The tawny-throated dotterel is a species of bird in the family Charadriidae, the plovers and their relatives. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay.
Region
Andes and Southern Cone
Typical Environment
Breeds in open high-Andean grasslands (puna) of Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile, and northwest Argentina, and in open steppe of southern Argentina and Chile. In the nonbreeding season it descends or moves north to lowland pampas and coastal plains of Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. Prefers short-grass steppe, puna flats, saline flats, and sparsely vegetated slopes with scattered stones. Also uses pastures, stubble fields, and airfields where vegetation is low.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 4500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The tawny-throated dotterel is a handsome South American plover of open country, from high Andean puna to Patagonian steppe. It often forms small groups outside the breeding season and moves seasonally to lower, milder grasslands. In flight it shows a striking white wing stripe, and on the ground its warm tawny throat is a standout field mark.
Temperament
wary and alert, often unobtrusive on open ground
Flight Pattern
strong flier with short rapid wingbeats; fast, low flight over open terrain with brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically in pairs during the breeding season, nesting in a shallow ground scrape lined with pebbles. Clutches are small, and both sexes share incubation and chick care. Outside breeding, individuals form small, loose flocks, sometimes mixing with other open-country shorebirds.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are clear, whistled piping notes, often given in series when flushed or in flight. Calls carry well over open country and serve to keep contact within small groups.
Plumage
Warm tawny throat and upper breast, clean white belly, and gray-brown, finely mottled upperparts. Subtle narrow darker breast band may separate the tawny chest from the white underparts. In flight shows a bold white wing stripe.
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and their larvae, as well as ants and other small invertebrates. Will also take small worms, snails, and occasionally seeds. Prey is picked from the ground or gleaned from low vegetation while walking and pausing to scan.
Preferred Environment
Forages on short-grass puna, open steppe, and sparsely vegetated flats where visibility is high. Frequently uses grazed pastures, stubble fields, and airfield margins in wintering areas.
