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Greater Sand PloverAlternate name(s): "Large Sand Plover", "Large-billed Dotterel", "Large Sand-dotterel" Size: 19-25 cm; wing span 53-60 cm Weight: 70-110 g |
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Photos |
Race "leschenaultii"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
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BREEDING |
Lateral view of a ring-marked Greater Sand Plover in breeding
plumage;
the breast band of race "leschenaultii"
is much narrower than that of race "columbinus"
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]
Lateral view of Greater Sand Plovers (left, right and back), with
one Lesser Sand Plover,
all in breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]
"Assortment" of waders, with two
Lesser Sandplovers
in near-breeding plumage,
centre and front left, one
Ruddy Turnstone in
breeding plumage ,
front right, a second
Ruddy Turnstone in
non-breeding plumage,
front centre, one Greater Sand Plover in breeding
plumage, centre right,
and a second Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage, towards the
back right; on the right and front right there are also two
Red-necked Stints
(the smallest birds in the photo) in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]
Full-frontal view of a Greater Sand Plover in transitional
plumage
[Bundjalung NP,
NSW, February 2012]
Near-lateral view of a Greater Sand Plover in transitional
plumage;
in the background a Ruddy Turnstone
[Bundjalung NP,
NSW, February 2012]
Lateral view of a Greater Sand Plover in transitional
plumage
[Bundjalung NP,
NSW, February 2012]
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NON-BREEDING |
Frontal view of four Greater Sandplover in non-breeding
plumage,
together with a
Lesser Sand Plover,
also in non-breeding
plumage, second from the left
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, July 2014]
Near-frontal view a Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, January 2018]
Near-lateral view a Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]
Lateral view a Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]
Lateral view a Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, January 2019]
Lateral view a Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, January 2018]
Lateral view a Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, January 2018]
Near-dorsal view a Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, January 2023]
Dorsal view a Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage
looking sideways
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, January 2023]
Dorsal view of Greater Sand Plovers taking to flight
[Bundjalung NP,
NSW, February 2012]
Direct comparison of a Greater Sand Plover, right, with a
Lesser Sand Plovers,
left, caught for banding
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, November 2018]
Lateral view of a Red
Knot in breeding plumage
(front), together
with a Great Knot
in breeding plumage (right),
a second Great Knot in
non-breeding plumage
(centre) and two Greater Sand Plovers in non-breeding plumage in the
background (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]
Small flock of primarily Greater Sand Plovers in non-breeding
plumage
in flight (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2013]
Small flock of primarily Greater Sand Plovers in non-breeding
plumage
in flight (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, August 2013]
Pale bird
Frontal view of a Greater Sand Plover in very pale non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, October 2019]
Near-frontal view of a Greater Sand Plover in very pale non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, October 2019]
Lateral view of a Greater Sand Plover in very pale non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, October 2019]
Lateral view of a Greater Sand Plover in very pale non-breeding
plumage in flight
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, October 2019]
Lateral view of a Greater Sand Plover in very pale non-breeding
plumage in flight
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, October 2019]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Migratory | Elementary unit: Flock |
Greater Sand Plovers are often found together with Lesser Sand Plovers.
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Food, Diet |
Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage
with its prey, a small crab (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, January 2018]
Greater Sand Plover in non-breeding
plumage
pulling a worm out of the sand of a
beach
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, January 2018]