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Lesser Sand Plover
(Charadrius mongolus)
: "Mongolian Sand Plover", "Mongolian Plover", "Mongolian Dotterel"
Size: 18-21 cm; wing span 49-58 cm
Weight: 40-80 g
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Lesser Sand Plovers are small waders. Their
plumage changes
between breeding
season and
non-breeding season.
During the
breeding season the face is mostly black (forehead, sides),
with a greyish-brown cap and a white throat. The wide chestnut
breast band, which extends to the nape of the neck, has a very
narrow black band at its upper edge. The belly and vent are white.
The upperparts (mantle, tail and upperwings) are dark grey, with
light-grey edge lining of the wing feathers.
In eclipse
the upperparts remain unchanged, except for the chestnut tint at
the nape of the neck, which disappears with the breast bands. At
the front, slate-grey side bars remain in place of the chest bands.
The bill is black; the legs and feet are dark-grey.
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Twitcher's tip |
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Compared to other small species of plovers, the Lesser 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.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Lesser
Sand Plover at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat |
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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
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The global distribution of the Lesser Sand Plover is available
HERE
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Currently there are 5 accepted races of Lesser Sand Plover,
but they may need to be split up into 2 different species.
Altogether, they breed above the treeline in the Himalayas
and along parts of the bare coastal fringe of northern Asia.
They spend the northern winters in eastern Africa, South
Asia, South-east Asia and Australia.
In Arabia Lesser Sand Plovers are primarily seen in passage
between Asia and Africa, but some birds, possibly non-breeders
may also stay through the summer. Most stay around the coastal
fringe, on beaches and in estuaries, in particular mudflats.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Lesser Sand Plovers were first spotted by us at Al Qurm Natural Park
near Muscat, Oman, in December 2009. The species was again seen at
Ras Al-Hadd, on the eastern tip of Oman, in May 2010.
Lesser Sand Plovers were also observed by us in
Australia.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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NON-BREEDING |
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Frontal view of a Lesser Sand Plover moulting into its
breeding plumage
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]
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Additional information |
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Lesser Sand Plovers were also photographed by us in
Australia.
| Social behaviour: Communal |
Mobility: Migratory |
Elementary unit: Flock |
Lesser Sand Plovers are often found together with Greater Sand Plovers.
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.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
