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In Australia, Common Ringed Plover is a shorebird most often encountered in mudflats, saltmarsh, estuaries, beaches, lagoons, and shallow inland wetlands across New South Wales, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia, Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyPlovers and Lapwings
SizeSmall
RarityRare
HabitatMudflats, saltmarsh, estuaries, beaches, lagoons, and shallow inland wetlands.
Best timeMost reliable in Western Australia from October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Lars Edenius
Range map
Range map
12visible hotspots
224visible records
3states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Note orange legs, often bright on spring adults. Breeding plumage has bold black-and-white head and breast pattern; nonbreeding has subdued and browner pattern. Bill is bright orange with a dark tip when breeding, dark otherwise. In flight shows bold white wing stripe.
Behavior
Best watched on exposed mud, sand, or shallow water, where feeding pace, stance, and bill action often separate it from similar shorebirds.
Gallery