Plovers · Shorebirds
Eurasian dotterel
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Charadrius morinellus
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How to recognize it
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Smaller and more compact than a European golden plover
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Broad white supercilium joining in a V on the nape
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Breeding plumage: chestnut breast with white band, black belly
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Flight shows plain wings, soft pyurr call
About the species
Charadrius morinellus has a neat, restrained look and never feels fussy. What stays in mind is the pale brow and the clear band across the chest, with a warmer rusty patch below in breeding plumage.
It is usually quiet and surprisingly trusting, so it may let people come quite close. In flight it gives a soft, low trilling call, and the female has a short, repeating whistle.
It uses dry, stony tundra and sparse mountain ground above the treeline, where vegetation is thin. It feeds mainly on insects and other small invertebrates, and spends the winter in semi-desert areas of North Africa and the Middle East.
Where to find
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On dry, stony vacant lots and roadside embankments at the edge of town—where grass stays low, Charadrius morinellus forages in short runs and sudden pauses on the ground.
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On open clay patches, construction clearings, and fallow ground—small groups may settle for a moment, then sprint off again.
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On flat roofs, broad parapets, and stone terraces—often resting quietly before making a short, low loop over the barren surface.
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Along the bare edges of artificial lakes and ponds—look for quick ground-feeding close to the waterline, not deep in cover.
