| Double-banded Plover (Anarhynchus bicinctus (Jardine & Selby, 1827)) |
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Scientific name: Anarhynchus bicinctus (Jardine & Selby, 1827) Common name: Double-banded Plover Other names: Banded Dotterel. Old scientific name: Charadrius bicinctus. Maori name: Tuturiwhatu. French name: Pluvier à double collier, Gravelot à double collier. Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae Size: Body size: 18 to 21 cm; Weight: 47 to 76 g; Wingspan: 37 to 42 cm. Habitat: Near water by the sea or inland by rivers or bodies of water with sparse vegetation, meadows. Food: Small invertebrates, mainly crustaceans, worms and flies in coastal areas and insects and spiders further inland. The diet can be supplemented with berries and small seeds. Nesting: The nest is a small cup on the ground, dug by the male in the sand or gravel. There are 2 to 4 eggs per clutch. Migration: Plovers that nest inland move to the coast after the breeding season. Then, in southern autumn and winter, some migrate to Tasmania and Australia while others remain in New Zealand. Geographic area: New Zealand and surrounding islands. |
The Double-banded Plover has a dark grey-brown upper body and white underparts. A thin, distinct black stripe crosses the chest just below the neck. The chest is barred with a broad reddish brown band. The top of the white forehead is bordered by a thin black line. The bill is strong and black. The legs are rather long. Females have duller colours and the black line at the top of the forehead is missing. The reddish brown band which crosses the chest disappears in interbreeding plumage and the thin black stripe becomes less visible. |
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The plumage colours of the Double-banded Plover provide an effective camouflage on the large gravel beach of Okarito. I only detected its presence through its movements. |
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I do not see any black line above the white forehead, so I think we have a female here. |
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One last photo and we will prepare for a night visit to the Okarito Kiwi, accompanied by a guide. I highly recommend this visit which remains today my most beautiful ornithological observation with a very experienced guide and observations (guided by radio transmitters) made while strictly respecting the environment and the birds. |
André Bon June 2024
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