From Opus

Photo by obasanmi
Mida Creek, Kenya

Dromas ardeola

[edit] Identification

Large avocet-like wader. White with black wing band. Length 36cm.

• White body
• Black back
• Black primary wing feathers
• Short grey tail
• Black, dagger shaped bill
• Long blue-grey legs
• Webbed feet
• Sexes similar

[edit] Distribution

Coasts of northern Indian Ocean.
Breeds from Somalia and Madagascar east to western India. In nonbreeding season found along the whole coast from South Africa east to Thailand. Most birds winter in India, Tanzania, Kenya and the Arabian Peninsula.

Photo by vaibhav mishra
Kutchh, Gujarat, India, November 2009

[edit] Taxonomy

A monotypic species.

[edit] Habitat

Beaches and reefs.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet includes molluscs and crabs.

They are colonial nesters; the nest is in 1.5m long burrows in sand dunes; 1 egg is laid.

[edit] Vocalisation

Call: crow-ow-ow

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Britannica.com
3. Wikipedia
4. animals.jrank.org

[edit] External Links