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Ringed Plovers - Western Isles Birds
(Click Image for Larger Pictures) |
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Ringed Plovers - Reef
Ref:PL2004a
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Ringed Plovers in Flight
Ref:PL9000
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Ringed Plover -Western Isles
Ref:PL2003a
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The ringed plover's pied head and breast and white neck distinguish the bird from other common small waders - Here a Dunlin leads the plovers - Reef Beach May 2010 |
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December 2nd 2010 - a little plover on the beach at Col - the cold didn't bother these lovely birds as they hopped in and out with the tide. |
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Ringed plovers nest on or near sandy beaches - some move inland to breed on loch shores. These ringed plovers were on Reef beach May 2010 |
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Ringed Plover
Ref:PL2000
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Ringed Plover
Ref:PL2001
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Ringed Plover
Ref:PL2002 |
We saw this lovely ringed plover at Reef The Isle of Lewis - on May 2010
The plovers are short dumpy wading birds that breed on the beaches and coast around The Western Isles |
This delightful bird the ringed plover - looking almost like ballet dancers can be seen all over the Western Isles.
These birds are normally found in small loose groups with other waders
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Although the ringed plovers mostly feeds on the mud they will also feed in short grass.
Ringed Plovers roost communally on bare or sparsely covered ground close to their feeding areas.
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Ringed Plover
Ref:PL80002
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Ringed Plover
Ref:PL8000
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Ringed Plover
Ref:PL80001
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This parent was keenly watching its two young chicks on Ghiordail Beach - Tolsta -July 2010 |
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The lovely ringed plover a delightful little bird - hopping around at Garry beach - Western Isles Birds. |
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A lovely ringed plover a delightful little bird - hopping around at Bosta beach - January 2010 - Western Isles Birds. |
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Ringed Plover
Ref:PL90002
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Ringed Plover
Ref:PL9000
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Ringed Plover
Ref:PL9005
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At Garry Beach - Western Isles birds sightings - this lone ringed plover - Jun 2010 |
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At Ghiordail - this parent bird watches its young chicks |
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Again - on the moor tops at Garry - this little ringed plover. |
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Ringed Plover Chick
Ref:PL90020
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Ringed Plover Chick
Ref:PL90020
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Ringed Plovers in Flight
Ref:PL8001
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At Ghiordail - this was one lovely chick that the parents were looking after. |
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Ringed plovers "call" to their chicks if there is any danger - and immediately the chicks will stay absolutely still until the parent calls to tell the chick that its safe to move. |
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Quite a sight when the ringed plovers are in flight - they might be tiny birds but they have powerful wings. A dunlin is leading them in flight. |
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Ringed Plovers in Flight
Ref:PL90001
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December 2nd 2010 - this ringed plover on the beach at Col - getting lots of food from the tideline |
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| Bird Overview -Ringed Plovers |
Family |
Plovers and Lapwings |
Latin name |
Charadrius hiaticula |
Population |
Common |
Similar Species |
Little Ringed Plover |
Description |
A tiny unassuming little bird - often seen in The Western Isles. A small plumb bird with short legs. These birds have a distinctive broad black band across its white breast and black bars through its eye and across its crown.
The back of its crown, its back tail and upper wings are a light sandy brown colour. The underparts of the ringed plovers are white. The birds have an orange bill with a black tip and also they have orange legs
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Size |
18 -20cm - 7ins
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Habitat |
Coastal marshes and beaches.
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Food |
This birds diet consists of small crustaceans, molluscs, worms, insects (e.g. ants, beetles, flies and fly larvae)
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Voice |
Plaintive 'queep' when intruders are present.
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Breeding |
These birds lays 4 olive grey eggs - Apr - July - incubation is 21 - 28 days and the young fledge at 21 - 25 days. Large numbers of ringed plovers breed on the Western Isles machair. |
Misc. Info |
Like many plovers, when the adults sense a threat to their nest or chicks they feign a broken wing to lead potential predators away
The ringed plovers fly rapidly with clipped wing beats and show a prominent white wing-bar.
When intruders approach a nest the birds try to lure them away, by feigning a broken wing or fanning their tails and squealing like a rodent
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