White-faced plover

The white-faced plover (Charadrius dealbatus) is a small shorebird found in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Initially described by British ornithologist Robert Swinhoe, the bird resembles the Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) with which it has been much confused[2] and sometimes considered to be a subspecies.[3]

White-faced plover
A white-faced plover in Laem Pak Bia, Thailand

Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Charadrius
Species:
C. dealbatus
Binomial name
Charadrius dealbatus
Swinhoe, 1870
Synonyms
  • Aegialites dealbatus

Taxonomy

The white-faced plover was first described in 1870 by the English biologist Robert Swinhoe. The type specimen came from the island of Formosa (Taiwan) and he gave it the name Aegialites dealbatus. Since then the bird has been the subject of much debate and has variously been classified as being conspecific with Charadrius marginatus, Charadrius alexandrinus, Charadrius nivosus, Charadrius javanicus and Charadrius ruficapillus. Some authors consider it to be a subspecies of C. alexandrinus while others give it full species status as C. dealbatus.[4]

Description

The white-faced plover grows to a length of about 17 cm (6.7 in). It has a rounded head with a white fore-crown and a white supercilium. The crown is pale rufous brown upper parts are pale brownish-grey. The hind collar, throat and underparts are white. The beak and legs are dark and the tail short. Compared to the rather similar Kentish plover, it has a thicker, blunter beak, white lores, paler crown and upperparts, less black on the lateral breast patches and a larger white wingbar.[4]

Distribution and habitat

This bird is found in southeastern China, Vietnam, the Gulf of Thailand, peninsular Malaya and Sumatra, and is partially migratory. It typically inhabits sandy beaches, mudflats and saltpans, and outside the breeding season visits reclaimed areas.[4]

Ecology

The diet of this bird has been little studied but is presumed to be similar to that of the Kentish plover which feeds on small invertebrates such as insects and their larvae, spiders, molluscs, crustaceans and marine worms. It feeds on the foreshore, searching visually for prey then dashing forward to catch the prey or probing the substrate with its beak.[5] Its breeding habits are not known.[4]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2016). "Charadrius dealbatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22735615A95115530. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  2. Kennerley, Peter R.; Bakewell, David N.; Round, Philip D. (2008). "Rediscovery of a long-lost Charadrius plover from South-East Asia" (PDF). Forktail. 24: 63–79.
  3. Rheindt, F. E.; Székely, T. S.; Edwards, S. V.; Lee, P. L. M.; Burke, T.; Kennerley, P. R.; Bakewell, D. N.; Alrashidi, M.; Kosztolányi, A. S.; Weston, M. A.; Liu, W. T.; Lei, W. P.; Shigeta, Y.; Javed, S.; Zefania, S.; Küpper, C. (2011). Steinke, Dirk (ed.). "Conflict between Genetic and Phenotypic Differentiation: The Evolutionary History of a 'Lost and Rediscovered' Shorebird". PLoS ONE. 6 (11): e26995. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0026995. PMC 3212520. PMID 22096515.
  4. del Hoyo, J.; Collar, N.; Kirwan, G.M.; Sharpe, C.J. "White-faced Plover (Charadrius dealbatus)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Retrieved 19 December 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Wiersma, P.; Kirwan, G.M.; Boesman, P. "Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Retrieved 19 December 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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