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Kentish Plover - BirdForum Opus

Revision as of 00:40, 7 December 2010 by Njlarsen (talk | contribs) (taxonomy, ref, additional photo)

Alternative names: Snowy Plover; Chilean Plover; Peruvian Plover

Photo by tarabilla
Almeria, Spain
Charadrius alexandrinus

Identification

15-17 cm

  • Upperparts greyish brown
  • Underparts white
  • Black legs

Female: has a grey head, lacking any black markings

Distribution

Female
Photo by Mark Bruce
Old salt ponds, Budai area, Taiwan, November 2008

Almost worldwide.

Taxonomy

Subspecies1

"Snowy Plover"
Photo by Dan E
Sanibel Island, Florida, USA, July 2010
  • C. a. alexandrinus:
  • C. a. dealbatus:
  • C. a. seebohmi:
  • C. a. nivosus (includes West Indian birds sometimes placed in C. a. tenuirostris):
  • C. a. occidentalis:

The subspecies found in the Americas has been proposed split as Snowy Plover (C. nivosus including tenuirostris and occidentalis)

Juvenile
Photo by charelli
Brouwersdam, The Netherlands, December 2007

Habitat

Sandy coasts and brackish inland lakes, and is uncommon on fresh water.

Behaviour

Breeding

It nests in a ground scrape and lays 3-5 eggs.

Diet

Diet includes insects and other invertebrates.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Charadrius alexandrinus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
  2. Wikipedia
  3. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728
  4. Birdforum thread discussing AOU NACC proposal to split Snowy Plover and other taxonomic changes

Recommended Citation

External Links


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