Kittlitz's Plover - BirdForum Opus

Anarhynchus pecuarius

Charadrius pecuarius

Photo © by John DempseyWestern Cape Reserve, South Afica

Identification

14-16 cm long. Grey-brown back, crown and wings, orange breast shading to white on the lower belly, and long dark grey legs. The forehead and throat are white, with black lores and a black frontal bar.

Distribution

Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and the Nile delta.

Taxonomy

• A monotypic species.
• Some authorities recognize three subspecies; nominate pecuarius, allenbyi, and tephricolor.

Habitat

Short grass or mud near open water.

Behaviour

It forages for food on open dry mud and short grass, usually close to water. Diet includes insects, earthworms, crustaceans, molluscs and other invertebrates.

References

Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/

External Links

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