Red-capped Plover - BirdForum Opus

Male
photo by Neil Fifer
Sydney, Australia

Charadrius ruficapillus

Identification

14–16 cm (5½-6¼ in); a small plover

• White body
• Brown wings
• Reddish-brown cap
• Dark eye stripe, lores and frontal bar
• White supercilium

The female is similar, but the cap is much diminished to just a brow and reddish-brown tints around the face.

Distribution

Female
Photo by aussiebirdo11
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, August 2016

Throughout Australia (except arid areas) and Tasmania.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1].

Habitat

Mostly coastal; found on sandy/shell beaches with nearby mudflts. River edges and lakes inland.

Behaviour

Breeding

Breeds Sep. - Jan. Nest depression in soil or sand lined with shell, stones or vegetation. Eggs 2-3 pale green spotted.

Diet

Flight
Photo by Neil
Sydney, Australia, September 2004

Diet consists of insects larvae, small crustaceans also some seeds.

Vocalisation

'Voice: a sharp tink and faint trills.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved August 2016)

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Red-capped Plover. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Red-capped_Plover

External Links

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