Plovers

White-tailed Lapwing

Sexes alike. Pink-brown above, with grey-white forehead, supercilium; ash-grey chin, throat, turning dark-grey on breast; yellow legs; in night, white rump, tail, black and white in wings diagnostic. Small to medium-size flocks, often with other waders; makes short runs when feeding; less boisterous and active than the commoner Redwattled, but overall similarity in habits.

Sociable Lapwing

Has a dark cap, with white supercilia which join at nape, black bill and legs. In flight, white secondaries contrast with black primaries and sandy-brown  upperwing-coverts and black tail band is evident. Adult breeding has yellow wash to sides of head, and black-and-maroon patch on belly. Non-breeders and juveniles have duller head patterns, white bellys and streaked breasts. Juvenile additionally has prominent buff fringes and dark subterminal crescents to scapulars and coverts.

Red-wattled Lapwing

Sexes alike. Jet black cap, bordered with white ; sandybrown upperbody; black band in white tail; in night, white bar in black wings; black chin, throat;  sandy-brown breast; black band on lower breast; white below; yellow lappets above and in front of eyes and yellow legs diagnostic. Solitary or in pairs, rarely small gatherings; sometimes with the commoner Red-Wattled; as a rule, prefers drier habitat; quiet and unobtrusive; feeds on ground, moving suspiciously

Northern Lapwing

A big, dumpy, black and white wader with a long upswept wispy crest that is black in colour. Crown, face and cheek stripes are black as well. Upperparts  have a purplish-grey sheen. Undertail coverts are orange and breast is black. Pinkish legs and short dark bill. Rounded wings have white tips and underwing coverts. The tail is white with black tips. Sexes similar but female has white patches in black areas. Juveniles rather scaly above, rarely mixing with other waders. Usually in parties, feeding by running and stopping to pick up surface invertebrates. Relaxed, low, flapping flight. Shy in region

Lesser Sand Plover

A small, compact, muddy-brown wader with dark legs, slightly longer than the Kentish. Is roundheaded with a gentle expression. In non-breeding plumage, muddy-brown on crown, cheeks, breast sides and entire upperparts including collar. Breeding female has peachy breast band. Breeding male has black mask, broad chestnut breast band and neck sides to forecrown. Stubby black bill. Nests on ground in high-altitude semi-desert.

Kentish Plover

A rather dumpy wader with black bill and blackish legs. Like all small plovers it has sandy-brown upperparts, crown and cheeks, small dark patches on breast, and a white collar. Breeding plumage male has chestnut rear crown and black forehead, cheeks and breastsides. Strong white wingbars and edges to tail and rump.

Grey Plover

A largish stocky wader with spangled grey-brown upperparts and black armpits. Non-breeders like a big Pacific Golden but grey above. Breeders are black below to thighs; breast sides have broad white border ends. Upperparts get more spangled silver, black and white. White wingbars and rump square. In flight diagnostic black armpits (axilliaries).

European Golden Plover

A dumpy, short-billed wader with spangled yellowish upperparts, white supercilia and belly. In breeding plumage, white extends from forehead to vent in broad band bordering black face and underparts. Stockier, shorter legged and billed than Pacific Golden with white not grey underwings. Grey is larger, lacks yellow and has black armpits. Sexes similar.

Ruff

An erect, large-bodied and small-headed wader, very variable in plumage and size. In non-breeding plumage, scalloped brownish-grey above with greyish, brownish, or occasionally, in males, white head, neck and breast. The male acquires crown tippets and neck ruff of varying colours in spring. Legs are usually orange, greenish when young. Bill rather short and slightly down-curved. In characteristic, rather easy, flight shows thin wing bars and white ovals on dark rump. Feeds in large, often single sex flocks. Eats insects and grain.

Yellow-wattled Lapwing

Sexes alike. Jet-black cap, bordered with white; sandy-brown upper body; black band in white tail; in flight, white bar in black wings; black chin and throat;
sandy-brown breast; black band on lower breast; white below; yellow lappets above and in front of eyes and yellow legs diagnostic. Solitary or in pairs, rarely small gatherings; sometimes with the more common Red-wattled Lapwing V. indicus; as a rule, prefers drier habitat; quiet and unobtrusive; feeds on ground, moving suspiciously.

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