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Siberian Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus) Alternate name(s): "Mongolian Sand Plover", "Mongolian Plover", "Mongolian Dotterel"; Formerly known as the "mongolus group" of the "Lesser Sand Plover". Size: 18-21 cm; wing span 49-58 cm Body mass: 45-79 g (lean), ca. 100 g (fat) Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.25-0.28/0.38-0.42 (lean/fat)

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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 Siberian Sand Plovers are small waders. Their plumage changes between breeding season and non-breeding season. During the breeding season their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are slightly different. Male Siberian Sand Plovers have a prominent dark-brown to black facial mask (sides and forehead), with a white frons in race mongolus. The cap is partly rufous, with a grey centre. The rufous parts merge into rufous hindneck and broad chest band that wrap around the white throat and chin. The chest band has a very narrow black band at its upper edge. The belly and vent are white. The upperparts (mantle, tail and upperwings) are grey, with light-grey edge lining of the wing feathers. Females, although showing the same overall pattern, have much duller head and chest band colours. The rest of the plumage is the same in both sexes. In eclipse the upperparts of both sexes remain unchanged, except for the chestnut tint at the nape of the neck, which disappears together with the chest bands. At the front, slate-grey side bars remain in place of the chest bands. The irises of both sexes are dark; the bill is black, legs and feet are dark-grey. Twitcher's tip Compared to other small species of plovers, the Siberian Sand Plover has the most prominent side bars in its non-breeding plumage. In breeding plumage it has a narrow black band at the upper edge of its chestnut breast band. The correct identification of waders ("shorebirds"), e.g. of the Calidris, Tringa, Actitis and related families or of the Charadrius, Pluvialis and related genera in the field can be quite tricky. We have therefore made an attempt to give some advice HERE.

Taxonomy, classification See Siberian Sand Plover at Wikipedia . Click here for classification information The Siberian Sand Plover is no longer considered to be conspecific with the Tibetan Sand Plover. Both newly defined species used to be groups of races of the former Lesser Sand Plover.

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 Siberian Sand Plover is available HERE . Since the split of the former "Lesser Sand Plover", there are 2 accepted races of Siberian Sand Plover. They breed in coastal habitats of the northern hemisphere, from eastern Siberia to Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands. Nominate race "mongolus" breeds mostly in bare coastal plains in eastern Siberia, whereas race "stegmanni" breeds on Kamchatka and nearby islands and coastal areas. They migrate southwards via the eastern Asian seaboard, especially via Japan and the Philippines, to spend the northern winters throughout the South Pacific islands, Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, Siberian Sand Plovers are non-breeding migrants from the North. Mostly nominate race "mongolus" migrates to Australia, but sometimes individuals of race "stegmanni" can be found. Siberian Sand Plovers populate almost the entire Australian seaboard, including the Coral Sea and Bass Strait, but excluding the Nullarbor. They are almost never found anywhere inland. Along the coast line, they can be found in various types of aquatic habitat, including e.g. beaches and also many offshore islands, including the entire coastline of Tasmania.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "mongolus" A small number of Siberian Sand Plovers, nominate race "mongolus", was first seen by us at Bundjalung NP, near Iluka, northern NSW, in February 2012. B. Hensen reports spotting Siberian Sand Plovers, race "mongolus", semi-regularly at both Lee Point and East Point, Darwin, NT. In August 2014 we found a few Siberian Sand Plovers, race "mongolus", in mudflats at East Point, Darwin, NT. M. Mearns reports spotting a Siberian Sand Plover, race "mongolus", on Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, in January 2016. M. Eaton reports spotting Siberian Sand Plovers, race "mongolus", at Nudgee Beach, QLD, in March 2018, and at Wellington Point, near Brisbane, QLD, in March 2019.

Photos

Race "mongolus"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Male Siberian Sand Plovers in breeding plumage, left, have more colourful facial masks, neck and chest band than females.

MALE

BREEDING

Frontal view of a male Siberian Sand Plover in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wellington Point, near Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]

Frontal view of a male Siberian Sand Plover in worn breeding plumage, centre, with other waders (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Siberian Sand Plover in breeding plumage; note the black on the forehead and around the eyes, plus the neat black fringe ontop of the breast band (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, March 2018]

Lateral view of a male Siberian Sand Plover in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wellington Point, near Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]

FEMALE

BREEDING

Lateral view of a female Siberian Sand Plover in breeding plumage; note the grey around the eyes and the absence of a black fringe ontop of the breast band, which is scalloped, rather than neat rufous (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wellington Point, near Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]

Lateral view a female Siberian Sand Plover (centre), with three Greater Sand Plovers, all in breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]

"Assortment" of waders, with two (probably female) Siberian Sand Plovers 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]

NON-BREEDING

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Siberian Sand Plover in non-breeding plumage, second from the left, together with four Greater Sand Plovers, also in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, July 2014]

Near-frontal view of a Siberian Sand Plover in non-breeding plumage
[Bundjalung NP, NSW, February 2012]

Lateral view of a Siberian Sand Plover in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[East Point, Darwin, NT, December 2015]

Lateral view of a Siberian Sand Plover in non-breeding plumage; this individual has an uncharacteristic complete breast band (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Deception Bay, QLD, February 2018]

Near-dorsal view a Siberian Sand Plover in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Direct comparison of a Siberian Sand Plover, left, with a Greater Sand Plover, right, caught for banding
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, November 2018]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Migratory

Elementary unit: Flock

In Australia Siberian Sand Plovers are often found together with Greater Sand Plovers.

Food, Diet

Siberian Sand Plovers feed on small invertebrates.

Male Siberian Sand Plover in breeding plumage pulling a worm out of the sand (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, March 2018]

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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