Little Ringed Plover

Charadrius dubius (Scopoli, 1786)

Little Ringed Plover, Charadrius dubius, is a small plover found across the Old World. It breeds in open gravel places close to freshwater, including river margins, islands and gravel pits, and it moves seasonally. Its upperparts are mainly brown-grey, with a black band round the neck and a dark facial mask set off by a clear yellow eye-ring. The forehead, breast and belly are white. It can be told from the larger Common Ringed Plover by its head pattern, flesh-coloured legs and yellow eye-ring.

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Charadriidae — Plovers

Breeding range

Palearctic, Oriental Region: widespread inland subarctic to tropical zones: Eurasia, Indian subcontinent, se Asia, Philippines, New Guinea and Bismarck Arch.

Nonbreeding range

Sub-Saharan wc to ne, ec Africa; Middle East; s, se Asia and Indonesian Arch.