD
blfrdot_20190621.m4a	(NW NSW)	(Males?) settling a dispute	© MD
blfrdot_20201209.m4a	(NW NSW)	Arrival (at 2:00 at night)	© MD
blfrdot_20250907.m4a	(NW NSW)	Arrival (pair)	© MD
blfrdot_20250907_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Various (interacting)	© MD
blfrdot_20210908.m4a	(NW NSW)	? (at night)	© MD

More Black-fronted Dotterel sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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