A tiny tern with white forehead and black-tipped yellow bill. Pale grey back and wings with dark outer primary. Forehead patch extends as point above eye. Yellow legs. In non-breeding plumage, bill black and black crown reduced. Sexes alike. Similar but marine Saunder’s Tern S. saundersi has square-ended forehead patch, more black in primaries and browner legs.
A medium-sized, pale gull with large white spots in black wing tips. Adult is pearly-grey above and white below, with chocolate brown partial hood in breeding plumage, reducing to earmark when not breeding. First years have brownish in wings and black tail bars. Has very pale irises and white eye rings. Sexes alike. Scavenges, e especially fish waste from humans, robs terns but also catches flying and surface insects. Light, easy flight. Swims buoyantly, often among ducks and Coots. Breeds colonially in high-altitude bogs.
A big, pale, deep-chested, long-winged gull with long-sloping forehead and strong black and orangetipped yellow bill. Breeding adult has black head and white eye rings. In non-breeders head turns dusky. Pale grey above with whiter outer wing and few black wing spots near tips. Immature browner but still pale and shows grey mantle and wing panel. Often solitary, but readily mixes with smaller gulls and terns. Scavenges fish waste and robs others for fish. Heavy buoyant heron-like flight.
Sexes alike. Bright rufous crown; white and black stripes above and through eyes to nape; sandybrown above; chestnut throat and breast and black belly; long, whitish legs; in flight, dark underwings. Small parties in open country; strictly a ground bird, runs in short spurts and feeds on ground, like plovers, suddenly dipping body when disturbed, flies strongly for a short distance and lands; can fly very high.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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).
