In this video, we take a look at the

QUICK FACTS:

• Lifespan: 4 years (average)
• Length: 5 – 7 in
• Wingspan: 11 – 13 in
• Weight: 1 – 2 oz
• Family: Charadriidae
• Subspecies:
• C. d. curonicus: Eurasia, Southeast Asia, and North Africa.
• C. d. jerdoni: South and Southeast Asia.
• C. d. dubius Scopoli: Southeast Asia.


Description:

The little ringed plover has gray-brown upperparts and white underparts with a black neckband. It has a white forehead and chin, a black eye mask, and a short, black bill.

Its small black eyes have yellow orbital rings. It has pale brown legs and webbed feet. There are three different subspecies with variations in plumage coloration and range.

Vocalizations: Call and song

The common call is a single-note peeuu that can be heard from a distance. The song is a repetitive kreeaah that can be heard at the beginning of the breeding season.

Distribution and range

Little ringed plovers are native to Eurasia, with migratory opulations moving south for the winter to Africa and Southeast Asia.

Habitat

Stony substrates near aquatic habitats such as lakes, rivers, wetlands, lagoons, and estuaries.

Diet and feeding habits

Little ringed plovers eat insects, worms, spiders, shrimps, crustaceans, and mollusks. They feed by foraging on land and in shallow waters.

Nesting and breeding

These fiercely territorial birds nest on the ground in solitary pairs, but sometimes they form loose colonies. They build scrape nests near the water, often lined with vegetation and gravel.

Females lay around four eggs, and incubation lasts roughly 25 days. The precocial chicks fledge within a month and become independent a few weeks after.

Behavior

Little ringed plovers are usually solitary or in pairs, occasionally forming small flocks. They are strongly territorial and become aggressive with other birds that get too close to their nesting site. They use distraction tactics such as feigning a broken wing to deter predators away from the nest.

Status and conservation

The little ringed plover is classified as least concern. However, some populations are threatened by habitat destruction and human disturbances.

They are protected by the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).

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