©Leo: Red-capped plover, Merimbula, NSW, Australia.
Colours
Distinguishing features
They have white underparts and forehead. Their upperparts are mainly grey-brown. Adult males have a rufous crown and hindneck. Adult females have a paler rufous and grey brown crown and hindneck, with pale loreal stripe. The upperwing shows dark brown remiges and primary coverts with a white wingbar in flight.
Breeding plumage shows a red-brown crown and nape with black margins. Non-breeding plumage is duller and lacks the black margins. (Wikipedia)
Size
- From 14 cm to 16 cm (Length of specimen)
Wingspan
- From 27 cm to 34 cm
Synonyms
Comments
This is Master Plover. Master of the Stop-Run-Peck Kung Fu Attack and famous for using the Broken Wing Decoy to lure the Crow Hordes from the West away from The Valley of Peace.
by David Witherall
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
It is widespread in Australia; it is a vagrant to New Zealand. The species occupies a range of coastal and inland habitats, including estuaries, bays, beaches, sandflats and mudflats; inland saline wetlands. It is also found in inland wetland areas with bare ground. (Wikipedia)
Diet
It mainly eats small invertebrates, especially molluscs, crustaceans and worms. (Wikipedia)
Web resources
References
- Simpson, K., N. Day and P. Trusler (2004). Field Guide to Birds of Australia: 7th Edition Penguin Group (Australia), Camberwell, Victoria.