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Inland Dotterel (Peltohyas australis) Alternate name(s): "Desert Plover", "Australian Dotterel" Size: 19-22 cm; wing span 43-47 cm Body mass: 65-105 g

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Inland Dotterels are small birds that are closely related to waders. During the breeding season they have a creamy-white neck and face, with a black bar extending vertically from below the eyes ("tear drop") that continues upward across the width of the cap. The back of the head is mottled buff with black. They have a prominent black "V" from the chest to the nape of the neck, which is lined by buff stripes, below which the belly is chestnut and the vent is white. The upperparts are cryptic, with dark-brown upperwing feathers with light-brown edge lining and a mottled brown tail. The bill is grey, the legs are greyish-buff. In eclipse Inland Dotterels may lack the black markings described above. Juvenile Inland Dotterels also lack any black markings.

Taxonomy, classification See Inland 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 Inland Dotterel is available HERE . Inland Dotterels are endemic to Australia. Their range and distribution are very complex - for details refer to a field guide. Inland Dotterels can in principle be found anywhere in the interior, South of a line connecting Eighty Mile Beach, WA, with Mt. Isa, QLD, and West of a line connecting roughly Mt. Isa - Longreach - Charleville, QLD, and Walgett - Narrandera, NSW. They usually stay in parts of the Murray River catchment (NSW/VIC), the Lake Eyre Basin (SA), the Diamantina (QLD) and western inland WA. From there they disperse into the rest of the interior, including the Nullarbor and the Great Sandy Deserts of WA/NT/SA. Inland Dotterels have a preference for arid environments, such as desert, gibber and sparse grassland.

Sightings Click here for sighting information C. Charles reports spotting Inland Dotterels near the Diamantina Development Road crossing of the Diamantina River, QLD, in August 2013. M. Eaton reports finding a pair of Inland Dotterels with two young chicks along the Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, in June 2022. Another was found along the Birdsville Track in August 2022. Yet another was spotted along the Munga-Thirri Simpson Desert NP Road, QLD, in June 2025.

Photos

ADULT

PAIR

Frontal/lateral view of a pair of Inland Dotterels in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Near-frontal/lateral view of a pair of Inland Dotterels in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Frontal view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Near-frontal view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Near-frontal view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of C. Charles)
[Diamantina River, QLD, August 2013]

Near-lateral view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Close-up lateral view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage looking towards the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Close-up lateral view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Lateral view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Near-dorsal view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Dorsal view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

NON-BREEDING

Frontal view of an Inland Dotterel in non-breeding(?) plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, SA, August 2022]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage protecting two young chicks - note the two pairs of pale "extra legs"
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Near-dorsal view of an Inland Dotterel in breeding plumage protecting two young chicks - note the two fluff balls under the bird's wing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Birdsville Track, ca. 30 km N of Marree, SA, June 2022]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

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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