The red-kneed dotterel is a species of plover in a monotypic genus in the subfamily Vanellinae. It is often gregarious and will associate with other waders of its own and different species, even when nesting. It is nomadic and sometimes irruptive.
Region
Australasia
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across Australia and locally in southern New Guinea, favoring shallow freshwater wetlands, floodplains, and ephemeral lakes. It frequents muddy margins, lignum swamps, flooded grasslands, farm dams, and sewage ponds, and only rarely visits saline coastal habitats. The species concentrates where recent rains create new foraging edges and retreats as wetlands dry. It often uses vegetated edges for feeding and small islets or bare patches for roosting and nesting.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1000 m
Climate Zone
Other
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The red-kneed dotterel is the sole member of its genus and is noted for the bright red skin over its ‘knees’ (the tibio-tarsal joint). It is often gregarious, frequently mixing with other small waders at wetlands. Highly nomadic and sometimes irruptive, it tracks rainfall and flooding across inland Australia. When nesting, adults perform distraction displays to draw predators away from ground nests.
Immature bird in post-juvenile moult
Temperament
social and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with swift, low flights over water
Social Behavior
Often forms flocks and readily associates with other wader species, even during the breeding season. Nests on the ground near water on bare mud, short herbage, or small islets; both sexes share incubation and brood care. Performs distraction displays and alarm calling when predators approach.
Migratory Pattern
Nomadic and irruptive, dispersing widely in response to rainfall and flooding
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft piping and whistled notes, including clear peeps and mellow kliip calls. In flight it gives a sharper, repeated whistle, especially when alarmed.
Plumage
Compact plover with brown upperparts, a bold black hood and breast band, and clean white throat, belly, and undertail. Shows a contrasting white eyebrow and collar. The ‘knees’ are bright red bare skin at the leg joint; bill is pinkish-red with a black tip.
Diet
Primarily takes aquatic and semi-aquatic invertebrates such as insect larvae, beetles, small crustaceans, and worms. It picks from the surface and probes shallow mud and water margins. Occasionally consumes small molluscs and other tiny prey stirred from the substrate.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along shallow muddy edges, inundated grasslands, and vegetated margins of freshwater wetlands. Also forages at man-made sites like rice fields, sewage ponds, and farm dams where water levels expose new edges.
