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9

Greater Sand Plover

(Charadrius leschenaultii)
Alternate name(s): "Large Sand Plover", "Large-billed Dotterel", "Large Sand-dotterel"
Size: 19-25 cm; wing span 53-60 cm
Weight: 70-110 g

Similar
species

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

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Greater Sand Plover at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "leschenaultii"

ADULT

Sex unknown

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]

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]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: Migratory Elementary unit: Flock

Greater Sand Plovers are often found together with Lesser Sand Plovers.

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]

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