The Greater Sand Plover, Charadrius leschenaultii, is a small wader in the plover family of birds.

Taxonomy:

Class: Aves

Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Charadriidae

Genus: Charadrius

Species: C. leschenaultii

Binomial name: Charadrius leschenaultia (Lesson, 1826)

Sub Species: Charadrius leschenaultii columbinus

Charadrius leschenaultii crassirostris

Charadrius leschenaultii leschenaultii

Distribution:

It breeds in the semi-deserts of Turkey and eastwards through central Asia. It nests in a bare ground scrape. This species is strongly migratory, wintering on sandy beaches in east Africa, south Asia and Australasia. It is a rare vagrant in western Europe, where it has been recorded as far west as Great Britain and France. The Greater Sand Plover breeds in central Asia from Armenia to Mongolia, moving further south for winter.

Physical Characteristics:

These birds are substantially bigger than Ringed Plovers, more like the size of a Turnstone, but also they have a much larger bill and lack the pale ring around the back of the head which all Ringed Plovers show. In summer plumage, the males become even more distinctive with a broad chestnut breast band and black and chestnut markings on the head. If you find one of these birds, the only remaining problem will be whether it is definitely a Greater Sand Plover and not the even rarer Lesser Sand Plover which is a little smaller, shorter-legged, and with a less impressive bill.

The non-breeding Greater Sand Plover has a grey-brown crown, nape, back and breast patches. The lores, bill and upperwing are dark, with dusky ear-coverts. There is prominent white plumage on the forehead, chin, throat and underparts, including the underwing. The legs and feet are greenish-grey; this helps distinguish it from the very similar Lesser Sand Plover, with dark grey legs. Birds have a hunched, horizontal stance when relaxed, and a more upright extended stance when alert. When breeding in the Northern Hemisphere, the plumage on the breast, crown and nape changes to a dull brick-red and the ear coverts become black. Elements of this plumage may be visible in some Australian birds just after arrival in spring or prior to departure in autumn, and in some overwintering birds.

This chunky plover is long-legged and thick-billed. Breeding males have grey backs and white underparts. The breast, forehead and nape are chestnut, and there is a black eye mask. The female is duller, and winter and juvenile birds lack the chestnut, apart from a hint of rufous on the head. Legs are greenish and the bill black.

In all plumages, it is very similar to Lesser Sand Plover, Charadrius mongolus. Separating the species may be straightforward in mixed wintering flocks on an Indian beach, where the difference in size and structure is obvious; it is another thing altogether to identify a lone vagrant to western Europe, where both species are very rare. The problem is compounded in that the Middle Eastern race of the greater sand plover is the most similar to the lesser species.

Diet:

Prey is detected visually by running a short distance, stopping to look, then running to collect the prey. Diet includes insects, crustaceans, polychaete worms and molluscs.

Behavior:

Roosts during high tide on sandy beaches and rocky shores; begin foraging activity on wet ground at low tide, usually away from the edge of the water; individuals may forage and roost with other waders. Its flight call is a soft trill.