Little Ringed Plover Identification
Its scientific name is 'Charadrius dubius', from the family Charadriidae (order Charadriiformes)
What I look like
The Little Ringed Plover is a bit larger than a robin.
It has a round and stocky body when perched.
Its pale pink legs are long and thin relative to its body.
It has a white and black head with a brown back and a yellow orbital ring.
Its short, dark beak is adapted for pecking.
The upper body is brown and the underside is white with a black collar at the chest.
In flight, it shows a fine light wing bar.
The female has a rather brownish head and a black forehead.
In non-breeding plumage, the black on the head and chest becomes brown with the forehead and eyebrow "buff" colored.
Juveniles have an indistinct buff eyebrow, a less distinct collar, a thinner beak, and a scaly effect on the upper plumage.
The Little Ringed Plover can be confused with the Ringed Plover, but the latter is larger, stockier, with a more prominent chest, and has orange beak and legs.
In flight, the Ringed Plover shows a clear white wing bar.
My songs, my calls
The Little Ringed Plover produces contact calls in flight. "piu" whistling and slightly descending.
It may have a daytime song during courtship flight with slow wing beats… The male's song, given during circular flight, is a series of rolled notes "truionhsec truionhsec truionhsec...".
It can also emit a night song with rapid "pri pri pri…".
How I behave
The Little Ringed Plover is found alone or in small groups, especially during migration.
However, it is less gregarious than the Ringed Plover and has faster wing beats.
It is capable of running very fast, almost appearing to glide.
How I reproduce
The Little Ringed Plover's nest is a simple scrape on gravel surrounded by pebbles, shell fragments, and grass blades by the female.
It relies on camouflage to avoid detection.
Upon arriving at its breeding site, the male performs courtship flights accompanied by calls that evolve into song when the female joins him.
On the ground, he courts the female by spreading his wings and tail.
What I eat
The Little Ringed Plover mainly eats insects and larvae.
When foraging, it hunts by sight. It runs, stops, bends, and pecks...
or by touching with its beak for hidden and buried prey.
It sometimes hunts by tapping its foot on the sand to stimulate prey.
Where to find me
The Little Ringed Plover is found near water, on gravel and small pebbles (beaches, lake shores, ponds).
It comes to Europe in the summer, but spends the winter in sub-Saharan Africa.
Whereas the Ringed Plover can be found in Europe during the cold season, as it winters in Western Europe and Northwest Africa.
The Little Ringed Plover can live for about 10 years.