Male: Crown, neck, upperparts, greyish-brown. Forehead, sides of face, throat, black. White ring around head above the eyes and across the forecrown. Eyering, red. Underparts, white. Bill, red, with a black tip. Legs, orange.
Female: Like male but forehead, sides of face, throat, dirty brown.
Juveniles: White head and neck with brown-grey cap and eye patch. Bill, brown with an orange base.
Other Names (World)
Shore Plover, Shore Dotterel, New Zealand Dotterel, New Zealand Plover
Shore Dotterel (Thinornis novaeseelandiae) [XC537875]
by id from Mangere Island, Chatham Islands, New Zealand (call)
Shore Dotterel (Thinornis novaeseelandiae) [XC457256]
by Frank Lambert from Rangatira South East Island, Chatham Islands, New Zealand (alarm call, call)
Nest
Under dense vegetation, beach rack or boulders, either on the shore or further inland.
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops)
Smaller. Adult with adult. Looks more slender. Less black on face and sides of neck. Has a black 'V' mark on the lower breast. Tail is black and tipped and edged white. Legs are dull pink. Juvenile with juvenile. Has black stripe through eye. Bill is orange with a black tip.
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet