From Opus

Charadrius pallidus

Subspecies venustus; photo by wim de groot
Lake Natron, Tanzania

Subspecies pallidus; photo by Megan Perkins
Walvis Bay, Namibia

[edit] Identification

Length 15 cm, mass 28-39 g. The smallest Charadrius species.

Upper parts are very pale grey (C. p. pallidus) or brownish-grey (C. p. venustus), and under parts are white with a narrow chestnut breast band.

[edit] Distribution

Africa: From South Africa to Angola, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies¹

• C. p. venustus

• Smaller and has darker and browner upper parts than the nominate race.
• Found in Rift Valley soda lakes on Kenya/Tanzania border.

• C. p. pallidus

• Very pale grey upper parts.
• Found on southern African coast (south-western Angola to Mozambique) and inland in northern Namibia, northern Botswana and central-northern South Africa.

[edit] Habitat

Saline lagoons and pans; less frequently estuaries and sandy lagoons.

[edit] Behaviour

Found singly, in pairs, or in flocks. Forages for insects on the soil surface or in the water.

[edit] References

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
2. Gibbon, G. 2002. Roberts' Multimedia Birds of Southern Africa: Version 3. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. www.sabirding.co.za
3. Lepage D. 2008. Avibase. Search for "Chestnut-banded Plover" downloaded 19 June 2008.

[edit] External Links