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Kentish Plover
(Charadrius alexandrinus)
Size: 15-17 cm; wing span 43-45 cm
Weight: 40-44 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Kentish Plovers are very small waders.
Their plumage is
dimorphic, i.e.,
at least during the breeding season, males and females
are slightly different.
Breeding males,
except for narrow black breast side patches, have an all-white front,
from frons to undertail coverts. The neck has a complete white collar
band, while the cap is black above the frons, brownish-grey at the
top and rufous on the hindneck. Below the collar band, the rest of
the back, including the folded upperwings, is brownish-grey. When
visible, the uppertail shows white sides and a black centre.
The primaries and the trailing edge of the wings are black, with
a broad white wing bar near the trailing edge.
Breeding females
have brownish-grey breast side patches, cap and sides of the head,
with a thin buff stripe behind each eye. Otherwise they resemble
males.
In eclipse
the two sexes look alike, with less white on the collar and forehead
than females
during the breeding season.
The irises of both sexes are dark. The black bill is slender; legs
and feet are dark-grey to black.
Juveniles
have less conspicuous breast side patches than
adults
and their legs can be grey to greenish.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Kentish
Plover at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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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 Kentish Plover is available
HERE
.
Kentish Plovers are a partly migratory, partly sendentary species
that populates primarily parts of Africa and Eurasia.
There are 3 extant races: nominate race
"alexandrinus", "seebohmi" and "dealbatus".
Their overall range extends from the islands of the eastern
North Atlantic (Azores, Capeverdian Islands) in the West to
Japan in the East.
At subtropical latitudes they are primarily sedentary along
the coastlines within that range, but they are also found in
inland areas.
In the South their range encompasses northern Africa around
the Sahara desert, the Arabian peninsula, much of the Indian
subcontinent and basically all coastlines of far south-eastern
Asia.
In the North of their range they are breeding migrants, along
the (north-)western European coastlines and throughout central
Asia and parts of Japan.
For details see e.g.
Wikipedia
.
In Australia Kentish Plovers are very rare vagrants.
Prior to the sightings along the coastline of Sydney, NSW,
one of which is reported here, Kentish Plovers had been
reported from only two other locations:
In Darwin, NT (1988, 1990), and at the Farquhar Inlet, near
Old Bar, NSW (2002).
During the breeding season Kentish Plovers have a preference
for mudflats
or sparsely vegetated areas in both coastal wetlands and around
fresh water. Outside the breeding season they are a predominantly
coastal species that is often found on
beaches.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "alexandrinus"
B. Hensen reports finding a Kentish Plover, nominate race
"alexandrinus"(?),
at Bonna Point Reserve, Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, in December 2019.
M. Eaton spotted a Kentish Plover, nominate race
"alexandrinus"(?),
at the Noosa North Shore, Noosa Heads, QLD, in February 2020.
Kentish Plovers, nominate race
"alexandrinus",
were also found in
Europe.
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Photos |
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Race "alexandrinus"(?)
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ADULT |
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BREEDING |
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Photos of Kentish Plovers, nominate race
"alexandrinus",
in breeding plumage
are available from
Europe.
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NON-BREEDING |
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Near-frontal view of a Kentish Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bonna Point Reserve, Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, December 2019]
Near-lateral view of a Kentish Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bonna Point Reserve, Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, December 2019]
Lateral view of a Kentish Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bonna Point Reserve, Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, December 2019]
Lateral view of a Kentish Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bonna Point Reserve, Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, December 2019]
Lateral view of a Kentish Plover in non-breeding
plumage
displaying its underwings in an aborted take-off
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bonna Point Reserve, Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, December 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Kentish Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bonna Point Reserve, Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, December 2019]
Dorsal view of a Kentish Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa North Shore, Noosa Heads, QLD, February 2020]
Dorsal view of a Kentish Plover in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa North Shore, Noosa Heads, QLD, February 2020]
Direct comparison of a Kentish Plover in non-breeding
plumage with
two male Red-capped
Plovers in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bonna Point Reserve, Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, December 2019]
This Kentish Plover displayed a habit of hiding/roosting
in shallow depressions in the sand
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bonna Point Reserve, Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, December 2019]
This Kentish Plover displayed a habit of hiding/roosting
in shallow depressions in the sand
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Bonna Point Reserve, Kurnell, Sydney, NSW, December 2019]
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.