Greater sand-plover

Sept. 30, 2023

Recently, a Greater sand-plover (Charadrius leschenaultii) that normally prefers sea shores, has been spotted in an urban tank in Coimbatore.

About Greater sand-plover:

  • It is known for long distance migration.
  • Appearance:
    • It is a medium-sized plover with a long hefty bill.
    • Breeding adults have a dark mask and orangish chest, neck, and forehead; females duller than males.
    • Non-breeding birds and immatures are sandy brown above and white below, with a white throat and “eyebrows.”
    • Additionally, unlike some Lesser Sand-Plovers, Greater never has a black boundary around the throat.
  • It breeds in high-elevation areas, where it favors arid, open habitats, sometimes near water. Winters on coastal mudflats and estuaries.
  • It breeds during April to May in central Asia, late March to late May in Turkey and upto late June in Armenia.
  • It winters in the shores of Indian and Australian Oceans after the breeding.
  • Diet: The bird’s diet consists of beetles, worms, crustaceans, molluscs, other insects and their larvae.
  • Habitat:Mudflats and sandy shores.
  • Behaviour/Ecology: Associates with other feeding shorebirds, especially Lesser Sand Plover.
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN: Least Concern

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