The Kentish plover is a small wader of the family Charadriidae that breeds on the shores of saline lakes, lagoons, and coasts, populating sand dunes, marshes, semi-arid desert, and tundra. Both male and female birds have pale plumages with a white underside, grey/brown back, dark legs and a dark bill; however, additionally the male birds also exhibit very dark incomplete breast bands, and dark markings either side of their head, therefore the Kentish plover is regarded as sexually dimorphic.
Region
Palearctic coasts and inland saline basins
Typical Environment
Breeds patchily from Atlantic coasts of Europe across the Mediterranean, North Africa, and through Central and East Asia to coastal China and Japan, with many birds wintering farther south. Occupies open sandy beaches, coastal lagoons, salt pans, and mudflats, as well as inland shores of saline and alkaline lakes. Prefers sparsely vegetated flats with shell or pebble cover for camouflage. Outside the breeding season it gathers on broad tidal flats and protected bays.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The Kentish plover is a small shorebird of open sandy and saline habitats and shows clear sexual dimorphism, with males displaying darker head markings and a more distinct partial breast band. Many New World populations formerly treated within this species are now split as the Snowy Plover. Nests are simple scrapes on open ground, and adults often perform distraction displays to lure predators away. Human disturbance and coastal development can significantly impact breeding success.
Kentish plover.
A female adult Kentish plover
A male Kentish plover
A male in breeding plumage, Narara, Jamnagar, India
Kentish plover nest
A Kentish plover chick hatching in Maio, Cape Verde, 2016
Salina do Porto Ingles, the habitat of Kentish plovers in Maio, Cape Verde
A Kentish plover nest, with a standard grey card
A Kentish plover chick
A Kentish plover chick hatching, along with its sibling and an egg
Temperament
wary but loosely social
Flight Pattern
fast low flight with rapid shallow wingbeats
Social Behavior
Often breeds in loose colonies on open ground, with both sexes incubating and tending the downy, precocial chicks. Mating systems can be flexible, including serial polygyny or polyandry in some populations. Nests are shallow scrapes lined with small shells or pebbles. Outside the breeding season, forms small to medium-sized flocks on suitable shores.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft and thin, with a plaintive tu-it or peeping calls used in contact and alarm. Courtship includes quiet trills and repeated piping notes, especially at dawn and dusk.
