The diademed sandpiper-plover or diademed plover is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Charadriinae of family Charadriidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily in the high Andes of Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina. Strongly tied to saturated alpine wetlands, especially cushion-plant peat bogs (bofedales), spring-fed seeps, and shallow, mossy stream margins. Breeds on open, spongy ground interspersed with water channels and low vegetation. Outside the breeding season it remains in similar wetlands, sometimes moving slightly downslope where water remains unfrozen. The range is naturally fragmented by the discontinuous nature of suitable bog habitats.
Altitude Range
3500–5000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The diademed sandpiper-plover is a distinctive high-Andean shorebird best known for the white 'diadem' across its head. It inhabits cushion-plant bogs (bofedales) and alpine seeps, where it forages along tiny rivulets. Its specialized habitat makes it sensitive to water diversion, mining, and overgrazing. It typically occurs in scattered, localized pairs across a fragmented range in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low over wetlands
Social Behavior
Breeds in isolated pairs that defend small territories centered on wet microhabitats. Nests are simple ground scrapes placed on firm, mossy cushions near water. Both parents are believed to share incubation and chick care, with precocial young following adults to foraging sites soon after hatching. Outside breeding, individuals may occur singly or in small loose groups where habitat is concentrated.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are thin, high-pitched whistles and piping notes, often given in short series. During display flights, it may deliver sharper calls that carry over the bog in windy conditions.
