The crab-plover or crab plover is a coastal wader (shorebird). It is the only member of the genus Dromas and the family Dromadidae. It is unique among waders in making use of ground warmth to aid the incubation of its eggs. The crab-plover is classified in the suborder Lari, making it more closely related to gulls and auks than to most other waders such as plovers and sandpipers.
Region
Western Indian Ocean and adjacent seas
Typical Environment
Found along the coasts of the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, and western Indian Ocean, with non-breeding ranges extending to East Africa, India, and Sri Lanka. It favors sandy and coral islands for breeding, especially offshore islets with open ground for burrowing. Outside the breeding season it frequents extensive intertidal mudflats, sandflats, and shallow lagoons. Mangrove edges, tidal creeks, and coral rubble zones are regularly used feeding areas. It is strongly tied to tidal cycles and rarely occurs far inland.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 50 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The crab-plover is the sole member of both its genus and family, making it a unique shorebird. It nests in burrows dug into sandy islands and uses the warmth of the ground to help incubate its single egg. Its heavy, black bill is specialized for taking crabs and cracking their shells. Genetically it is closer to gulls and auks than to true plovers and sandpipers.
The feet are partially webbed
Crab-plover eating a crab
Temperament
social and colonial
Flight Pattern
direct flight with steady wingbeats; occasionally glides over water
Social Behavior
Highly gregarious, forming roosting and feeding flocks and breeding in dense colonies on offshore sandy islands. Pairs excavate deep burrows, often over a meter long, and typically lay a single egg. Both parents incubate and tend the chick, which remains in the burrow for an extended period and is fed at the nest. Colonies can persist at traditional sites for many years.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are loud and gull-like, with ringing yelps and nasal cackles that carry over mudflats. Calls intensify around colonies and during crepuscular movements. Contact notes are sharp and repetitive during group flights.
