© GW - monacoeye • Gambia, Feb 2013.

Bird name: Grey Plover
Latin: Pluvialis squatarola
Other: Black Bellied Plover (US) • Pluvier argenté (Fr), chorlito gris (Es), tarambola-cinzenta (Pt), Kustpiparen (Sv), Tundralo (No)
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings & Plovers
Range: Worldwide
Similar: American Golden Plover

Above, Grey Plover feeding on exposed rocks at low tide, in the Gambia, February.

Below, Grey Plover (or Black-Bellied Plover) were seen on the beach by the airport in Panama City in good numbers, mixed with other seabirds, in May.

In full breeding plumage they have a well-defined black band running from face to belly. The others are in non-breeding plumage.

Grey Plover breed in the Arctic and migrate to southern coastlines worldwide in the northern winter.

Costa del Este, Panama, 9 May 2010
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© GW - monacoeye • All rights reserved, Lagoa do Peixe • November 2009

Bird name: American Golden Plover
Latin: Pluvialis dominica
Other: Batuiruçu (Br) • Batuíra-do-campo (Br) • Chorlito dorado chico (Es) • Chorlo pampa (Es) • Other Pt: Tarambola-dourada-pequena • Tarambola-dourada-americana
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings & Plovers
Range: Arctic tundra: Canada, Alaska, migrates to S America, mostly Patagonia.
Similar: Grey Plover

The photo above was taken in southern Brazil in November, so in non-breeding plumage.

The American Golden Plover has a strong white eyebrow, dark legs. Relatively, smaller bill and bigger eye than the sandpipers. A medium-sized bird, but smaller than a Southern Lapwing.

Below, a rare vagrant American Golden Plover in the Kartong Wetlands, Gambia.

Below, vagrant American Plover, Gambia, Mar 2013.
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© GW - monacoeye, all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013.

Bird name: Common Ringed Plover
Latin: Charadrius hiaticula
Other: Pluvier Grand Gravelot (fr), chorlitejo grande (Es), borrelho-grande-de-coleira (Pt), Sandregenpfeifer (De), Större strandpipare (Sv)
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings & Plovers
Range: N Eurasia, Arctic Canada, migrating S to Africa etc
Similar: Little Ringed Plover, Semipalmated Plover

Above, Common Ringed Plovers on beach in Gambia. Identified by orange legs, broad white supercilium (non-breeding plumage), orange bill base (breeding plumage).

Common Ringed Plover in flight as they swept past the mouth of the Var in Nice…

Common Ringed Plover in flight, Var in Nice… France • Mar 2009


Common Ringed Plover with Sanderling behind, Gambia, Feb 2013.
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© AW - monacoeye • Iceland, May.

Bird name: Semipalmated Plover
Latin: Charadrius semipalmatus
Other: Batuíra-de-bando (Br) • Chorlo Semipalmado (Es)
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings & Plovers
Range: Arctic, migrating S to US and S America
Similar: Common Ringed Plover

Semipalmated Plover look very similar to Common Ringed Plover so treat these IDs with caution.

Above Semipalmated Plover in Iceland ?

Although the Semipalmated Plover is marked as a vagrant to Brazil in some guides, it is in fact present the length of the Brazilian coastline.

The (presumed) Semipalmated Plover below were photographed on the beach near Lagoa do Peixe in Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil, in November.

They were identified by their collar, small amount of yellow at base of bill and yellowish legs.

Semipalmated Plover migrate from Arctic breeding grounds to the US and South America during the northern winter.

Lagoa do Peixe, RS • November 2009
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Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland, May 2011

Bird name: European Golden Plover
Latin: Pluvialis apricaria
Other: Pluvier doré (Fr) • Goldregenpfeifer (De) • Chorlito dorado común (Es) • Piviere dorato (It) • Goudplevier (Nl) • Ljungpipare (Sv) • Tarambola-dourada (Pt)
Family: Charadriidae • Plovers & Lapwing, Waders
Range: Breeds Iceland, UK, Scandinavia, Russia etc, winters further south.
Similar: Pacific Golden Plover, American Golden Plover

A lovely shot above of a European Golden Plover in breeding plumage in Iceland, early May.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Ngorongoro Crater • Oct 2009

Bird name: Blacksmith Plover
Latin: Vanellus armatus
Other: Blacksmith Lapwing
Family: Charadridae • Lapwings

The Blacksmith Plover is quite abundant in Kenya wetlands. Seen here in the Ngorongoro Crater.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe, RS • November 2009

Bird name: Collared Plover
Latin: Charadrius collaris
Other: Batuíra-de-colleira (Br)
Family: Charadriidae • Plovers

The Collared Plover, which is the most widespread Charadrius plover in Brazil, is characterised by a thin black collar which does not run round the back of the neck, yellow legs and black bill, even during breeding season.

The Collared Plover breeds in Mexico and throughout most of Central and South America, at different times of the year depending on location.

These individuals were seen a few hundred yards from the beach, in southern Brazil in November.More photos...

Bird name: Kentish Plover
Latin: Charadrius alexandrinus
Other: Pluvier / Gravelot à collier interrompu
Family: Charadriidae
Tags: Plovers & Lapwing • Waders

Photos: monacoeye • Hyeres • May 2009

This Kentish Plover was at some distance on a salt pan in Hyeres, hopefully I’ll get a better shot eventually …More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Camargue, France • Mar 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Little Ringed Plover
Latin: Charadrius dubius
Other: Petit Gravelot • Pluvier Petit Gravelot
Family: Charadriidae
Tags: Plovers & Lapwing • Waders

The Little Ringed Plover is principally distinguished from the similar Ringed Plover by its dark beak (vs orange for Ringed) and duller legs. The Little Ringed also has less of a white stripe on the wings. Both Ringed and Little Ringed were seen together a couple of weeks ago in the Camargue.More photos...

