Plover, Common Ringed

Conservation status:

Common

Description:

Dunlin-sized plover with orange legs and bill-base, strong black breast band and white hindneck collar; in flight, shows conspicuous white wing-bar, note also characteristic call. In adult non-breeding black is replaced by dark grey-brown, supercilium and forehead are tinged brown, and bill is nearly black. Juvenile similar to adult non-breeding, but is paler and duller, often with broken breast band, and upperparts slightly scaly with buff fringes. Distinguished from Little Ringed (which see) by white wing-bar, lack of pale orbital ring, and obvious pale supercilium in juvenile. Paler Kentish has longer blackish legs, thin black bill, in flight more white in tail, and never has breast band. Separated from other plovers by obvious white hindneck-collar and call.