Plover poser Nigeria (1 Viewer)

Me again, this time with a possible juv or non-breeding Grey Plover - but why is it so brown? That puts a big question mark in my mind.
Taken on 25 Dec 2003 on a small creek at low tide in Bonny Island Nigeria (South end of the Niger River & South of Port Harcourt).

It's a Grey Plover - can't explain the colour wash.

Leucistic Grey Plover, unless it is just bleached by tropical sunlight.

I did once see an Oystercatcher in Britain where the usually-black part of the plumage was a similar brown (if not even paler), so such things can happen.

Michael

I wouldn't have said leucistic Michael - the tonality is correct but appears to have a more 'rufous' tinge. Possibly erythritic?

If erythritic, the center of scapulars etc. that normally appear black (or at least very dark) would still have been this dark colour - red wouldn't normally prevail against black. Hence, I would agree on leucistic. A lack of melanin would also give the remaining colours "more power"; i.e. the rufous hue could be due to the black not taking over as it usually does. In any case, there certainly is a lack of melanin compared to a "normal individual" of this species. If there's an excessive amount of other pigments is rather hard to say; to me the remaining colours doesn't seem strong enough for this...

Well, above doesn't affect the ID of the bird though!

NB: Don't think it is just bleached by the tropical sunlight. Melanin is one of the few pigments that is quite resisitant to sunlight. Still, odd things do happen!

There was a very brown Grey Plover at Filey Dams last spring that had some very competent birders fooled until the underwings were seen.

Stephen.