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9

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) Alternate name(s): "Ringed Plover" Size: 17-19.5 cm; wing span 35-41 cm

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Common Ringed Plovers are very small waders. When seen in Oman, they are usually in breeding plumage, with a black-and-white facial mask and an otherwise grey back of the head. Common Ringed Plovers do not have orbital rings (eye-rings). The only difference between the sexes is that the female's facial mask, in particular the spot behind the ears, is a bit duller than the male's. The neck is a white band, widest at the front, under which they have a single broad, black chest band. The rest of the front, down to the undertail coverts, is white. The back and the wings are grey, with some faint vermiculation on the wing coverts. In flight they show a thin white wing bar near the trailing edge of the upperwings. The irises are dark. The bill is orange, with a black tip; legs and feet are also orange. During the non-breeding season, apart for off-white supercilia and an off-white patch on the frons, the head is grey. Also the back is grey and they have a single, wide darker-grey chest band. The rest of the front is entirely white, as is a thin neck band. Outside the breeding season the bill is dark-grey, but the legs and feet stay orange. Juvenile Common Ringed Plovers resemble non-breeding adults, but with more greyish-orange legs.

Taxonomy, classification See Common Common Ringed Plover at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the ebird.org website. The global distribution of the Common Ringed Plover is available HERE . There are 3 extant races of Common Ringed Plovers, which are a partly migratory species. Their overall range is very extended, with breeding grounds all around the Arctic and wintering grounds in much of the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, Arabia, south-western Asia, and large parts of Africa. In between breeding grounds and winter quarters they can be found during their migration. They are long-distance migrants that are also present on most Atlantic islands, ranging from Greenland, Iceland and Spitsbergen to the Azores. In Oman Common Ringed Plovers are found as permanent residents along the German/Dutch North Sea coastline, around Ireland and the northern coastline of Scotland and the Scottish islands in the North Sea. Elsewhere they are migratory. Apart from wetlands in parts of eastern England, in inland Poland, along the Danish North Sea coast, around the Baltic Sea their breeding grounds are inside the Arctic circle, in much of Norway and northern Finland, including inland mountainous regions, and along the northern Russian seaboard. Along the Omanan Atlantic coastline and the Mediterrenean coast they are found as winter visitors. In intervening areas (parts of Scandinavia, parts of eastern Oman between the Baltic Sea and the Adriatic) and along a few well-defined flight paths, they can be found during their migration. During the breeding season Common Ringed Plovers have a strong preference for open areas near water, usually sandy or rocky surfaces or gravel. They are usually found near the water's edge and will also nest not far from water.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "tundrae" We have not seen a Common Ringed Plover, nominate race "hiaticula", in Oman yet. The photos shown below, of race "tundrae", were taken in Egypt. All photographic information presented on this page has kindly been contributed by M. Eaton.

Photos

Race "tundrae"

ADULT

Sex unknown

NON-BREEDING

Lateral view of a Common Ringed Plover in non-breeding plumage feeding on a mudflat; note the characteristic orange legs (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Common Ringed Plover (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

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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