058 Charadriidae - Plovers - IOC 2.5 - 2010

Vanellus vanellus - Northern Lapwing - Widespread Eurasia - N Africa
Vanellus crassirostris - Long-toed Lapwing - C, E, SE Africa
Vanellus armatus - Blacksmith Lapwing - S, SC Africa
Vanellus spinosus - Spur-winged Lapwing - E, C, W, Africa, also Middle East
Vanellus duvaucelii - River Lapwing - NC India through Southeast Asia
Vanellus tectus - Black-headed Lapwing - E, C, W Africa
Vanellus malabaricus - Yellow-wattled Lapwing - India
Vanellus albiceps - White-crowned Lapwing - SE, WC, W Africa
Vanellus lugubris - Senegal Lapwing - SE, C, W Africa
Vanellus melanopterus - Black-winged Lapwing - E, SE Africa
Vanellus coronatus - Crowned Lapwing - E, S Africa
Vanellus senegallus - African Wattled Lapwing - Widespread Africa
Vanellus melanocephalus - Spot-breasted Lapwing - Ethiopia
Vanellus superciliosus - Brown-chested Lapwing - C, WC Africa
Vanellus cinereus - Grey-headed Lapwing - E Eurasia - Asia
Vanellus indicus - Red-wattled Lapwing - Widespread Asia, also Middle East
Vanellus macropterus - Javan Lapwing - Java
Vanellus tricolor - Banded Lapwing - SW, S, SE Australia
Vanellus miles - Masked Lapwing - Widespread Australasia
Vanellus gregarius - Sociable Lapwing - C Eurasia - N India, NE Africa
Vanellus leucurus - White-tailed Lapwing - C Eurasia - N India, NE Africa
Vanellus chilensis - Southern Lapwing - Widespread South America
Vanellus resplendens - Andean Lapwing - Colombia to NW Argentina

Erythrogonys cinctus - Red-kneed Dotterel - Australia, S New Guinea

Pluvialis plovers not Charadriidae
Pluvialis apricaria - European Golden Plover - NW Eurasia - S Europe, N Africa
Pluvialis fulva - Pacific Golden Plover - N, Eurasia, also Alaska - Asia, Australasia
Pluvialis dominica - American Golden Plover - N North America - S South America
Pluvialis squatarola - Grey Plover - N North America, Eurasia - worldwide

Charadrius obscurus - New Zealand Plover - New Zealand
Charadrius hiaticula - Common Ringed Plover - N, Eurasia, also NE Canada - SW EU, Africa
Charadrius semipalmatus - Semipalmated Plover - N North America - S North America, Latin America
Charadrius placidus - Long-billed Plover - E Eurasia - Southeast Asia
Charadrius dubius - Little Ringed Plover - Widespread Eurasia, Asia - Africa
Charadrius wilsonia - Wilson's Plover - coastal E, SW USA to E Brazil, Peru
Charadrius vociferus - Killdeer - Alaska & C Canada to Peru
Charadrius melodus - Piping Plover - E, C North America - SE South America, Mexico
Charadrius thoracicus - Madagascar Plover - Madagascar
Charadrius pecuarius - Kittlitz's Plover - Widespread Africa
Charadrius sanctaehelenae - St. Helena Plover - St. Helena Island
Charadrius tricollaris - Three-banded Plover - S, E Africa
Charadrius forbesi - Forbes's Plover - C, WC, W Africa
Charadrius marginatus - White-fronted Plover - Widespread Africa
Charadrius alexandrinus - Kentish Plover - Widespread Eurasia, Africa, Asia - Kentish Plover distinct from Snowy Plover, related to White-fronted Plover
Charadrius nivosus - Snowy Plover - C Canada to Panama, Peru to SC Chile
Charadrius javanicus - Javan Plover - Java
Charadrius ruficapillus - Red-capped Plover - Australia
Charadrius peronii - Malaysian Plover - Malay Peninsula to Philippines & Lesser Sundas
Charadrius pallidus - Chestnut-banded Plover - S Africa
Charadrius collaris - Collared Plover - Widespread Latin America
Charadrius alticola - Puna Plover - Peru to NW Argentina
Charadrius falklandicus - Two-banded Plover - Southern Cone
Charadrius bicinctus - Double-banded Plover - Widespread Australasia
Charadrius mongolus - Lesser Sand Plover - C, E Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Australasia
Charadrius leschenaultii - Greater Sand Plover - C Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Australasia
Charadrius asiaticus - Caspian Plover - WC Eurasia - Africa
Charadrius veredus - Oriental Plover - EC Eurasia - Greater Sundas to Australia
Charadrius morinellus - Eurasian Dotterel - N, C Eurasia - N Africa
Charadrius modestus - Rufous-chested Plover - Southern Cone
Charadrius montanus - Mountain Plover - C North America - SW South America, N Mexico
Charadrius australis - Inland Plover - Australia

Thinornis rubricollis - Hooded Dotterel - S Australia
Thinornis novaeseelandiae - Shore Dotterel - Chatham Islands

Elseyornis melanops - Black-fronted Dotterel - Widespread Australasia

Oreopholus ruficollis - Tawny-throated Dotterel - W, S South America

Anarhynchus frontalis - Wrybill - New Zealand

Phegornis mitchellii - Diademed Plover - Peru to SC Chile & Argentina

Hoploxypterus cayanus - Pied Plover - E Colombia to SE Brazil