Ringed plover (Thinornis dubius vs Charadrius hiaticula) - Central Spain (1 Viewer)

[SLopezM]

Hello everyone! I saw this bird two weeks ago in a crop field that had been flooded by the river in Guadalajara (Spain). I believe it's a little ringed plover (Thinornis dubius), a somewhat more common species in the area and which I have seen here before. However, given the quality of the image (taken from a great distance using my phone), I can't completely rule out the possibility that it is a common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula), especially since a few were reported in the area around the same time. What do you think?

 

[Jinac]

Curious about reading expert's opinions...
The general attitude, the legs evokes Little but the big eyebrow and the big black "collar" point to the Common

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,

I agree with you (ID in the field with the real bird is mostly more confident than poor pictures) and Jinac:
its a Little Ringed Plover imo: shape and broadness of the black collar is somewhat dependent on posture, and your bird is within variation for a Little Ringed Plover.
Yellow eye-ring is just visible and black bill also better, as many Common Ringed Plovers have orange based bills now.

 

[SLopezM]

Thank you for your help! I am adding another photo of the same individual in case it helps clear up any remaining doubts. Let me know what you think!

 

[Harrybongo]

Thank you for your help! I am adding another photo of the same individual in case it helps clear up any remaining doubts. Let me know what you think!

Hi. Can see a pointed ear covert patch, not rounded as in Common, looks pretty good for Little Ringed.

 

[SLopezM]

Thank you!

 

[Simon G]

Apropos this thread, when was Little Ringed Plover moved to Thinornis and which bodies recognise the change? The BOU still seems to list it as Charadrius dubius.

 

[Jinac]

Charadrius for the svensson's app

 

[njlarsen]

Apropos this thread, when was Little Ringed Plover moved to Thinornis and which bodies recognise the change? The BOU still seems to list it as Charadrius dubius.

Clements/Ebird changed per the October 2024 update
Niels

 

[SLopezM]

Yes, I used the scientific name provided by eBird to write this thread. However, it's true that it was my first time seeing the little ringed plover listed as Thinornis - to me, it still sounds more natural to refer to it as Charadrius dubius.

 

[Simon G]

Conversely the IOC appears to have sunk Thinornis into Charadrius as of update 14.1, Jan 2024.

Taxonomic Updates – IOC World Bird List