Adults: Upper parts, dark brown. Underparts, white. Head, nape and breast, black. Throat, white. Bill, red with black tip. Flanks, chestnut, edged white. Trailing wing edge, white. Legs, brown-grey, with red knees.
Juveniles: Like adults but with brown head and nape. No breast band.
Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus) [XC283418]
by id from Pitt Town Lagoon, New South Wales, Australia (flight call)
Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus) [XC177545]
by Peter Boesman from Werribee Treatment Plant, Victoria, Australia (call)
Breeding Season (Guide)
October - January, but any month when water conditions are suitable.
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Nest
A slight depression in the ground, usually among stones at some distance but near water, occasionally exposed in damp soil close to water, or in the shelter of a small bush or clump of grass.
Eggs (Guide)
2 - 4; dull ochre-yellow, speckled with dark brown and black hair-like markings and blotches; pyriform; about 30 x 22 mm. Incubation: by both sexes.
Young
Precocial, nidifugous.
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops)
Similar size. Lacks the black hood, having a dark brown crown with a distinct white eyebrow. Has a distinct smaller, solid black 'V' mark on the lower breast. Lacks the rufous flanks. Lacks the trailing white edges to the wings. Has a red eyering. Legs and feet are reddish. Normal found near freshwater and only rarely in tidal areas. Utters a metallic 'pink' when flushed.
Hooded Plover (Thinornis cucullatus)
Larger. Shorter legs. Also has a black hood but has a white nape. Back is pale grey-brown. Lacks the black breast and rufous flanks. Has a distinctive white wing bar in flight. Has a red eyering. Legs and feet are reddish. Normally found on sandy beaches, rare near fresh water.
Banded Lapwing (Vanellus tricolor)
Much larger. Although it has dark brown upper parts and a black breast band it lacks rufous flanks. Bill is yellow. Has red lore wattle. Eyering is yellow. Legs and feet are dark reddish. Has a distinctive white wing-stripe which is readily visible in flight. Has a white rump and terminal black tail band. Usually on open grassland not usually near water.
Compare Images
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet